Cocke County About To Lose Animal Shelter

Cocke County is about to lose its current animal shelter. The Friends Animal Shelter notified the County Mayor’s office on Wednesday of their intent to no longer serve as the county’s animal shelter as of July 31. Representatives from Friends Animal shelter are citing mass over-occupation as the reason. The shelter says they are seeing on average of 94 animals a month…nearly twice what their facility is capable of handling…plus they are a no-kill shelter. In a statement posted to their facebook page, the animal shelter said in part:

“We’ve heard from some, including discussions with the CLB, that a no-kill policy will not meet the requirements of our county’s animal control mission. As noted above, we will never end our commitment to being a no-kill animal welfare organization. It is clear that the paths to accomplishing each of our missions are divergent and irreconcilable. Moreover, even if our facility were to somehow be expanded to double or triple its capacity (a physical and fiscal impossibility), the current condition of our economy and the rate of inflation will more than likely cause our organization to become insolvent by the end of the next fiscal year.”

The Friends Animal Shelter concluded by stating they would continue as a charitable non-profit animal welfare facility and will work closely with the county’s next animal shelter. The county now has 30 days to figure out what to do about a new animal shelter. The Newport Animal Shelter continues to operate for the city downtown.