In order to continue providing critical emergency animal services, McKamey Animal Center will be modifying its operations beginning January 1, 2021.
These changes will primarily affect our animal admissions and veterinary services departments, ensuring that we have the staff and resources to preserve critical functions and maintain the highest standards of care for the homeless animals in our facility.
Key changes include:
- Beginning January 1, 2021, all shelter-related activities – including intake of animals, adoptions, veterinary appointments, etc. -- will be by appointment only, no walk-ins or drop-offs will be accepted.
- Residents of Hamilton County living within the city limits of Chattanooga, Red Bank or Lakesite can make an appointment.to surrender their pet or to bring in a dog found running loose by calling 423/305-6500 (residents living outside these areas should contact the Humane Educational Society for assistance). McKamey Animal enter will no longer be able to accept any animals from outside of Hamilton County.
- Intake of healthy outdoor cats will be suspended until further notice. An animal shelter is a stressful place for cats, and those accustomed to living outdoors are especially vulnerable to stress and illness while in shelter care. As long as cats appear healthy they are better off remaining where they are, close to the food, water and shelter resources they know. MAC will work with citizens to set up spay/neuter appointments for community cats and will provide resources and support those dealing with nuisance cats.
- Veterinary services will be limited to preventive services only (vaccines, microchips and spay/neuter surgeries), and will be offered to Hamilton County residents only. We encourage all pet owners to reach out to other low-cost clinics or to their local full-service veterinary office for their general pet care needs, and inquire about payment plans or consider acquiring pet insurance to cover emergencies and other unexpected veterinary expenses.
Of course our Animal Services Officers will continue to prioritize emergency calls, namely those involving animals actively experiencing cruelty, animals that are ill/injured, and animals actively posing an imminent danger to the public or to other animals. Hamilton County residents are encouraged to call 423/305-6500 to report an emergency, or to get advice and support for managing a non-emergency situation.
And we continue to need adoptive and foster homes for our animals, and we encourage everyone who might have room in their home for a homeless pet to contact us.
Please visit mckameyanimalcenter.org/adoption to make an adoption appointment or to sign up as a temporary foster care provider.
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