WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Humane Society of Houston County says they are overwhelmed with more than 100 abandoned animals and not enough help.
The Humane Society of Houston County has more animals than they do volunteers right now, which is why they need your help to keep up with the rescue's needs.
They have dozens of animals, little floor space, and even fewer volunteers.
"It's work. It's not pretty. It's not nice. It's smelly. We tell people when they start out, if it's not something you can't do, if it something that makes your stomach, get it turning, we will handle it, but we need the physical bodies," Dee Allison said.
Allison is the director and a longtime volunteer.
"Six days a week, I am here. Sundays are my only days off," Allison said.
She says every week, they gain a new cat or dog, but they only have around 36 regular volunteers.
They need volunteers to mop the floors, clean cages, and feed animals, and to take them to the vet to get spayed and neutered, microchips, exams and medication, and surgery.
"I keep on telling everybody, there's not a money tree that we can go out there and pluck, and those that have medical issues, we have to address them first," Allison said.
Chuck Shaheen says they don't euthanize animals.
"They are packed like sardines in here because they don't filter out animals. They will keep them, heal them, nurture them, feed them, groom them, do everything you can do. The goal is for them to get adopted," Shaheen said.
"They're trying to pull as many animals as they can in a realistic and healthy manner for what they can maintain, here and on-site. I think it's important to recruit fosters and more volunteers so they can keep up with the cleaning and feeding of the animals that they have," Roberts said.
Micaela Roberts volunteers weekly.
"You get to see the animals come in from the very beginning, where they are a little scared, nervous, sometimes they have injuries or just a past, and when they come here, they get nurtured and they heal, and you get to see that from the very beginning, and it's really rewarding," Roberts said.
"Some people can volunteer time and some people can volunteer money, and some people, both. I really want to thank the people that have done so much here, especially Dee and April, and the others who volunteer regularly here. I believe the county needs to step up and the cities of Centerville, Warner Robins, and Perry need to step up, help with landscaping. It's a 501c. They need help. It's helping animals who can't help themselves. I just want someone to come and adopt them and give them a home to enjoy and to really provide a better place for some of God's creatures," Shaheen said.
"We have an abuse case that I cannot show you. It was $1,300 for two days at the vet's emergency room; and we have a building to take care of, food to buy, and air condition to pay for, so that gives you the mindset of how much money we are dealing with on a daily basis," Allison said.
They say if you can't volunteer, they ask you to donate financially, or even adopt a pet.
"They need us. They will not be here. We will not make great adoptions. We will not make people happy, make the dogs, cats happy -- if we don't come in, they're not going to make it. That's the bottom line," Allison said.
The Humane Society of Houston County is not affiliated with The Humane Society or the Houston County Animal Shelter.
They run strictly on donations and volunteers.
Allison says the abandonment cases are keeping them from taking in animals from animal control that they are requested to take in.