MOAS Seeks Community Support to Avoid Potential Closure Due to Rising Costs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 27, 2026
MOAS has struggled to make ends meet for years due to escalating inflation. With costs now increased by more than $85k, the shelter is in financial crisis and may have to close this fall. We are committed to keeping the shelter open, but we need the support of our entire community to continue to provide essential, life-saving services.
Danielsville, GA: Since 2002, MOAS has been a fixture of our community, taking in, on average, 1,500 - 2,000 stray and unwanted cats and dogs from Madison and Oglethorpe County residents each year. MOAS also provides low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic services to help reduce pet overpopulation and prevent the transmission of often fatal diseases that harm humans (rabies) as well as pets (distemper, parvo, panleukopenia, feline leukemia, and more). For the past twenty-four years, MOAS has provided essential services that make our community safer, healthier, and more compassionate.
Unfortunately, prices have dramatically increased for almost everything since the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially true for MOAS, where the costs for our essential medical supplies have gone up approximately 40%. As a result, MOAS lost $86,201 this past fiscal year because our costs increased by $85,089. Our cash and reserves declined from $89,074 to $36,875 on June 30th.
While many industries can pass on increased costs to consumers, animal shelters like MOAS cannot. We must keep prices for adoptions and essential services (e.g., spay/neuter and vaccinations) low enough that the community can afford them even though those prices rarely cover the actual cost of the services. Increasing costs would price out those who most need our services and most directly contribute to pet overpopulation. It would also cause people to adopt animals from other more affordable sources, thus compounding our problems. As a result, MOAS relies on donations, grants, and our contract with the counties to supplement the funds we bring in from adoptions and services.
The shelter faced a similarly dire financial situation in 2024, but our Directors since then aggressively streamlined shelter operations, reduced costs, and otherwise “tightened our belts” to help us recover. However, recent market developments and rising repair and maintenance expenses for our aging building have made it such that there is no further “tightening” that can be done. Additionally, MOAS’s contract with the counties covers less than 30% of the shelter’s annual operating expenses.
As a result, we currently only have enough funds to continue operations for the next few months. Any significant shortfall in donations or any major facility or equipment expense before then could result in an earlier closure.
But all is not lost!
We know that our community, our staff, and the animals we care for all depend upon us. We have been working for some time to try to address our perennial budgetary shortfalls in this changed economic climate. We are currently working with the counties, donors, and local nonprofits to explore creative solutions.
Thankfully, our most urgent needs are not astronomical, and there’s still time to turn this situation around. Currently, we need at least an $8-10k monthly increase in our income to break even. While that’s not a small amount, we are confident that this is doable if we work together. MOAS was originally built in large part by the work of local donors and supporters, and we hope that the community will help us continue our work now.
How can people help?
Make a personally significant financial contribution to our General Fund or offer a matching donation here: https://www.moaspets.com/donate
Become a sustaining member of the shelter at a level that is appropriate for you or consider increasing your monthly support if you are already a member: https://www.moaspets.com/memberships
Share information about our fundraising campaign on social media and with the people you know.
Buy a ticket or become a sponsor for our 11th Annual Bark & Wine Fundraiser on August 15, 2026 - https://www.moaspets.com/barkandwine. We are continuing to accept donations to be used for raffles, our silent auction, and our live auction at this year’s event. Feel free to drop items off at the shelter or a volunteer can pick them up.
Host fundraising events independently. Consider hosting events with your employer, church, civic groups, school groups, etc. No amount is too small to make a difference!
If you own a business, consider becoming a corporate sponsor of the shelter. More information about this program will become available soon, but you can contact Board Member Erin Thon (ethon@moaspets.com) for more information.
Speak to your county commissioner about why MOAS is important to you and explore options with them for supporting the shelter. As we continue to work with the counties, we know they will value input from their constituents.
Use our spay/neuter clinic and our low-cost vaccine clinic. While we keep costs low, these are two of our most reliable sources of regular income, and they support an important community need.
Donate food and shelter supplies. You can view a list of the specific items we need most here: https://www.moaspets.com/donate
Consider donating any services that you are able to offer. For example, we are always in need of plumbing and other general maintenance services.
Adopt, foster, and/or encourage your friends and contacts to adopt and foster. While increased income is essential at this critical time, we never forget that our mission is to save as many animals as possible.
We encourage anyone with other ideas, questions, or suggestions to contact any board member or Director Juli Huth via the contact information listed at www.moaspets.com/leadership. We know that we can get through this crisis with the community’s support, and we invite you to be a part of the solution as we work to save our shelter.