Here is a familiar story coming from the non existent Jackson Sun…. The previous Humane Society Care Center, now the Jackson Animal Care Center is at capacity and is about to double in size. The centers $800,000 budget is about to “naturally” grow again.
Sarah Best | Jackson Sun
A staple in the community for providing a safe and secure place while pets await adoption into their forever home, Jackson Animal Care Center is receiving a much-needed expansion.
Walking through the shelter, rows of kitten, puppy, and cat cages are stacked to maximize space. Dogs are assigned their own space, while makeshift space is created wherever available for the shelter’s less frequent intakes like rabbits, chinchillas, and guinea pigs.
A municipal shelter with a current capacity equipped to house approximately 58 dogs and between 30 and 35 cats, is far too small to take in additional animals, which is a cramped problem, according to Animal Care Center Director Whitney Owen.
“It’s hard to explain how needed it is unless you’re here,” Owen said. “We are at capacity. We don’t have a single open cage in the building except for these two cat cages. There’s not anywhere to put a dog, at all.”
In December 2021, the Tennessee Department of Health granted the shelter the licensure of being a Certified Animal Control Center Agency, a milestone for the JACC. Holding this status opens the door for more grant funding opportunities while ensuring a standard of effectiveness and accountability.
With an operating cost of around $800,000 per year, the shelter receives much of its funding through donations raised throughout the year that are then refunded by the city.
Contributions versus the amounts fundraised are dependent on the year, but Owen says the last three years have proved successful for the shelter, with fundraising totals amounting to nearly $600,000 over the three years.
