Atmore Reopens Animal Shelter

December 13, 2011

After closing its doors last summer, Atmore’s animal shelter reopened Monday thanks to a joint partnership between the City of Atmore and the Poarch Creek Indians and a generous donor.

The shelter is now known as the “Clifford and Margaret J. Smith Animal Shelter” in honor of the late Margaret  Smith. Her family donated $200,000 in her honor that was used to make the shelter re-opening possible.

“Animal control is something that we all recognize that needs to be taken care of,” Atmore Mayor Howard Shell said during a ribbon cutting, “and we want to do it in a way that is dignified.”

The shelter is now open for business, taking in homeless animals and offering dog and cat adoptions.

The shelter was previously operated by the Humane Society of Escambia County, but was closed May 31 after the group lost over 60 percent of their funding when the Neal Trust of Brewton to came to an end.

For more photos from the reopening, click here.

Pictured top: The ribbon is cut for the reopening of the Atmore animal shelter. Pictured inset: One of the dogs available for adoption at the facility. Pictured below: A playful cat awaits adoption. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

21 Responses to “Atmore Reopens Animal Shelter”

  1. Rodrick Felder on December 15th, 2011 1:27 pm

    Time for an addition to the family!

  2. pet lover on December 14th, 2011 11:05 pm

    It’s wonderful that PCI & City of Atmore have joined together to provide this much needed service to the community. Pet ownership is a commitment, responsibility and an OPTION. Animals are a really amazing addition & benefit to our lives. They need and deserve proper care. Spaying & neutering cuts down on population explosions AND benefits the health of the animals. Looking forward to hearing great things about this shelter.

  3. Animal lover on December 14th, 2011 10:36 pm

    Thank you to the Smith family, Atmore and The Poarch Creek Indians. Just to let some people know, Poarch gives out free vouchers every yr so people can get their pets spay or neutered so please go check out the shelter and bring home a new friend!!

  4. renee on December 14th, 2011 7:16 pm

    For those who are unaware, the veterinarians in Brewton did at one time offer the humane society exams at no charge and spays, neuters, and medications at cost. Unfortunately, those bridges were burned by someone. :(

  5. old friend on December 14th, 2011 12:44 pm

    CONGRATULATIONS SUZANNE! This is the best news I have heard in a very long time! Suzanne is the PERFECT choice for this position. She is a GREAT, caring person and those beautiful animals will get the best treatment and the best homes with her involved. Those are some great looking pets, hope everyone gets a home for Christmas….shelter pets and strays are always the BEST pets, I know, I have one! Everyone go and take a look before you get apet elsewhere, I know these precious animals would love to have a family to love….Thank you Poarch for helping in this venture and THANK YOU to the wonderful donors, they had to be animal lovers….

  6. southern by choice on December 14th, 2011 12:35 pm

    Just another thought. . . .with all the vets we have in this county, wouldn’t it be great if they got together and had (maybe) a day a month where they would spay or neuter animals for at least a reduced price? Maybe that way we could cut down on all the poor animals that might be put down in these shelters.

  7. thankful on December 14th, 2011 6:13 am

    This is great news.. I got my dog from the animals shelter. She is seven years old now. Thanks Poarch Creek Indians for providing a well needed shelter.

  8. Jane on December 14th, 2011 4:30 am

    Now if we can only get people to spay and neuter their pets maybe we wouldn’t have quite so many animals in shelters! Maybe someone will adopt a pet for Christmas! One of the best pets I had came from a shelter!

  9. Lacy on December 14th, 2011 1:00 am

    William, do you know if this is a no kill facility? I sure would hope not, unless of course the animal is suffering or unadoptable by being vicous. Glad to have it back. We need it.

  10. Jane on December 13th, 2011 7:16 pm

    I’m so glad to hear it is open! Now if we can only get people to spay and neuter their animals so there wasn’t such a desperate need for this shelter and others that are “kill” shelters! Maybe someone might consider adopting a pet for Christmas?

  11. Ricky G. on December 13th, 2011 6:32 pm

    Thank you to the Smiths, Poarch Creek Nation and the City of Atmore!

  12. poohbear on December 13th, 2011 5:36 pm

    The Humane Society will no longer be here in Brewton after 12/31/2011. The city of Brewton will take back over the shelter and the rest of county hopefully will sign on with them so everyone will get animal control that we all need. And the shelter here in Brewton is a kill shelter cause of all the unspayed and netured animals…

  13. southern by choice on December 13th, 2011 3:05 pm

    This is wonderful news. Brewton has reopened their shelter, too. I hope both are “no kill” shelters. Was wondering though. . . .what about the people who live in the county, do they get excluded from the services of these shelters since they don’t live in the city limits of either of these two towns? I read in the Brewton Standard online that the Humane Society will cover the county until 12/31/11, so I was just wondering what will happen then for county residents when poor animals are thrown out. . . .and believe me, there are many just thrown away by people who just don’t care. And unfortunately, they figure they can get away with it because there are so many isolated roads in the county.

  14. Terri Sanders on December 13th, 2011 1:25 pm

    No,Goodie,you can’t take the puppy home!!!!!

  15. AL on December 13th, 2011 10:18 am

    AWESOME! Now the community must step up and do our part…. spay and neuter your pets; adopt from the shelter instead of buying from Bubba who thought his dog would make a good daddy; and make sure your animals are treated with the dignity and respect any living being deserves.

  16. Jolynn Godwin on December 13th, 2011 7:51 am

    I am so glad to hear this good news! We adopted our kitty from the Atmore shelter in May and we love him so much! He has added joy to our lives! Thank you to the wonderful people who donated the money!

  17. Dan on December 13th, 2011 7:37 am

    A Christmas Miracle!!!

    God Bless these generous benefactors!

  18. Glennis on December 13th, 2011 7:09 am

    Glad to see it under good hands!!

  19. T on December 13th, 2011 6:42 am

    and……..I forgot to mention that I will soon be starting a business and when and if it ever makes me rich, you can best believe that I will concentrate on donating lots & lots of money to Children, Elderly & Animal organazations. CAN’T WAIT! :)

  20. Tina on December 13th, 2011 6:40 am

    Now that is some GREAT news! Just when you think our communities can’t get much better, something like this happens. WOW “)

  21. Gusgus on December 13th, 2011 12:17 am

    Good news, so glad to hear!!!!!