Animal shelters across the state are continuing to fight high euthanasia
rates.
The Tennessean reports the kill rate
at the Nashville's metro animal control is 78 percent, and that's after a
recent drop.
Amy Johnston, Director of Outreach for the Young-Williams Animal Village,
said the animal euthanasia rate at the Knoxville animal shelter is around 50
percent. However, that number is down from 62 percent.
According to Johnston, a
lack of spaying, neutering, and adopting are the main reason for the high kill
numbers.
Between August 2012 and October 2012, Young-Williams Animal Village
participated in Rachael Ray's $100K ASPCA Challenge. Animal Shelters across the
nation competed to increase pet adoptions. Young-Williams placed 12th out of 50
shelters and won $5,000.
Johnston said, "I believed we saved over 1,700 more animals during that
time period than we did the previous year. It was a challenge, but we did
wonderful things, and we saw a lot of animals get great homes."
The adoption rate for Young-Williams is now up by nine percent and the animal
shelter is doing everything it can to keep that number growing.
Young-Williams
offers low-cost spay and neuter services and also has a Furry Friends program,
in which a person can donate $75 and that money is put towards the adoption fee
of an animal (a lot of the times waiving the animal's adoption fee).
For more information on the Young-Williams Animal Village click here.