KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Families who take in new pets can't always afford to take proper care of them. Aside from the costs of food and accessories, pet owners may also need to find the money for medical treatments or behavioral corrections.
It can be challenging to budget for the expensive, unexpected costs of pet ownership. So, they may decide to simply get rid of their pets, giving them to an animal center like the Young-Williams Animal Center. They usually have more resources than average pet owners to properly care for animals.
The Animal Compassion Fund is one of the ways YWAC helps cover the cost of caring for animals. It is specifically used to cover the price of medical treatment and equipment. It also helps pay for foster homes where pets can stay while they heal and recover.
Its full name is the Harry and Carolyn Galbraith Animal Compassion Fund. People can contribute to it, helping the animal center cover the costs of things like medical exams, x-rays, diagnostic testing and even life-saving surgeries.
Since the fund was established, several pets have been treated and their lives have been saved because of the collective support of the community.
Recently a dog that was abandoned behind a dumpster in Knoxville was treated by Young Williams. Unfortunately, the center announced Wednesday that the dog died more than a week after it was found.