Pam Stafford of No-Kill Williamson County doesn’t like confrontation. So it’s ironic that the friendly non-profit volunteer found herself on the front lines of the pet rescue movement in 2006. Stafford and other volunteers at Williamson County Animal Control “who were just there to walk dogs and love on pets” inadvertently discovered the truth about the high euthanasia rate. “And then, of course,” Stafford says, “someone has to speak up!” And they did. Over the course of many conversations, advocacies and yes, ruffled feathers, the non-profit No-Kill Williamson County (see more pet rescue centers below) was born. Stafford says today they see a save rate of 90 percent at Williamson County Animal Control, but efforts to save animals are ongoing and there’s always more that can be done.
That’s why it’s a great thing to consider adopting a pet from a shelter or even fostering a rescue dog. (In order to foster a dog, sign up at Animal Control to do so; fostering entails keeping a pet with you at your home until a forever family is found for the animal).
And when you go to a shelter to find a dog or cat, Stafford says, “Don’t judge an animal behind a cage door. A lot of people want ‘cute’ or have some idea of what they want and yet people can pass up the most amazing animals.” Stafford says many animals in cages are frightened and “low.” Once you actually get them out of a cage to interact with them you can discover so much more.
“Look, we all love animals, right?” Stafford says. “We can all be a part of the solution because we’re always going to have this situation,” she adds.
Adopt at a Local Shelter
DAVIDSON COUNTY
Agape Animal Rescue
615-406-7799
Dog adoption & fostering.
The Cat Shoppe & Dog Store
2824 Bransford Ave., Nashville
615-297-7877
Kittens & cats through Cat Shoppe Rescue, Inc.
East C.A.N.
Dog and cat adoption plus fostering in East Nashville.
Love at First Sight! Pet Adoption Center
4423 Murphy Road Nashville
615-297-2464
Puppies & kittens.
Music City Animal Rescue
Dogs, cats & fostering.
Nashville Cat Rescue
Cats & kittens.
Nashville Humane Association
213 Oceola Ave., Nashville
615-352-1010
Dogs & cats.
Proverbs 12:10
Dogs, cats & fostering.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY
P.A.W.S. (Pet adoption & welfare services)
285 John Rice Blvd., Murfreesboro
615-898-7740
Dogs and cats.
PurrEver Love Cat Rescue
615-987-0050
Cats & kittens.
SUMNER COUNTY
Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary
615-664-2380
Dogs and cats.
Humane Society of Sumner County
16 Volunteer Drive, Hendersonville
Dogs and cats.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Happy Tales Humane
4001 Hughes Crossing, Ste. 161, Franklin
615-261-7387
Dogs and cats.
Williamson County Animal Center
106 Claude Yates Drive, Franklin
615-790-5590
Dogs & cats.
