Organization strives to find homes for shelter dogs and cats

Georgetown Animal Outreach took root in 2000 as a group of Georgetown Animal Shelter volunteers raising money to offset spaying and neutering costs for local pet owners and has since branched out into a multiservice animal rescue group.

Today the group of about 30 volunteers works to train and adopt out animals facing euthanasia at Williamson County shelters through a network of foster homes from Waco to Austin, GAO President Debbie Frase said.

"There are so many arms of Georgetown Animal Outreach," Frase said. "We're not a big group, but we get so much done."

In addition to rescuing animals, GAO uses fundraising to provide reduced-cost and free spay or neuter procedures and assistance with unforeseen medical expenses to local pet owners, Frase said.

GAO does not have a central facility, so foster homes are needed to fulfill the organization's goal to save animals from kill shelters.

Foster pet owners learn the dog or cat's personality and temperament, which can help GAO place the animal in the right type of home.

"GAO does provide everything for our fosters," said Beth Kosar, a GAO foster volunteer. "Food, bedding, toys, everything they need."

Animals under GAO care are pulled from the euthanasia lists at area shelters, Frase said. The first step in securing animals a permanent home is finding foster space. After a temporary home is found, the animal is picked up from the shelter and held for at least 10 days to be screened for illnesses that could affect adoptability or pose a threat to other animals in the foster home.

Prospective owners are required to fill out an adoption application form, which asks for information about the applicant's home conditions. This information helps volunteers determine if the home would be a good match for the animal.

GAO volunteers will check references and schedule meet and greets between the animal, possible owners and other animals in the household and make home visits to verify safe conditions for the animal, Frase said.

In the future, Frase said she would like for GAO to have its own building.

"We'd be able to help more animals and have a central facility for people to come to," she said.

For the time being, additional foster homes and volunteers are always appreciated. Kosar estimated GAO has about 10 "really strong fosters we know we can count on," all of which were full in July.

"We desperately need more fosters," Kosar said. "We don't have a facility, so we rely 100 percent on foster homes to pull pets from euthanization."

Frase said anyone interested in hosting foster pets or helping the organization in other ways, such as volunteering for adoption events or assisting with the organization's quarterly newsletter, should have a love for animals and give GAO a call.

Georgetown Animal Outreach, P.O. Box 1684, Georgetown, 512-863-6006, www.georgetownanimaloutreach.org, [email protected]