WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS Dog or Cat?

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PETWORKS DOES TAKE OWNER SURRENDERS FROM KINGSPORT CITY RESIDENTS ONLY AND ONLY BY APPOINTMENT.

WE ARE SORRY THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS TOUGH DECISION. HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER:

CALL DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.  APPOINTMENTS CAN SOMETIMES BE 2 WEEKS TO A MONTH AWAY DEPENDING ON HOW MANY ANIMALS WE HAVE IN THE SHELTER.

YOU MUST BE A KINGSPORT CITY RESIDENT WITH A KINGSPORT CITY ADDRESS ON YOUR ID OR SOME OTHER PROOF OF RESIDENCY.

IF YOU ARE MOVING INTO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR PET:

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO CALL US IF YOU ARE MOVING OR GETTING EVICTED.  SOMETIMES IT TAKES A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT.

IF YOU ARE SURRENDERING BECAUSE YOUR DOG IS SICK, INJURED, OR A SENIOR:

UNFORTUNATELY IF YOUR PET HAS EXTENSIVE MEDICAL NEEDS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE URGENT OR LONGTERM MEDICAL CARE.  THOSE ANIMALS WILL NEED TO BE SEEN BY A VETERINARIAN THAT HAS THE EQUIPMENT AND STAFF TO PROPERLY CARE FOR THEM.  WE ARE ALSO NOT A PLACE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A HOSPICE SETTING.  

FOR THIS REASON, WE WILL TRY TO FIND A RESCUE ORGANIZATION THAT WILL TAKE YOUR PET.  HOWEVER, IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEY WILL BE HUMANELY EUTHANIZED SO THERE IS NO SUFFERING.

IF YOU ARE SURRENDERING BECAUSE YOUR PET IS AGGRESSIVE, BITING HUMANS, OR KILLING OTHER ANIMALS:

YOU WILL NEED AN APPOINTMENT UNLESS IT IS AN ACTIVE BITE HOLD FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.  

*PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT MOST OF THE TIME, WE WILL NOT ADOPT OUT ANIMALS THAT ARE CONSIDERED AGGRESSIVE ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A BITE HISTORY TO HUMANS.  UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE ANIMALS WOULD NEED TO BE HUMANELY EUTHANIZED.  IT CAN BE KINDER FOR YOUR PET IF YOU TAKE IT TO YOUR VET AND HAVE IT EUTHANIZED IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO KEEP IT SAFELY.  

WE UNDERSTAND THAT EUTHANIZING ANY ANIMAL IS CONTROVERSIAL.  THIS IS NEVER AN EASY DECISION FOR OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND IS ALSO VERY HARD ON OUR STAFF THAT WORK 7 DAYS A WEEK/365 DAYS A YEAR TO CARE FOR EVERY ANIMALS THAT COMES INTO THE SHELTER.  HOWEVER, OUR STAFF UNDERSTANDS THAT SOMETIMES IT IS TRULY WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ANIMAL - TO END ITS SUFFERING OR TO NOT ADD ADDITIONAL SUFFERING.

WE TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ANIMALS VERY SERIOUSLY. WE WILL NOT LET AN ANIMAL SUFFER IN A KENNEL OR CAGE WHEN IT IS CONSIDERED NOT ADOPTABLE DUE TO ILLNESS, INJURY, MENTAL STATUS, OR AGGRESSION.  

WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITIZENS OF KINGSPORT.  WE TRY OUR BEST TO NOT LET ANIMALS WITH BITE HISTORIES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY WHERE IT MAY HARM A PERSON (ADULT OR CHILD) OR ANOTHER ANIMAL. THOUGH SOMETIMES, THAT IS NOT LEFT UP TO US BUT TO THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO DECIDE.

YOU CAN TAKE A STRAY TO MOST VET'S OFFICES TO BE SCANNED FOR A MICROCHIP.  THEN NOTIFY THE OWNER THAT YOU HAVE THEIR PET.

DOES THE PET HAVE IDENTIFICATION?  IF SO, CONTACT THE OWNER ON THE PETS TAG.

SOMETIMES PETS HAVE A QR CODE ON THEIR TAG.  SCAN THAT AND IT WILL SHOW YOU THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE OWNERS.

IF THEIR IS NO IDENTIFICATION AND THE ANIMAL IS NOT MICROCHIPPED,  PLEASE CALL THE SHELTER FOR NEXT STEPS. 

OUR KENNELS AND CAGES ARE ALWAYS FULL.

     CAN YOU HOLD THE PET FOR A FEW DAYS?

     WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO FOSTER THE PET?  

     DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO 

     HOLD ONTO THE PET WHILE WE SEARCH FOR THE OWNER

    OR UNTIL WE CAN GET A KENNEL/CAGE OPEN FOR THEM?

IS THE PET INJURED?  CALL US! 423-247-1671

IF YOU FOUND AN INJURED CAT OR DOG, PLEASE CALL THE SHELTER AT 423-247-1671.  IF YOU CALL WHEN WE ARE NOT OPEN, THE ANSWERING SERVICE WILL TAKE A MESSAGE AND NOTIFY US.