On May 23, 2005, Friends of Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) was Incorporated as A Domestic Nonprofit Corporation in the State of Georgia. The sole purpose of this nonprofit was to support Gilmer County in building a new animal shelter, thus moving the shelter from the old jail building into a new facility where it stands today. This building opened well over 10 years ago. FOGAS continues to support the shelter with equipment, complete vetting costs for animals going to rescues and other joint programs like the TNR (trap/neuter/release) of feral cats.

In order to reduce the shelter population, FOGAS looked outside the shelter for ways to assist the community. In 2017 the spay/neuter program was initiated. Certificates are sold for a minimal charge and FOGAS raises money to pay the balance of the bill for Gilmer County residents. We have helped over 1,100 community pets be spayed or neutered since the programs inception.

Vetting costs and routine vaccinations are also costly. To service our entire community with pets and through our partnership with Animal Medical Clinic (AMC) in Jasper, VCA Appalachian Animal Hospital in Ellijay, and we now partner with the Snippet Bus on a monthly basis.

We offer a bi-yearly drive-thru pet vaccination clinic. Vaccinations are offered at a minimal cost with no additional office visit fee. This is made available to anyone with dogs and cats, and you do not need to be a Gilmer County resident. Since its inception, the drive thru clinic has been highly successful and has seen as many as 476 vaccinations in half a day. We have worked hard to develop this program with both Dr, Chester of AMC and VCA of Ellijay.

FOGAS offers interactive educational programs to local schools, clubs and community organizations for specific subjects in animal welfare and are tailored to the audience's age level and interest. We strive to help our next generation become responsible pet owners.

In 2020, FOGAS started a Community Service Project program.  The first project was a kennel for the Gilmer County Fire and Rescue search and recovery dogs. The project for 2021 sponsored the Gilmer County Sheriff's Department K-9 Officers and their K-9's to a yearly retraining conference in Perry, Ga. So far in 2022, FOGAS provided large storage bins to the Gilmer County Food Bank to securely store dog/cat food. 

In 2023, FOGAS placed warning signs in River Park warning pet owners of hot asphalt. In addition, FOGAS purchased a KEVLAR vest for the Search And Rescue K9 of Gilmer County.

In 2024, FOGAS donated a Net Gun to Gilmer Animal Shelter in order to safely capture both wild and domestic-feral species of animals which may be encountered by the Shelter’s staff. In addition, FOGAS purchased and donated AKC Reunite microchip chip readers and chips. FOGAS placed one microchip reader at Gilmer County Fire Station 1 located at 437 Howard Simmons Road in Ellijay.