“As families across the region look forward to kicking off the summer season on Memorial Day, our shelter staff worries about the influx of homeless dogs and cats that inevitably come through our doors during the next few months,” said Young-Williams Animal Center CEO Jeff Ashin.

Ashin says the shelter typically sees a spike in intake during summer months for several reasons including the fact that more litters of puppies and kittens are surrendered following the spring mating season.

In honor of Memorial Day weekend from Friday-Monday, May 24-27, Young-Williams Animal Center is offering $50 off the adoption fee for all puppies and kittens as well as $25 off the adoption fee for all adult dogs and cats. The center hopes area families and individuals will be inspired to be “pet-riotic” by adopting and will take advantage of a long weekend to introduce a new pet to the home.

The Memorial Day special offer brings the adoption fees down to $100 for puppies and kittens and just $50 for adult dogs and cats. Adoption fees include a veterinary physical exam, spay/neuter surgery, some standard vaccinations, a microchip with registration and more. The value of these services for an adult dog, for example, could cost a pet owner more than $600 through private veterinarian offices.

Another reason shelter intake spikes in the summer is because more stray animals are brought in as pets are more likely to roam outside in the warm weather. Owners are encouraged to make sure pets are microchipped and wearing ID tags.

“If you lose a pet, please check with Young-Williams Animal Center immediately and check our Lost and Found Center every few days,” Ashin said. “All stray animals picked up by both City of Knoxville and Knox County Animal Control units are brought to Young-Williams. We would love to see our rate of owner reclaims increase so more pets are returned to their families, and we can then free kennel space for pets that don’t have homes and need a loving family to adopt them.”

To adopt, please visit the two conveniently located Knoxville adoption facilities: Young-Williams Animal Center at 3201 Division Street and Young-Williams Animal Village at 6400 Kingston Pike. The Lost and Found Center is located at Young-Williams Animal Center on Division Street.

Adult dogs like Bertha, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever mix, are available at Young-Williams Animal Center for a reduced adoption fee of $50 in honor of Memorial Day weekend.

For more information, call 865-215-6599, visit www.young-williams.org or check out Young-Williams on Facebook

The Smokies have been fantastic supporters of Young-Williams Animal Center, and this is just another way for them to promote pet adoption!

Please visit their website http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t553

“It’s a Nine Inning Vacation!”

Office on Aging’s Project LIVE staff match income-eligible seniors with adoptable older pets identified by animal center staff. The Dorothy Kidd Memorial Fund finances this project, along with donations from the community.

Program participants must be 60 years of age or older, a resident of Knox County, income-eligible, and live independently in a pet-friendly environment. If participants cannot afford pet food, it is provided through the Feed A Pet Project (a partnership of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and RSVP). Pets adopted by Knox PAWS participants are given an initial medical exam, vaccinated, given a microchip, are spayed or neutered and are provided with six months of heartworm and flea prevention medication.

Please visit their website http://www.knoxseniors.org/paws.html

The link below will give you all the information you need to make sure your dog and/or cat is up to date on this important and required vaccine!

http://knoxcounty.org/health/current_news/rabies.php#

Below are descriptions of our “FAB 5”, as they are affectionately known:

1. Marty            Male, black Chihuahua mix weighing 7 lbs.                     He is bouncy and happy with a puppyish face.

2. Peanut          Male, black Chihuahua mix weighing 10 lbs.                    He is very docile and loves attention.

3. April              Female, white Westie/Terrier mix weighing 15 lbs.            She is laid back and docile and really wants to be a lap dog.

4. Emory           Male, Australian Shepherd mix weighing 30 lbs.              He is very pretty, loves attention and has a moderate energy level.

5. Zena             Female, blond Lab/Retriever mix weighing 47 lbs.           She is sweet ad playful with moderate to high energy level, but settles down quickly.

Our “FAB 5” will be making their debut on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Petco in Farragut from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Other opportunities to meet and greet our fabulous dogs include:

1. Saturday, April 27, 2013         1-4 pm                          Mast General Store, 402 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

2. Sunday, April 28, 2013           Noon – 5:00 pm            Critterfest @ Maryville College

3. Saturday, May 4, 2013           1-4 pm                          Wild Birds Unlimited, 7240 Kingston Pike, Suite #164, Knoxville, TN 37919

4. Saturday, May 11, 2013         1-4 pm                          Mast General Store, 402 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

Sunday, April 21, 2013 1-3pm New Concord dog park in Farragut

(HALT Spring Reunion Party – we have invited all of our volunteers past and current, our supporters, HALT dog graduates, families and friends (and dogs!) to come out and celebrate with us. It will be a great time to catch up with folks and see how some of our past graduate pups are doing. Plus, we’ll have our new class of dogs there so you can meet them too!

For more information:

Email:              HALTdogs@comcast.net

Facebook:        http://www.facebook.com/HALTdogs

Adopt-A-Pet: http://www.adoptapet.com/adoption_rescue/83905.html

Website:           http://www.vet.utk.edu/halt/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HALTDogs (videos of the dogs will be added here for each class)

Be a part of making a difference and adopt a HALT dog!

Young-Williams Animal Center’s Pet Food Assistance program is a special way to help pet owners in Knox County temporarily meet the needs of their pets during today’s difficult times.  Below are the details about our program.

Please Note:

This program is not designed to be a pet owner’s sole source of pet food but rather to supplement their efforts.

Program Details

• Pet food is only available on the second Saturday of the month between the hours of 8:00am and 10:00 am.
• Only ONE member of a household may apply for and receive pet food.
• Pet food will be provided for no more than three (3) pets.
• Owners must have had their pets for at least three (3) months to receive food for them.
• Owners must show proof that their pets are spayed or neutered OR be willing to have ALL of their dogs and cats altered on the Animal Center’s Spay Shuttle.
• Owners may not add ANY pets to their household while they are receiving food from the pet pantry.
• After the first receipt of pet food, participants must do at least three (3) hours of community service to receive food again.  Consider contacting local churches, food kitchens and other non-profit agencies to volunteer your time. Proof of this service should be provided on the day pet food is requested.  Proof of service should be in the form of a letter on official letterhead.  Information should include the date(s) of service, tasks performed and contact information for your supervisor.  Community service may be waived if the applicant is physically unable to do so.
• Applicants must reapply to the program EVERY January and July.
• Young-Williams Animal Center has a right to deny a pet food request at any time for any reason.

For more information, contact program administrator

Beth  at 215-6661

This year, YWAC will be selling personalized Christmas ornaments for the pet-lover in all of us!

We are asking a $10.00 donation per ornament.

Thank You, and we hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!