Who we are...

Burke County Georgia is 800+ square miles of Georgia farmland, small towns, swampy rivers and thick pine forests. At present, there is no countywide animal control in Burke County. The county seat of Waynesboro has a small shelter for dogs, but intake is limited to the 5.5 square miles of the city limit.

The Mission of Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue is to assist as many abandoned companion animals as possible. However, we are not in the animal control business. Animal control is a government service, paid for by the taxpayers of the community to pick up abandoned or nuisance animals, often referred to as “strays.” We operate under a “rescue” license from The Georgia Department of Agriculture, a state agency that has very specific laws dictating the intake procedure we must follow when taking in animals. Our license with the Georgia Department of Agriculture prohibits us from taking in “stray” animals; these animals must be picked up by an agency licensed to do so, such as animal control. In order for us to legally take in an animal, it must be surrendered to us in writing, by someone claiming to be its owner. If you know of a purely “stray” animal you would like to see removed, you must contact your local animal control agency or Sheriff’s department (if your county does not have animal control).

Agility Training for an Old Fella rescue.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue believes we have a responsibility to our community to educate the public on proper animal care. Our members are happy to share whatever knowledge we have on providing companion animals with proper food, water, shelter and veterinary care to anyone who asks. However, we are not authorized to investigate cases of animal cruelty and neglect. These cases need to be reported to your local law enforcement and to your local animal control agency. While we take a firm stance against anyone that would harm or neglect an animal, we are not law enforcement. If you witness or suspect animal cruelty, please take the time to report it to your local animal control agency and your local police. This is a very serious crime and is punishable by law.

As stated in our Bylaws, the mission of this organization is:

• To prevent cruelty to animals
• To provide humane education materials to children and the general public
• To promote early, aggressive spay/neuter programs
• To increase the quality of life of unwanted and homeless animals by providing necessary care and seeking suitable homes through adoption
• To work cooperatively with local, state and national rescue/shelter groups with similar objectives
• To be "no kill" in philosophy, wherein euthanasia is performed only for medical necessity, as well as public safety, as determined by a veterinarian
• To never knowingly allow any animal in our care to undergo any experimentation or to release any animal for such experimentation