Macon Animal Control and Central Georgia C.A.R.E.S. teamed up Monday to celebrate one of their own.
Animal Control Officer Van VanDeWalker received a commendation from Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and Georgia State Sen. Miriam Paris at the beginning of March for his efforts to reduce euthanasia.
Folks gathered at the animal shelter Monday to celebrate the recognition.
C.A.R.E.S. chairman Patty Jones says VanDeWalker's Pardon Week got the attention of many animal lovers, and word spread all the way to the lieutenant governor's office.
During the Pardon Week last year, VanDeWalker halted all euthanasia for one week, which turned into 49 days of no-kill.
Current animal shelter director Jim Johnson says euthanasia are now down to nearly once a week. The shelter put down 70 animals in January and February this year. He says that's down from 536 in the same time last year.
Johnson says that's mostly due to VanDeWalker's efforts in rounding up more volunteers and spreading their adoptions to people nationwide.
VanDeWalker says he's touched by all of the recognition, but says all of his work would be useless without the help of volunteers.
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