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Pets looking for new leash on life
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Happy Tails! Harper the puppy, who made her debut during last week’s Warren County Commission meeting, is the last of the puppies to head home. She is pictured here with adoptive mom Melissa Mullins, left, and Chamber employee Lakelinn Simmons. Harper joins three new playmates in her new home, including two children and another puppy. - photo by Nikki Childers
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Although other puppies found new homes, there are still several waiting at the shelter. Charlie, pictured here, will be one of the puppies available during this Saturday's Marketville Back to School Bash at Three Star Mall. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Charlie and others will be present for a meet and greet. - photo by Nikki Childers

Warren County Animal Control’s statement made with puppies at last week’s Warren County Commission meeting proved to be a powerful one.

As of Monday, all puppies featured at the meeting have been placed in new homes. Although those puppies have moved onto the next chapter of their lives, a multitude of other pets remain without home commitments, including both adult and young animals.

“The puppies helped us illustrate the fact that we are overwhelmed and something has to change,” explained Animal Control director Sherri Bradley. “We want to find ways of helping the community know what our facility is going through and educate them. If you don’t come out to our shelter and aren’t involved, the number of animals in our facility is just a number. Seeing the puppies makes it real for those who aren’t here with us every day.”

Currently, the shelter is housing 45 dogs and 47 cats after they took on mass amounts of pets from hoarding situations and experienced an uptick in owner surrenders. 

Combined with kitten and puppy season, and no regulations requiring pets to be spayed or neutered, the shelter was left with an overflow of pets and have had to resort to outdoor kennels topped with tarps and other furnishings to accommodate the sudden increase.

“We are overwhelmed, there’s not an open kennel anywhere,” Bradley said of space concerns. “I’m grateful for my excellent team as well as the volunteers and fosters who help us make it all work. This amount of animals is too much for a small team, but we are luckily seeing some movement as some animals are adopted.”

Bradley emphasized that adopting pets helps more than just the animal that is being adopted, as it provides space for other animals in need. Those interested in meeting some of the many adoptable pets will be pleased to know the shelter will be at Saturday’s Marketville event located at the Three Star Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Meet and greet events help us advocate for the animals in our care as it helps shine a light on the great cats and dogs just waiting for the perfect home,” said Bradley of efforts the shelter makes to find the pets homes. “People have misconceptions about cats and dogs from shelters, but I think they’re exceptionally grateful and loving when they finally find their home – they seem to understand and appreciate that you saved them.”

Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center is located at 169 Paws Trail and inquiries may be made over the phone at (931) 507-3647 or in person during operation hours. 

The facility is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day except for Wednesday and Friday.