SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE Tuesday, May 22, 2018:
The Sevier County Budget Committee voted Tuesday to move forward with the cities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville to operate a temporary animal shelter until a permanent solution is found, according to Assistant County Mayor for Governmental Affairs Perrin Anderson.
Anderson said the county mayor will begin working with the city managers to have a temporary shelter operating as soon as possible.
The temporary facility will be jointly operated by the cities and county. The location and cost has not been determined.
"The shelter will probably be in operation for 12-24 months before a permanent solution is in place," Anderson said. "Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are discussing the feasibility of a permanent animal shelter that would be owned and operated by the county and cities."
Pets Without Parents will cease all operations beginning July 1.
ORIGINAL STORY: Sevier County leaders at a budget commission meeting on Monday said they need more research before moving forward with their decision on how to handle abandoned animals in the area.
This comes up after controversy at the Pets Without Parents shelter in Sevierville. Rumors on social media suggested the shelter would put down dozens of animals without reason. The shelter had responded to say a veterinarian took 50 cats to be evaluated, and had to put down 42 of them due to illness.
That shelter has been the main animal shelter in Sevier County since July 2017. Animal control from Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg would take abandoned or homeless animals to Pets Without Parents. However, according to the president of Pets Without Parents, the environment of the shelter was "not conducive really to a full blown animal shelter." With Pets Without Parents and the Sevier County Humane Society both struggling to take in more animals, Sevier Co. leaders met to discuss possible change.
Leaders must decide on a plan quickly since Pets Without Parents will cease all operations beginning July 1.
Monday night, Sevier County leaders discussed three options for the future of homeless animals in the area. Those options are to send the animals to the humane society, send them to a temporary shelter or have the county take over the humane society's property. Leaders voted to hire an attorney to investigate the humane society before making a decision.
"Sevier County is important here, and it's not for sale. We're doing important work, so please reconsider imminent domain," Cheri Magmeier, head of the Sevier County Humane Society Board of Directors, said. "We would hope that the cities and county governments would work with the humane society rather than pursue imminent domain."
Right now, there is not set date to vote on the three options leaders are considering.