Jackson Animal Care Center seeks loving home for pets after large intake
JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson Animal Care Center needs the community’s help.
“We currently have about 65 cats in the building and we have an additional 70 to 75 in foster care. And then we have approximately three dozen dogs in the building,” said Whitney Owen, Director of Animal Services for City of Jackson. “We have had almost 700 animals come into the shelter already this year, a little over 200 of those in the month of May.”
And those animals need a new home.
Owen says they have had an influx of animals come into the shelter recently, and are looking for people to adopt or foster.
“We are open to the public five days a week,” Owen said. “We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 4. People are welcome to walk in without an appointment, view everyone that we currently have available. We try to really fit the dog or cat to the person that is looking to adopt to make it a little more streamlined, a little more successful overall.”
Owen says a lot of the animals in the shelter are strays, and says one way to prevent overcrowding at your local shelter is by putting identification on your pet.
“Microchipping is obviously the easiest one and done way to make sure that your animal is identified for life,” said Owen. “It is the easiest way to do field returns so the animal never actually winds up in a shelter. We can’t contact an owner if they have just a rabies tag.”
She says another way to curb the overpopulation is by getting your pets fixed.
“Spay and neuter is huge. If you have pets, we can make it super affordable. We have a cost assistance program for Madison County residents to help with the cost of spay and neuter,” Owen said.
Owen says it will take everyone in the community to help with the issue.
“This is a problem that is going to take community involvement, it is going to take the community caring that it is a problem. To take responsibility for their own pet. Making sure that their pets aren’t contributing to the issue.”
For more information on how to adopt or foster an animal with Jackson Animal Care Center, click here.
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