Foster parents are needed for abandoned animals

By Deborah Wheeler

We watched the humanitarian rescue efforts that took place in New Orleans of many pets after Hurricane Katrina. In our own backyard, one local had her own rescue effort in place long before Katrina.

Vickie Gatliff has been rescuing abandoned dogs that have been picked up by Walton County Animal Control for 10 years now. The county’s animal facilities in Chipley keep animals only for seven days before euthanizing them. Gatliff makes the trip to Chipley at least once a week to pick up as many dogs as she can. She limits her rescue attempts to the ones she believes can be placed in permanent homes and to the number she can take care of until a home is found.

Currently, Gatliff only has two foster homes. Each home is currently fostering only one dog due to the number of pets already in the home. (Gatliff recently suffered a shoulder injury, also.)
“I can use some help,” said Gatliff. “A girl called today with seven boxer/Lab-mix puppies. I have no place to put seven. So, I took two and someone else took two until we can do something else.”

Gatliff said she could use help from any dog lover willing to give love and nurture to a homeless animal.

“If they only want to foster a large breed, I can get them a large breed. If they only want to take a small breed, I can get them a small breed. If they only want to foster a Pekingese, I can use them,” she said. “We provide all the food and the vet bills are taken care of. All we need is a temporary home for a dog until it is adopted out. We try to make it as easy as possible.”




Gatliff said the only requirement is that all other pets at the foster home be spayed or neutered and if a large breed is desired, there be a back yard.

Gatliff has been in the rescue business for 10 years, beginning when she went to an animal shelter to adopt and realized there was a need.

“I was appalled by the number being euthanized,” she said.
“I go up there and walk down the aisle deciding which one dies and which one lives. I feel like a Nazi. I can only take dogs that are adoptable. Some people only want females or a small breed. And how many I take depends on how many adoptions I make,” she said.
Gatliff said Labs are very adoptable in this area, but small breed puppies are the easiest to adopt out. The second easiest is a smaller dog that is fairly young. A pure bred goes quickly, she said.

In this area, cocker spaniels are the most difficult to adopt, but eventually, homes are found for all she takes in, she said.

In December, Gatliff had 22 dogs adopted. That doesn’t count referrals she made when callers were looking for a breed she didn’t have.

“It’s about how many can we save and help,” she said.
Gatliff also accepts donations for her Adopt a Dog network at 3 Dog Framing, or by e-mail at adoptadog@myway.com.

Reference:story.waltonsun