P.E.T. Care Campus News
THE PROBLEM
Pet overpopulation is a problem that affects may cities and counties
throughout the nation. Because cats and dogs can produce multiple
litters in a single year, it does not take long for a community to have too
many pets and not enough homes, thereby resulting in the euthanasia of
healthy animals. The United States Humane Society states that one
unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce over 67,000
puppies in six years. One unaltered female cat and her offspring can
produce an estimated 420,000 cats in only seven years. Our existing
CPC Animal Shelter took in 4,779 dogs and cats in 2009. Sadly 3,595
(75%) of these animals had to be euthanized for lack of a home. This
trend will continue to grow unless we take steps to approach the
problem with a new vision in promoting animal sheltering, adoption,
spay/neutering programs, education and training opportunities.
Copyright 2010 Cookeville/Putnam County Animals
Existing Cookeville/Putnam County Animal Shelter
THE SOLUTION
Create a P.E.T. Care Campus which will bring together animal welfare agencies, an academic institution, and our community to
benefit both the animals and the people of Cookeville/Putnam County, Tennessee. This unique collaboration between the City of
Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee Tech University, the Humane Society of Putnam County and our Friends group brings
together all the facets of a successful animal welfare program and may quite possibly provide a model for other communities. The
P.E.T. Care Campus will include a new Animal Shelter , a Spay/Neuter Clinic, an Education/Training facility and an off leash Dog
Park. The campus, situated in a park-like environment on 9.75 acres, will draw visitors, increase adoptions, lessen euthanasia and
provide affordable spay/neuter services. Innovative educational programs for children & adults as well as training classes and
clinics for pets will be offered. The campus will provide a place where people and pets can come to enjoy playing together!
THE MISSION
1.To provide shelter and care for abandoned, homeless and abused animals.
2.To promote pet adoptions of healthy animals.
3.To promote spay/neutering to curb pet overpopulation.
4.To integrate University Pre-Vet academic programs with companion animal projects and training.
5.To promote responsible pet ownership and raise awareness as to the benefits of “companion animals”.
THE P.E.T. CARE CAMPUS GOALS
1.To provide a new and visually inviting animal shelter to house unwanted, abused and abandoned animals and facilitate the adoption of these animals.
2.To provide a facility that will offer affordable spay/neuter services.
3.To provide a place that will serve as a resource, training and information center on all aspects of animal welfare and care.
4.To provide University students with a wide selection of classes, labs, training and companion animal project opportunities.
5.To provide a setting for people and their pets to play in a safe, pleasant environment.
The “KEYS” TO A SUCCESSFUL MULTI-FACETED APPROACH
1. Animal Sheltering (City of Cookeville and Putnam County)
Together the City of Cookeville and Putnam County fund the Cookeville/Putnam County Animal Shelter. This existing facility, built in 1955, despite continued efforts to maintain the structure continues to deteriorate. A bequest of approximately $450,000 was left to the Animal Shelter for capital improvement. These funds have been augmented by local donations and fundraising efforts by Friends of Cookeville/Putnam Co. Animals for the building of a new Animal Shelter.
2. Spay/Neutering (Humane Society of Putnam County)
The Humane Society of Putnam County is a 501c3, non-profit entity. Operating an affordable Spay/Neuter Clinic, they have completed over 10,000 spay/neuter surgeries in a little over two years. They are currently in a small leased facility and need a larger, permanent home.
3. Education (Tennessee Tech University)-TTU academic programs offer classes dealing with animal welfare, management, nutrition and disease prevention along with service learning opportunities. The P.E.T. Care Campus, located close to Tech’s main campus, will allow students to care, manage and train companion animals as part of their educational experience. Plans are to have the pre-vet students housed on the P.E.T. Care Campus to have direct involvement in the care, management and training of companion animals and to create an “Animal Friendly Dormitory” on TTU’s campus for first year students who request to live in a dorm that includes cats and dogs as residents. Students in this dorm would be required to conduct service learning projects with their four legged “ dorm mates”. Enrichment activities would also be available to the public with many of these activities coordinated by student volunteers.
4. Fundraising (Friends of Cookeville/Putnam County Animals
Friends of Cookeville/Putnam County Animals is a 501c3, non-profit entity founded in 2004. With an 11 member volunteer Board of Directors and 250 volunteer members, Friends has produced several successful fundraisers such as “Bark In The Park, the “Pets of Putnam County Art Shows” and the “Fur Ball” to raise needed funding to assist the Animal Shelter, the Spay/Neuter Clinic and other animal welfare efforts. Friends earned over $100,000 during the year 2009! In addition, Friends coordinates the SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program) recycling program with over 20 local companies, creates the Adorable Adoption ads seen each Sunday in the Herald-Citizen, writes articles and on-going columns for the Herald-Citizen Sunday Pet Page and has developed a foster program that works with approved rescue groups.
THE LOCATION
We have an option on a beautiful 9.75 acre site that
is located off Gainesboro Grade, just west of the
entrance to the Hyder-Burk facility. Our goal, in
Phase One of this Capital Campaign, is to raise the
funds to complete the purchase of this property.
The site offers the land needed for the P.E.T. Care
Campus, in addition to great visibility and accessibility
for the public. It will also provide appropriate space
to locate the first off-leash dog park in Putnam County.
PET CARE CAMPUS FUNDRAISING
Estimated Total Project Cost: $3,525,000 +/-
THE FINANCIAL NEED
And now we need your help! The P.E.T. Care Campus is going to make a tremendous difference for the animals and be something that we can all be proud of having in and for our community – but we must secure the property first and then get the Campus built!
Please consider a tax deductible donation to help us make the P.E.T. Care Campus a reality. All donations from $10,000 to $1,000,000 will have naming opportunities commensurate to the level of giving, in addition to being recognized either in the Founder’s Circle or on a Patron’s Donor Wall. All donations over $1,000 will be recognized on a Donors Wall located on the Campus.
Please know that every penny donated goes directly toward creating the P.E.T. Care Campus and is tax-deductible. Thank you for your consideration of this project.
HELP US
DOWN LOAD FUNDRAISING PLEDGE FORM.pdf
