St. PETrick’s Day returns after reschedule by FOGAS

Community

ELLIJAY, Ga. – It may be the end of April, but citizens are still feeling the St. Patrick’s Day spirit as the Friends of Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) partnered with local animal shelters and raised money with the return of St. Petrick’s Day. The event saw cancellation earlier this year as inclement weather and snow moved in during the Saturday, March 12, event.

FOGAS

Sheriff’s Office K-9 units Arlo and Milo walk proudly in the St. Petrick’s Day Pet Parade.

Instead of allowing the event to fall victim to the same cancellations of the last two years due to COVID, the FOGAS board rescheduled the event. With a beautiful Saturday this weekend, the event kept its rescheduled date and saw new success with an increase in funds raised. According to FOGAS Vice-President Sylvia Harris, the event raised $2,600 for the Gilmer Animal Shelter and provided meetings and pet adoptions for those attending. Despite the reschedule. the fundraising saw an increase from the last time the event was held according to Harris.

With 25 vendors and booths set up for the festival, the celebrations continued into the afternoon with entertainment from Voltage Dance Factory’s competition team.

FOGAS

Grand Marshall, Denise Fleck, the Pet Crusade, leads the parade of pets through Ellijay on April 30, 2022.

An estimated 300 people attended the Saturday and many of those participated in the Best Dressed, Owner-Pet look-a-like, Most Unusual Pet, and Best Vocal Performance. However, it wasn’t just citizens attending the event. The Sheriff’s Office saw all three of its K-9 Units Milo, Arlo, and Novak joining the pet parade to show off the animal side of our law enforcement, an “invaluable” side of the office as Sheriff Stacy Nicholson stated last year when a grant saw new vests for two of the dogs.

Special guest Denise Fleck served as the parade’s Grand Marshall. Denise Fleck is an award-winning author & radio show host and animal care instructor who developed the curriculum for her Pet First-Aid & CPCR Classes after training with dozens of schools.

FOGAS

Locals and tourists alike brought pets to visit downtown during the 2022 St. PETrick’s day celebration after weather caused a reschedule from the March 12 original date.

She attended with Tico, an Akira breed dog that Harris said Fleck has previously adopted from Gilmer’s Animal Shelter. Harris stated that she had shared pictures of Tico with Fleck before and when she had visited Amicalola, she traveled into Gilmer to meet and adopt the dog.

With the success of the day’s events, Harris said that FOGAS has already begun talking about next year’s St. Petrick’s Day. However, she noted that with continuing issues over recent years in early March, they could be looking to keep a later event date and possibly looking to keep the event in April next year as well. She said that this is still early discussions and they have much planning to do but noted that due to this year’s reschedule they were not able to advertise the April date as much as they wanted.

The event was originally supported through a partnership with the Gilmer Chamber for advertising and inviting locals to celebrate their pets while also inviting tourists to bring their animals with them when they visit Ellijay. The event set up mainly on 1 Broad Street next to the courthouse and took over most of the downtown area as the parade traveled along North Main and the square before following down Dalton Street.

Homeward Bound Pet of the Week- Fergie

Fast & Furriest

Fergie came to us from animal control in NW Georgia.  She had been found as a stray and nobody claimed her.  This little girl is about 2 years old; 22# and will treat everyone she meets with a waggy tail and puppy kisses.  She loves sitting on your lap and getting hugs.  Fergie is reactive to the other dogs so do not think she’s a good candidate for a multi-pet home but just know that she would be a perfect only pet.

For more information about the Homeward Bound Pet Rescue pets, check out our website and apply online:  www.hbpr.org.  We are always looking for volunteers to foster and help with socializing our cats and dogs.  We are located between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA.

Homeward Bound Pet of the Week: Gordy

Fast & Furriest

Meet Gordy, a 6# chi who was born in July, 2021. He was surrendered along with 2 other chi’s who were living outside. Gordy is a loving little boy, very active and playful. He is getting along well with the fosters’ 2 male dogs. Because of his size and age, we would not recommend little children. Gordy is in a foster home where he is being house trained. He loves to take leash walks and snuggling in a blanket.
For more information about the Homeward Bound Pet Rescue pets, check out our website and apply online: www.hbpr.org. We are always looking for volunteers to foster and help with socializing our cats and dogs. We are located between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA.

Gilmer Animal Shelter expansion approved

Community, News
expansion, Animal Shelter

ELLIJAY, Ga. – “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” A sign say in front of the Gilmer County Courthouse’s Jury Assembly Room, brought by one of the supporters of the county’s Animal Shelter and an expansion plan alongside two major donations for the facility.

expansion

Brought by a citizen speaking in support of the shelter’s expansion, a sign sits in front of the BOC meeting on September 12, 2021.

The plan actually includes both expansion and retrofitting of the facility. With encouragement from groups like FOGAS (Friends of Gilmer Animal Shelter), Volunteers Helping the Gilmer County Animal Shelter, Paws Be Good, Homeward Bound, Furry Paws, and many others according to Jack Peyton of FOGAS, who spoke first in the Commissioners meeting on September 9, 2021.

The expansion and donations have been discussed before with questions arising over how the county will support the annual increase in budget for maintaining a larger facility.

Many of those who spoke at the meeting, including Animal Shelter Director Daniel Laukka, stated that the need for a larger facility is already here and more growth is coming. Laukka and others spoke about how animals have become so increased in number that they are being housed in areas like offices simply because their is not enough room elsewhere. With cages in his own office for cats, Laukka spoke of the benefits that the expansion and retrofit will provide in caring for the animals, and how some money could be saved in the annual costs.

Minor items like having to take animals to the vets office for spay/neuter appointments will be neutralized as the expansion has a small area for vets to come and perform the procedures in the animal shelter with equipment in the shelter.

Laukka said he already has 2 vets committed to coming to the shelter to do this. With volunteers continuing to help when possible, speakers in the meeting repeated the need that they have seen as they have helped and visited the shelter. He also noted that a local commercial laundry service has offered to service new laundry equipment designated in the retrofit for free. Also helping with some additional maintenance costs.

Daniel Laukka

Animal Shelter Director Daniel Laukka, left, sits in the Gilmer BOC meeting waiting to speak about the donations and plans to expand.

Additional discussion moved from what is needed to what has already been accomplished. Dr. William Mitchell, a veterinarian, walked to the podium and said, “I am here to speak in support of Daniel.”

Though the topic at hand was about plans to expand the animal shelter, many of the speakers spoke specifically to what Director Daniel Laukka has accomplished and the leadership he has provided. Dr. Mitchell went on to say he has worked with Animal Control facilities for several decades, “I have never seen a more dedicated and hard working individual than Daniel.”

Laukka himself said he could never do what he does without his staff and supporting groups. It is a collective of efforts from the community that support the shelter.

Programs from supporting groups have allowed for help in the community like low cost spays and neuters for those who need it and the capturing of feral cats in order to spay/neuter and then re-release.

All of these culminate in a department that citizens said has every county in North Georgia looking at Gilmer and how they handle this. One speaker went so far as to call it a “mecca” of the animal shelters in the area.

expansion

A photo of the GIlmer Animal Shelter from the Volunteers Helping the Gilmer Animal Shelter.

Laukka himself noted that in 2013, the shelter averaged around 1800 to 2000 animals a year. Laukka noted that close to 1100 of those animals were euthanized every year. WIth expansion first looked at four years ago, according to Laukka, the county instead went with a van that is used in partnership with other programs in other states in the north.

With this hard work towards becoming a “no kill” status, Laukka said in the meeting, “Ninety-nine percent of the animals that come into the shelter now, leave the shelter alive, adoptable, healthy. I get all the credit for it but I couldn’t do it without all the volunteers and the employees. The employees do way more than anybody could ever know.”

Almost 45 minutes of discussion saw every single person that did stand to speak on the topic discussing their support for accepting the donations and the expansion plans. After that, the commissioners moved to the agenda item on the plans.

expansion

As the unanimous vote made approval of the plans for expansion, citizens rose to their feet in applause to show their own approval of the motion.

A very emotional night saw several speakers fighting back tears, and so followed Chairman Paris as he said, “I understand. I can’t say a lot, but I’m going to make a motion to accept the money and build a shelter.”

Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson later seconded the motion after clarifying and Paris’ amending his motion that the county fund an expansion with costs not to exceed the fund for the building from the donations. He explained the fund contains a little over $1.5 million. As such, the fund is specifically designated for the shelter. Paris said there is nothing else it can be used for.

According to a statement by FOGAS, “The input, planning, architectural work, and engineering have been completed for this expansion project.” Now, the county will take on the plans with the intent to bid and begin construction. The engineer was present at the meeting and relayed that with the work that’s been done, the county could be bidding the project by the end of the year with construction to begin in 2022.

Speaking on the expansion, Director Laukka said, “I could probably stand up here and talk for hours about what we’ve accomplished over the last few years but I want to accomplish more over the next few years as well. It’s definitely something we have to do together.”

Homeward Bound Pet of the Week: Ivory

Fast & Furriest

Meet Ivory, a 2-year-old, 30 lb. terrier mix who came to us as a shy puppy who didn’t want to come out to play.  It took a few weeks for her to trust people again.  Today, she is a fun-loving girl who can’t get enough.  She loves to walk on a leash and especially enjoys running and playing in the fenced area on the property.

For more information about Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, check out our website and apply online:  www.hbpr.org.  We are always looking for volunteers to foster and help with socializing our cats and dogs.  We are located between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA.

Homeward Bound Pet Of The Week: Twix

Fast & Furriest

Meet Twix, a 3 year old mix breed, who is shy at first but then wants to dazzle you with his figure 8 zoomies and plays hide and go seek in our fenced agility pen.  He will chase a ball but is not quite sure what do  with it once he has it. Twix appears to be ok with other dogs; cats are an unknown.  He is going to be a good dog for someone who can give him the love and confidence he needs.

Apply online:  www.hbpr.org   We are located between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA.

Homeward Bound Pet Of The Week: Lollipop

Fast & Furriest

The first thing you will notice about Lollipop is her beautiful fawn color coat and how it glistens in a sunbeam.  When Lollipop came to us a month ago, she had just given birth, had a mammary tumor and is heartworm positive.  She has now had her surgeries and is feeling much 

better.  She enjoys exercising in a fenced area and will show off her figure 8 zoomies.  HBPR will continue to pay for her HW treatment even after adoption.

Apply online:  www.hbpr.org   We are located between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, GA.

Homeward Bound, Jack

Fast & Furriest

Meet Jack, a 14 year old Jack Russell terrier with the heart and mind of a pup half his age.  This little guy weighs 17 ½ lbs.  Jack is good on a leash; house trained; and at this time, is confused as to why he is in a kennel.  He was in a home where he was loved his whole life but his dad passed away and the family didn’t want him.  Jack’s adoption fee is $90.  He is current on all vaccinations and neutered.

Jack is located at Homeward Bound Pet Rescue in Blue Ridge, GA.

Apply online:  www.hbpr.org

 

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue’s Pet of the Week – Daisy

Community
Daisy

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, Inc’s mission is to find safe, loving homes for unwanted pets in
the North Georgia area. Homeward Bound has re-homed over 7000 pets since 2000. We are a
100% non-profit, no-kill organization that is completely run by volunteers and depend on
donations, grants, Paws and Claws Thrift Store and fundraising events during the year.

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, Inc.

P.O. Box 792
Ellijay, GA 30540
706-698-HOME (4663)
Apply on line: www.hbpr.org
LIKE us on FaceBook

Meet Daisy, a 7-year-old Staffie mix who has been at HB for 6 ½ years. She’s always been the
bridesmaid; never the bride when it came to adoptions. After so many years at the shelter, she
is apprehensive of everything new. She thinks the volunteers are her family and HB is her
home. Daisy loves people and car rides! A good placement for her would be the only dog in an
adult household who have a fenced yard; no small children only because of her strength and
bulk of 65 lbs. She gets enthusiastic and might accidentally hurt a little one.

We’d also love to tell you about volunteering, fostering, and adoption opportunities.
Homeward Bound pets are up to date on vaccinations, treated month for fleas, ticks and heart
worms, spayed or neutered and are ready for adoption unless specified otherwise.
We are available for a “meet and greet” by appointment. The address is: 215 Wishon Drive,
Blue Ridge, GA (off Maxwell Road). We do recommend bringing everyone who will be involved
with the new pet; especially your dog(s).

Thank you for your support! We couldn’t survive without the help from our friends!

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue Pet of the Week – GUS

Community

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, Inc’s mission is to find safe, loving homes for unwanted pets in
the North Georgia area. Homeward Bound has re-homed over 7000 pets since 2000. We are a
100% non-profit, no-kill organization that is completely run by volunteers and depend on
donations, grants, Paws and Claws Thrift Store and fundraising events during the year.

Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, Inc.

P.O. Box 792
Ellijay, GA 30540
706-698-HOME (4663)
Apply online: https://www.hbpr.org
LIKE us on FaceBook

Meet Gus, a handsome 40# terrier about a year old. Gus is an energetic puppy boy who was a
stray before going to doggy jail, so we have no idea what his story is. He is happiest when
running, fetching, and playing. Needless to say, he is frustrated in a shelter setting. Gus is best
with dogs his own size or larger. This boy will require patience while training him out of his
puppyhood.

We’d also love to tell you about volunteering, fostering and adoption opportunities.
Homeward Bound pets are up to date on vaccinations, treated month for fleas, ticks and heart
worms, spayed or neutered and are ready for adoption unless specified otherwise.
We are available for a “meet and greet” by appointment. The address is: 215 Wishon Drive,
Blue Ridge, GA (off Maxwell Road). We do recommend bringing everyone who will be involved
with the new pet; especially your dog(s).

Thank you for your support! We couldn’t survive without the help from our friends!

Harrison Park highlights improvement plans

News

ELLIJAY, Ga. – The Friends of Harrison Park are already moving forward with plans to improve the park after council approval came this week.

Director Linda Lancaster shared a handful of these plans with the public at Ellijay’s City Council. The group has 16 total plans, but is focusing on 4 in the near future. These plans include Project Bluebird, Project Doggie Poop, Project Park Info, and a Master Plan.

A map of Harrison Park with blue 'X' marks for nesting box locations and yellow squares for feeders.

A map of Harrison Park with blue ‘X’ marks for nesting box locations and yellow squares for feeders.

Project Bluebird looks to install bluebird nesting boxes and feeders in Harrison Park to promote a growth in population, community interest, and possible tour programs. Noting a decline in the Eastern Bluebird population since the 1950’s, the Friends of Harrison Park are looking to counter this issue with the creation of Bluebird Trails by strategically location these nesting boxes throughout the park.

Funding for the project comes from donations and yearly sponsorships. While the current planned locations for these nests are tentative at this time, the group has already contacted experts and put plans into motion to install 6 boxes in February and expand to a total of 10 nesting boxes and 3 feeders in the park.

Project Doggie Poop looks to install “dog waste stations” over the course of this Spring. With the creek running along the edge of Harrison Park,concerns over water quality and public health were raised as people are noted to swim and fish there.

For convenience and public concern, they will be installing two stations. Their presentation stated, “One would be attached to or located near the existing park kiosk. The other would be installed further into the park to be easily accessible to those who forgot to get one at the kiosk or who enter the park from a different area.” Each station will be all metal, costing between $200 and $300.

Project Park Info looks to install a glass protected display case in Harrison Park this Spring for info of events, programs, and activities in the park. Seeking permission to modify and use the glass display case mounted on the back side of the Harrison Park Kiosk for this use, the group noted they will have to provide two hinged, locking front panels.

Some examples of items that would be posted include general information about the Friends of Harrison Park, Inc. and its mission, information about special attractions in the park such as the Bluebird trail or special exhibits, History of the Park (including old photographs and items), poster for upcoming events and programs sponsored by Friends of Harrison Park (and other groups approved by the city), and a calendar of events for the park including information about date changes or cancellations.

Funding for the modifications or replacements is planned to come from donations. The group also plans to have one or two members with keys to the case, responsible for posting and removing materials.

Project Master Plan is a request for proposal of a Master Plan for the park. The group is seeking firms to bid on a Master Plan for the park to include preliminary locations of proposed physical structures, detailed landscape architecture designs, infrastructure by municipal electrical and water services, grant proposals, and capital fundraising programs as they look for a 10 year planning horizon.

While the council eagerly approved of three of the projects, no official motion was taken. Additionally, the council did note they wanted further work sessions on the Master Plan and seek to dive deeper into the project in coming months. As the Friends of Harrison Park, Inc. move forward with these projects and others, citizens will notice the changes coming as soon as February with the Bluebird trails and initial work on their other projects.

 

Dog bit by rabid raccoon in Talking Rock

News

Talking Rock, Ga – The North Georgia Health District, district office of the Georgia Department of Public Health, is warning citizens in both Pickens and Gilmer Counties to be aware of potentially rabid animals in the Talking Rock area.

The official statement by the office only reports of a dog bite sometime on September 4. While the raccoon was found and sent for testing, a positive return has officials in an alerted state. Since the animal has already been recovered, Gilmer County Environmental Health officials are simply urging pet owners to vaccinate their animals as it saved this dog’s life. He is currently under observation at home.

According to Andrea Mathis, county environmental health manager, there was no human exposure to the raccoon. She went on to say, “It’s imperative to maintain rabies vaccinations in our pets, not only for their protection, but to protect ourselves and our families from rabies. Once our pets are exposed to rabies, they can expose us, and rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal if not treated before symptoms begin.”

Check the full release below:

Gilmer County Environmental Health officials are urging residents to ensure pets are vaccinated against rabies after a Talking Rock dog was bitten by a rabid raccoon.

The raccoon fought with the dog outside a home in the Ruby Ridge Drive/Highway 136 area of Talking Rock near the Gilmer-Pickens County Line on September 4th.

The raccoon was shipped for testing to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory and the positive rabies results have now been reported to the Gilmer County Environmental Health office.

According to Andrea Mathis, county environmental health manager, there was no human exposure to the raccoon, and since the dog was currently vaccinated against rabies, it only required a booster shot and at-home observation for 45 days.

“It’s imperative to maintain rabies vaccinations in our pets, not only for their protection, but to protect ourselves and our families from rabies,” said Mathis. “Once our pets are exposed to rabies, they can expose us, and rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal if not treated before symptoms begin.”

An opportunity to get rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats at the reduced cost of $10.00 will be at the Fall Vaccines Clinic hosted by VCA Animal Appalachian Animal Hospital on September 29th. Other vaccines will be offered, as well. Please click on the attached flyer below to view various times and locations of the clinic that are being held throughout Gilmer County.

To learn more about rabies and how to protect against the disease, call the local county environmental health office. The number for Gilmer County Environmental Health is (706) 635-6050.

Additional rabies information is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov/rabies.

Would You Know How to Perform CPR on Your Pet? Watch the Training Video by Mountain Emergency Animal Center

Community, Featured

Mountain Emergency Animal Center is a outstanding emergency vet clinic located in Blue Ridge, GA. They have a full surgical room, ICU kennels, a blood bank, and they keep anti venom on hand at all times. They are fully equipped to deal with any medical emergency your pet may have.

In this video they do a CPR training to show you exactly what you would need to do if your pet goes into cardiac arrest. This is great information for any pet owner.

Mountain Emergency Animal Center

Serving the Tri-State Area (GA, NC, TN)
Call us at 706-632-7879

Pet Emergency? Read no further and call us right away!dog

Pet emergencies, like human ones, can happen anytime. Your pet’s injuries and illnesses may require immediate attention.

Dog trapped between rocks dies during rescue

News

Photos by Leah Britt

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Yesterday, Jan. 3, several people became aware of a developing situation through a viral Facebook post about a dog who had become stuck.

Photo by Leah Britt

According to that post by local citizen Leah Britt, the animal had been stuck for some time with authorities unable to help. As the post has reached nearly 6,000 shares, the viral nature brought out several citizens in attempts of continued rescue for the animal.

Through the continued popularity of the post, more information came to light as the dog, named Handsome, had allegedly been trapped in the hole for three days.

Despite continued efforts from all involved, the animal did not survive, passing away during the rescue operation. However, support continues to flow for the dog and its owners through the post with comments and posts on other people’s pages like Sean Davis, one of the volunteers desperately trying to save the animal. Comments generally contained sympathy for the animal and those involved asking for updates and showing support for those who continued attempts at rescue with a few noting alleged injuries the animal had received including several claiming a hip injury among others.

Check out Leah’s post below:

Dog Owner Arrested in Investigation

News

ELLIJAY, GA – According to official releases from the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office, an arrest was made earlier today regarding the dog attack and death of 61-year-old Kathy Sue Nichelson in Cherry Log, Georgia.

During their continuing investigation, the Sheriff’s office arrested Dante Holloway, who is now in custody.

He is currently facing two charges, Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Conduct, and has a $50,000 bond for both charges. The charges stem from his responsibility as owner of the pit bull that attacked and killed Nichelson.

According to Gilmer Sheriff Stacy Nicholson, there is no information at this time to indicate Holloway has any other dogs that citizens need be concerned about. As for the pit bull who attacked Nichelson, as reported in “Details Reveal Victims of Dog Attack,” officers were forced to fire upon the dog at the scene.

Comments on Facebook and FetchYourNews allege other previous victims from the dogs, but no solid evidence has been found at this time.

The official release from the Sheriff’s Office stated:

Today, Detectives with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office have taken Dante Holloway into custody. He has been booked into the Gilmer County jail and is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Conduct. The arrest is a result of the investigation into the death of Ms. Kathy Nichelson by a Pit Bull owned by Mr. Holloway. His bond is $50,000 for both charges.

Incident Report Releases Details on Dog Attack

News

CHERRY LOG, GA – New details have arisen from the dog attack on Goose Island Road that resulted in the death of 61-year-old Kathy Sue Nichelson.

FYN has received the official incident report for both the response to the original dog attack and the arrest of Dante Holloway.

According to Sergeant Jason Newman, he arrived on scene at roughly 1:10 P.M. In his report, he states Nichelson was still breathing shallow and coherent. After Emergency Personnel arrived, Newman reports it was as he was watching out for the dog that they decided to contact the Coroner.

Later in the report, Newman states that Sergeant Blue Patterson was the officer forced to fire upon the dog as he came out from under the porch and began moving towards the him. Witness interviews confirmed in the report the dog had attacked a second victim, Morgan Fountain, who was bitten on the face.

When Dante Holloway was arrested during the investigations, an incident report from Deputy Austin McArthur stated he and another deputy, J. Holcombe, initiated a traffic stop with Holloway to issue warrants for his arrest. However, the report also states they found a bag with white residue which tested positive for methamphetamine.

Check more information in the official report:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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