The Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter is singing the economic blues right now.
But MOAS hopes a day of country, bluegrass and gospel will rally the financially-strapped facility.
The shelter hosts a music festival Saturday at Madison County Memorial Park in Danielsville, starting at 10 a.m., in hopes of generating much-needed funds for the two-county shelter.
“It’s pretty important, because our donations have been down,” MOAS director Susan Fornash said. “Things like this fundraising event, they’re critical.”
The festival includes concessions, a pet adoption, a raffle, a rabies clinic (from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and, of course, all-day music.
Five acts — Ramblin’ Country, The Gibsons, The Songsters, Sons of Shiloh and Clark Kesler — will take the stage, with sounds ranging from bluegrass to country to gospel.
Admission is free, but there will be plenty of donation jars floating around.
“If anybody would like to give a donation, we would certainly be appreciative,” Fornash said.
The goal is to raise $3,000 to aid the cost of housing and caring for homeless pets in Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
“I don’t know if we’ll make it,” Fornash said. “But whatever we raise, it will be great.”
Fornash said the shelter is currently “full to the ceiling” with homeless pets.
She noted that an enormous influx of puppies and kittens recently, with only a staff of five to tend to all of them. About 100 homeless pets reside at MOAS right now.
“There are five people — not counting me and the receptionist — that take care of those animals seven days a week,” Fornash said. “That’s a big job.”
The shelter hopes to alleviate a small fraction of that overcrowding Saturday.
Several dogs will be on display during an off-site adoption drive at the music festival.
While raising money is important, finding pets a home — and getting the word out about MOAS — is the ultimate goal of Saturday’s event.
“If we adopt three or four or ten dogs, that will be a great day,” Fornash said. “The money will be icing on the cake.”
NOTES
An all-day raffle will be held at the music festival with numerous prizes being given away, including a GPS navigation system, free oil change and front-end alignment and gift certificates. Organizers say entrants do not have to be present to win.
