November 14, 2019
On Monday, Nov. 11, Young-Williams Animal Center hosted over a dozen volunteers, including local helpers and a team from Rescue Rebuild, for renovation work at its 3201 Division St. location.
Rescue Rebuild, a community-driven animal shelter renovation program of GreaterGood.org, helped Young-Williams Animal Center improve its lost and found and intake area and Pet Resource Center.
The renovations will boost the shelter’s ability to provide counseling and resources to pet owners in need of assistance in order to keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter. A portion of the funding for the renovations came from a previously received Petco Foundation grant.
“More than 40% of pet owners who make the decision to surrender their animal don’t want to,” says Janet Testerman, CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center. “They generally have hit a life hurdle and don’t know what to do or what options they have. We are incredibly thankful for our volunteers, Rescue Rebuild and Petco Foundation for helping transform our lost and found and intake area and Pet Resource Center and enhancing our efforts to make a difference and keep pets with their families.”
Young-Williams Animal Center will move the services back into the shelter, and visitors to the lost and found and intake area and Pet Resource Center may now use the main entrance. In September, the services had been moved to a temporary on-site location behind the main building to allow for the renovation project.
“These updates provide much more efficient, visitor-friendly areas to serve the lost and at-risk animals in Knoxville and Knox County,” Testerman says. “The construction will help provide a better customer service experience and expand our space for animals in need.”
Young-Williams Animal Center is open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., with a break from 1-2 p.m. for animal quiet time.
About Rescue Rebuild
Rescue Rebuild is a shelter renovation program of GreaterGood.org that recruits volunteers from all over the country to help animal shelters in need. The organization travels to selected shelters in need to complete general repairs and renovations.
About GreaterGood.org
GreaterGood.org is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that works to improve the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. Over the last 12 years, GreaterGood.org has given over $250 million in cash and in-kind grants to over 3,000 charitable partners worldwide. To learn more, visit https://greatergood.org/ or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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 in 2018, the center took 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/.
