First ever animal shelter in McNairy Co. to open soon

MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. — The first ever animal shelter in McNairy County is opening soon.

For more than two years, the McNairy County Animal Shelter Friends and Humane Society have been working to make their dreams reality.

“This building was made out of love,” said Linda Banks, the president of the McNairy County Animal Shelter Friends. “We had a powwow with the board of directors and said this is what we want to do, and they said whatever you want to do, go for it.”

They were given the land in 2017.

Since then, many people have donated time or supplies to get the building built and for it to have electricity and plumbing.

Now that the outside of the building is pretty much complete, it’s the inside that needs the most help, and the Animal Shelter Friends in McNairy County say that’s where you come in, before they officially open.

They say they need manpower.

“We need that wall finished, we need the bathroom finished, we need the floors done, we need all the garbage taken away, the yards mowed, sod laid,” Banks said.

Both Banks and Mary Grammer, vice president of the Animal Shelter Friends, have already done a lot for the shelter themselves, hanging insulation and sheet rock, painting the walls and hanging metal siding on the inside, but their time is ticking.

“People don’t live forever; I’m not a spring chicken. I’m still alive, but we need to look to the future, and have people running it who care,” Grammer said.

When the shelter does officially open, they won’t be able to accept cats, dobermans, rottweilers or pit bulls for insurance reasons.

“This is a start—a small start—but it’s a start,” Grammer said.

They hope to have their grand opening in a couple of weeks.

If you would to like to help with donations, you can send any monetary donation to 1266 Airport Road, P.O. Box 1084, Selmer, TN 38375 or at the BancorpSouth in Selmer.

Or just stop by to let them know you’d like to volunteer at the shelter.