Habersham County Animal Care and Control Director Madi Hawkins accepts the Lifesaving Luminary Award on behalf of HCACC during the Best Friends National Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 14.
Habersham County Animal Care and Control (HCACC) is being recognized nationally for its lifesaving efforts.
At the Best Friends National Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, HCACC received the animal welfare agency’s prestigious Lifesaving Luminary Award.
The Best Friends Animal Society awards the honor annually to one network partner in each of its eight regions.
“Habersham County is honored to be recognized by Best Friends for our efforts to improve the quality of life for animals in our community,” says HCACC Director Madi Hawkins. She accepted the award on HCACC’s behalf.
The award recognizes HCACC’s significant progress in reducing Habersham County’s euthanasia rate; down from an average 85% in 2010 to 3% in 2016.
What changed?
The turnaround in the shelter’s euthanasia rate can be attributed to a number of factors, from a change in organization, to new technology, leadership and laws.
Habersham County Animal Control and the county animal shelter used to be run separately. That’s changed. Today, the same HCAAC officers who pick up strays are also the ones working to find them homes. That level of personal engagement appears to have made an impact. Additionally, in 2012, HCACC started scanning animals for microchips in the field. When they’re able to contact owners they can immediately return animals home rather than putting them in the pound.
Best Friends recognized those changes in presenting the award. The organization also lauded HCACC’s improved intake and adoption protocols. The Habersham County Animal Shelter now provides medical care, actively engages in social media and community outreach, and works closely with rescue groups to move adoptable animals out of the shelter into loving homes.
Under the leadership of Hawkins and Assistant Director Wayne Higgins, HCACC also has been instrumental in strengthening county animal welfare ordinances.
As a result of those changes, Habersham County is now saving well over 90% of the animals it takes into its shelter. And that, for Madi Hawkins and her team, is the real reward.
“Saving lives is truly a team effort, and our county is fortunate to have the support of our commissioners, county management, county veterinarians, and, of course, a compassionate, skilled animal control staff and group of dedicated volunteers who have joined together to make a difference,” Hawkins says. “It truly is a community effort.”
(photos & video courtesy of Julie Seymour Edwards)
