Habersham animal shelter ending ties with county

CLARKESVILLE - Another North Georgia animal shelter is severing ties with a county commission.

The Friends of Habersham County Animal Shelter said Friday that it will not renew its contract with the Habersham County Board of Commissioners to manage the shelter. The contract expires in September.

Commission Chairman Jim Butterworth said that over the past month commissioners have been discussing a "reorganization" of its relationship with the shelter so that the citizens are protected and the animals are taken care of.

"We plan to work with FOHCAS and rescue groups around the area to ensure that our shelter is not a 'high-kill' shelter and that we provide the best possible service and education to our citizens," Butterworth said.

On July 31, The Humane Society of Hall County announced that after July 1, 2009 it will no longer provide euthanization services for Hall County Animal Control.