Sheltering in place can be lonely. It can also be the perfect time to bond with a new furry friend.
That’s why the Hall County Animal Shelter is now facilitating online adoptions.
"These animals have been loved and cared for by shelter staff over the past few weeks," said the Animal Shelter’s Program Coordinator Stephanie List. "During that time, we’ve come up with some ideas about ways we can help these pets find their forever homes while also protecting the public and our staff during the COVID-19 pandemic."
List said photos and information about each shelter pet are available on the Hall County Animal Shelter’s website. That’s also where adoption application forms can be completed online.
"Once an applicant submits their form, they will be allowed to schedule an appointment to see one animal between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Mondays through Thursdays," she said.
Visits are available by appointment only. Appointments may be made by contacting Adoption Supervisor Trey Garcia at 678-450-1587 or tgarcia@hallcounty.org
Only two members of the adoptive family will be able to attend the visit, which will take place in the kennels outside the shelter.
"We want folks to get to know an animal before making them a permanent part of their home," List said. "We are working to balance that important component of the adoption process with current social distancing measures in place."
As a result, List said members of the public will not be allowed inside of the shelter for any reason during the adoption process.
Should an animal require spay or neuter surgery, they will be available for pick-up on Friday.
"We strongly encourage members of the public to visit our website and see if there’s a pet that’s a perfect fit for their family," said List.
The shelter is joining a long list of government services already available online. For example, online motor vehicle services, including vehicle registration renewals, the payment of insurance fines, etc. are available via the "Online Payments" button on Hall County’s website, www.hallcounty.org. That’s also where citizens can pay their property tax, renew their business license, and more.
A number of proactive steps Hall County has taken to date in regards to the coronavirus epidemic, along with a number of other helpful resources on this issue, can be found at ready.hallcounty.org.