Animal rescue organizations across the Upper Cumberland are reporting a critical surge in unwanted pets as a lack of local shelters and rising economic pressures leave many animals abandoned.
Friends of Jackson County Animal Shelter Treasurer Diana Mandli said the number of unwanted pets far exceeds the available homes. Mandli said the organization is performing between 20 and 30 low-cost or free spay and neuter procedures every month to address the root cause of the overpopulation.
“The situation’s really become dire here,” Mandli said. “Just yesterday, we had to do something that breaks our heart every time, but it happens too often. Somebody abandoned a severely neglected, extremely sick large pitbull mix. He was found in the parking lot of the Baptist church here in Gainesboro. And some kind folks who knew of us called us, told us about him. We rushed over and got him, got him to the vet yesterday, and there was nothing they could do.”
All About Rescue and Fixin’ Volunteer Beth Cox said the problem has intensified because many small counties in the Upper Cumberland do not have government-funded animal shelters or animal control services. Cox said residents in counties like Overton often have no choice but to turn to private rescue groups when they can no longer care for their pets.
Mandli said economic factors are contributing to the crisis as owners struggle to afford food, vet bills and spay and neuter fees. Some experts say neuter services for large breeds can cost upwards of $400. Mandli said the organization hosts a monthly pet food distribution to help residents keep their animals rather than abandoning them due to financial hardship.
“We’ve seen puppies and kittens dropped off in boxes at the dump,” Mandli said. “We’ve seen them just left by the creeksides and roadsides. We see older and large dogs especially these days just abandoned outside of buildings or on people’s farms. Part of that is because some people are having a hard time just affording pet food to feed large animals, large dogs, and they just can’t keep them anymore. But there are just way, way more animals than people to take them in.”
Mandli said the Friends of Jackson County Animal Shelter is currently working toward building a physical shelter facility after securing land for the project. Mandli said the group currently relies on a network of foster homes to care for rescued animals while they wait for adoption.
“A shelter is not a long-term solution,” Mandli said. “It’s certainly not a permanent solution of any kind, but it does give a safe haven so that when a dog or a cat is abandoned, we have some place to bring that animal, have it vetted properly, get it care, and then start the process of finding it a home.”
Others cited the need for increased education and collaboration from local government to help fix the problem.
Cox said ARF focuses heavily on spaying and neutering because of how quickly pet populations can multiply. Cox said a single cat can have up to four litters a year, potentially resulting in dozens of offspring from just one animal.
“We don’t adopt out any pets that are not fixed because you’re just begging for trouble,” Cox said. “It’s just a matter of time with dogs or cats until they’ll have a litter.”
Cox said foster homes are the most valuable asset for rescue organizations because they allow volunteers to learn the personality and needs of an animal before it is placed in a permanent home. Cox said this process helps ensure that adopters know if a pet is compatible with children or other animals.
“The rescue covers all the expense of bringing the dog up to the point to where they can be adopted,” Cox said. “And this could be a few months. It could be a matter of a week if you had some little cute adorable dog that wasn’t sick at all, you know, but that doesn’t happen very often. Generally as rescues we get dogs that need help.”
