Camden shelter among the nation's highest euthanasia rates

Gordon Jackson, The Brunswick News, Ga.
·2 min read
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Aug. 13—The Camden County Animal Shelter is ranked in the nation's top 100 in a category that won't make animal lovers happy.

The shelter has the distinction of being ranked among the nation's top 100 for the percentage of animals euthanized.

The kill rate of more than 50% for the period from March 1, 2021, to Feb. 28, 2022, was reported by BestFriends, a national organization with the goal of increasing the number of no-kill animal shelters across the nation.

Terri Walden, of St. Marys, has been posting public data about the Camden shelter for months in hopes the shelter would improve its performance. The July kill rate was 79%, she said.

"I began posting this public data in March with the hope that Camden County and the Humane Society of Camden County would try to improve," she said. "That has not occurred. Camden animals are paying with their lives, as they have for the past 28 months of these reports."

Camden taxpayers pay $14,000 a month for the service.

Walden, in a phone interview Friday, said she has been criticized by people who believe Camden has a no-kill shelter when it's more than likely that an animal dropped off there will be euthanized.

"Here we sit trying to get anyone to listen," she said. "I am not making any progress."

Walden said at a recent Humane Society board meeting, it was announced the organization has more than $240,000 in its bank account but it doesn't even offer a spay and neuter program that could help stem the influx of unwanted animals.

"Why do we not have a low-cost spay and neuter program?" she asked.

One challenge facing the Camden shelter is its two neighboring counties to the west, Charlton and Brantley, don't have animal shelters. Many strays roaming the county are believed to be dropped off from outside the county because the shelter can only take animals from county residents.

"Camden is an embarrassment among our neighboring municipalities, many of whom now operate county animal control facilities as no-kill shelters," she said. "The citizens of Camden County need a spotlight on this unacceptable situation in order to affect changes in the board and shelter management."

David Brown, president of the shelter's board of directors, did not return a call Friday for comment.