September 8, 2021
Young-Williams Animal Center has accepted 40 animals evacuated from the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The Humane Society of Louisiana and South Central region staff of Best Friends worked together to transport the animals to East Tennessee, where they arrived Tuesday evening and underwent health evaluations. Shelter staff members are working to place the pets in local emergency foster homes.
Young-Williams Animal Center asked for help and received more than 100 applications from new fosters thanks to a public appeal with the help of media and community advocates. Many of these new fosters already have been matched with an animal from the hurricane evacuation or from Young-Williams Animal Center to help open space at the shelter.
Millions of Gulf Coast residents and businesses have been affected after Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi on Aug. 29. Animal shelters and rescue groups have been transporting adoptable pets to other shelters because of the effects of the hurricane – including flooding, major property damage and loss of power and utilities – and to create space for the influx of lost and stray animals in the region.
“The animals, which include 20 dogs and 20 cats and kittens, made it safely to our shelter,” says Janet Testerman, CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center. “Thanks to emergency fosters who applied to take in the rescues, all of these animals will be staying with people in our community. We are so grateful to them for stepping up and opening their hearts in a tough situation. Every pet who can be placed with a foster family frees up space so we can care for the animals that we take in daily as the official shelter for the City of Knoxville and Knox County.”
Many of the rescued pets also will be available for adoption soon at young-williams.org.
Young-Williams Animal Center provides all supplies, including food, to pet fosters free of charge. The shelter is accepting donated supplies for the evacuated animals, including canned kitten food; fleece blankets; collapsible wire dog crates; cat litter; reusable grocery totes and gallon Ziploc bags; and cat and dog toys.
All donations can be dropped off at Young-Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division St., Knoxville, TN 37919. Monetary donations of any amount also can be made at young-williams.org/donations.
About Young-Williams Animal Center
The vision of Young-Williams Animal Center is “a home for every pet.” It is the municipal shelter of the City of Knoxville and Knox County, and each year takes in more than 9,000 animals.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Young-Williams Animal Center serves the needs of lost, unwanted, abandoned and neglected animals. The center’s mission is to lead the community to end pet homelessness, promote animal welfare and enhance the human-animal bond through the shelter and placement of animals, spay/neuter initiatives and public education of companion animal issues. Young-Williams Animal Center reminds pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.
Young-Williams Animal Center’s main facility is located off Sutherland Avenue at 3201 Division Street. Young-Williams Animal Village satellite adoption location and public spay/neuter program is located at 6400 Kingston Pike.
Both locations are open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The shelter closes from 1-2 p.m. for an hour of quiet time for the animals. For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center, call 865-215-6599 or visit https://www.young-williams.org/.
