Students hoping to find a safe ride home after a late night downtown will have one less option this semester.

WatchDawgs – a student-run service that provides safe, non-judgmental transportation for the University community – will not be operating this spring. The loss of an apartment that served as the organization’s headquarters and a lack of funding are the main reasons the group will not offer rides, said Ally Walls, director of public relations for WatchDawgs.

Walls, a junior from Cranford, N.J., said that without WatchDawgs, the community is losing a tremendous service for encouraging safe alternatives to drunk driving.

“In a community like Athens, it’s absolutely necessary to have a program like ours,” Walls said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “[Without our service] students might end up getting behind the wheel instead of paying for a cab.”

Other University students echoed Walls’ concerns.

“[Without WatchDawgs] students will have to find ways to get back home on their own, which could lead to problems,” said Amber Freeman, a sophomore from Atlanta.

Though the mission of WatchDawgs is to prevent drunk driving and promote safety, the organization was not just a “drunk shuttle,” said Kristen Turner, executive director of WatchDawgs.

“We’re there for the girl who goes out on a date and the date gets drunk and the girl needs a ride home,” Turner said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “We’re there for the person studying late at night in the library during finals week. We’re there for everyone.”

The service has given close to 60,000 rides since it began eight years ago and recently was approved as a registered student organization, Turner said.

The organization receives the majority of its support from grants provided by groups such as the UGA Parents and Family Association.

However, Leon Farmer & Co., the organization’s other largest donor, recently withdrew its funding. For additional financial support, the group relies on fundraisers and individual donations.

In the past, WatchDawgs did not receive money from the University because the administration would have required the group to take a position against underage drinking, Turner said.

“We’re non-judgmental,” Walls said. “We never preach to our riders and the non-judgmental policy goes for everyone, including our drivers. We have plenty of members that do drink and plenty that don’t.”

Instead of operating the transportation service this semester, WatchDawgs will focus on promoting the organization and rebuilding the program. Turner said she hopes to find a new home for the group before fall semester begins. The service will return in August, she said.

But for now, WatchDawgs is just trying to get the word out.

“We’re letting people know we’re here,” Turner said. “And next semester we’re going to do everything we can to get you home safely.”