the issues
With so many to choose from, we're tackling the problems with the most significant impact
Follow the arrows
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We could dedicate 24 hours a day and seven days a week to law reform for better animal protection, and we wouldn't make a dent. A critical step of reform is education and we can't expect people to advocate for change unless they understand the impact. The silver lining in all of this? Our animal issues are interconnected, meaning that resolving one (animal overpopulation) is likely to reduce the others. Just follow the follows in the graphic and you'll see how cyclical these problems really are.
Animal overpopulation affects everyone
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Learn how the surplus of animals in our community impacts each of the demographics below. (If you're viewing this on a computer, hover over each box to reveal the impact.)
You're likely to come across a stray animal on a walk, in your yard, or on a stroll through the park. This poses a potential health risk to you and your pet, and can increase anxiety about your own pet's safety.
pet owner
Animal shelters and rescues are constantly operating at capacity, filled with unwanted, lost, or homeless pets. Burnout has become the "norm" and 15 million animals are euthanized in shelters each year.
shelter and
rescue staff
Animal overpopulation can lead to millions of dollars in costs for tax payers each year. The more animals a municipal shelter has in its care, the more funding needed to cover that care, which is allocated from tax payers.
tax payer
Spread of diseases, livestock numbers, and crop damage are just a few of the ways that stray animals can have an effect on farmers and their crops; stray animals are a result of the animal overpopulation.
local farmer
Stray animals can create food competition among wildlife, driving them into neighborhoods to eat. Strays can also damage local habitats and increase the spread of disease throughout communities.
nature lover
A high volume of animals needing care can often lead to increased workloads and emotional stress for veterinary staff. The country's shortage of veterinarians only exacerbates the issue.
veterinary staff
A True Lack of Resources​
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Many don't realize this, but nearly one third of Tennessee counties are lacking a municipal shelter. Most of the poorest counties in Tennessee have no animal control or shelter system. There is no law that says a county has to have animal control or a shelter, which can leave some counties without animal services, and ultimately leaves animals without support. Adding insult to injury, law enforcement for animal issues is the downfall of rural communities. We hear of there being no regulation of the leash law, which creates an increase in stray animals. Are you wondering how this affects you if you don't live in a rural area? Well, guess where these stray animals are going if picked up by a good samaritan? They're being transported to other Tennessee counties—who are already struggling to support their own animal problems.
No municipal shelter
Dog-only municipal shelter
Shelter run by nonprofit No ACO, no municipal funding
1. Bledsoe County
2. Cannon County
3. Chester County
4. Clay County
5. Cocke County
6. Crockett County
7. Decatur County
8. Dyer County
9. Hancock County
10. Hardeman
11. Hickman County
12. Houston County
13. Jackson County
14. Lake County
15. Lawrence County
16. Lewis County
17. McNair County
18. Meigs County
19. Morgan County
20. Obion County
21. Overton County
22. Pickett County
23. Polk County
24. Scott County
25. Sequatchie County
26. Stewart County
27. Smith County
28. VanBuren County
29. Wayne County
30. Weakley County
31. Macon County
32. Marshall County
33. Trousdale County
34. White County
35. Claiborne County
36. Fentress County
37. Grainger County
38. Grundy County
39. Henderson County
40. Moore County
41. Unicoi County
In 2017, the Leaf Chronicle published a story revealing the problems facing rural Tennessee areas, due to their lack of animal shelters. The problem is that this situation has only gotten worse.
