How You Can Help Animals in Need

There are many shelters in Tennessee. Many are kill shelters and only a few are no-kill shelters. The statistics in Knoxville alone for the number of animals that are put to sleep in our area because of poor ownership and neglect is high.

 See below for the statistics on the # of euthanized animals at just one of our local Knoxville, TN shelters.

Statistics

Year	Incoming Animals	Adoptions	Reclaimed	Rescue/Transfer	Outgoing Total	Euthanasia
2001	11864	1500	783	1059	3342	7718
2002	12331	2326	841	789	3956	8009
2003	13835	2649	760	1080	4489	8966
2004	16033	2953	878	888	4719	10848
2005	16195	2448	960	1087	4495	11546
2006	16914	2194	1078	1200	4472	12090
2007	17213	2541	1220	669	4430	12261
2008	17685	2819	1318	472	4609	12638
2009	17830	3363	1410	562	5335	12226
2010	15750	3541	1471	616	5734	9714
2011	15030	3410	1617	588	5762	9287
2012	14355	4589	1671	639	6899	7241
2013	13921	5594	1662	455	7711	6547

Although Knoxville has seen a decline in the #'s euthanized; 6,547 needless deaths last year for one shelter is too high. Golda's Grooming of Knoxville, TN is a proud supporter of the activities at Young Williams and has raised money and pet supplies annually for the shelter by throwing a local puppy party with its clients as guests. If Knoxville would focus on making sure that it's animals were fixed, unexpected animal births would decline. If Knoxville patrons would adopt at their local shelter versus purchasing expensive puppy mill pure breeds than less perfectly good pets in need of a home would need to be put to sleep. The Young Williams shelter sees incoming puppies, kittens, and exotics such as rabbits and ferrets. It has a variety of options for the family or individual seeking the companionship of a pet. These pets are both pure breeds and mixed breeds and they all share one thing in common, the need to be loved by a human.

Even if you aren't seeking to adopt a new family member there are countless things you can do to help your local pet shelters. At Young Williams you can add them to Kroger Community Rewards, Join Amazon Smile, set your web browser for the Good Search, choose them as your charity of choice on iGive, Join the Bark Box, bring your ink cartridges to the shelter and help fill the Cartridge World promise, purchase Bissell pet products and use the code ADOPT, join Woof Trax, bring empty pet food cans to the shelter for recycle.

If those aren't enough you can try donating some of the following found on Young Williams Local Animal Shelter Wish List. These ideas are good for any pet care non-profit shelter you are local to.

You can still see our complete Wish List below!
**Current needs as of 5-20-14**

• Laminating Sheets for our Adoption Floor (http://www.staples.com/Staples-Letter-Size-Thermal-Laminating-Pouches-3-mil-50-pack/product_677045)
• 3-4 digital baby scales to weigh our incoming kittens (Here is an example of one:  http://www.amazon.com/HOMEIMAGE-Digital-Scale-Infants-Pets/dp/B005OKPSMG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400597461&sr=8-3&keywords=digital+baby+scale)
• Paper Towels for our Spay/Neuter Solutions (Can be delivered to either location; please specify these are for the Spay/Neuter Clinic)
• Puppy Pee Pads (Example: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=puppy%20pee%20pads&sprefix=puppy+pee%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apuppy%20pee%20pads) (Can be delivered to either location; please specify these are for the Spay/Neuter Clinic)
• Liquid HE Laundry detergent (Example:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=liquid+he+laundry+detergent&sprefix=liquid+HE+%2Caps%2C303&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aliquid+he+laundry+detergent) (Can be delivered to either location; please specify these are for the Spay/Neuter Clinic)

Where to Donate
Please bring all donations to the Lost & Found/Incoming Animal entrance on the side of the building. Please do not leave donations at the front entrance, the door to animal control, or in the garage at the back of the building.
Items We CANNOT Use:

• Cat or Small Animal Carriers (we can use Medium/Large/XL carriers!)

Pet Supplies: Dog

• 3-Quart Stainless Steel Bowls
• Medium/Large/XL Airline-Approved Pet Carriers (we cannot use cat or small carriers)
• Canned Puppy and Dog Food
• Dog Treats (no rawhides or pig ears, please)
• Washable Dog Beds

• Kong or Other Durable Dog Toys (to put peanut butter in)
• Dry Dog and Puppy Food
• Stuffed Animals
• Peanut Butter

Stuffed Animals: Animal Center dogs show no mercy on their toys, but they have fun as long as the toys last. Goodwill and other shops often have one or two days each month where merchandise is 50% off. Flea markets, yard sales, and your children’s toy box are other sources of stuffed toys. If possible, please do not donate stuffed animals that contain Styrofoam, sand, or other fillers.
No-Sew Dog Beds: Use two pieces of fleece that are the same size. For a roomy dog bed we recommend that the pieces be at least 36″x36″, but larger beds are needed, too. Lay one piece on top of another. Cut fringe all the way around the fleece. Cuts should be at least 1″ apart and approximately 4″ long (into the fabric). Tie the top and bottom fringed piece to each other. That’s it!
Optional: Stuff the bed with batting from a craft store or an old pillow. Consider putting a few mattress or quilt stitches in blankets with batting. This will hold the batting in place during washing.
Pet Supplies: Cat

• Clay Cat Litter/Oil Dry
• Cardboard Trays
• Cat Toys
• Canned Kitten and Cat Food
• Washable Cat Beds
• Carpet Squares
• Children’s Socks (see catnip sock project below)

Clay Cat Litter/Oil Dry: All cats and kittens are given fresh litter every day. We use generic clay cat litter or better yet, Oil Dry. Oil Dry is relatively inexpensive and can be found in the automotive department of discount shopping centers.
Cardboard Trays: These are used as litter boxes for cats, kittens, and rabbits. They are a staff favorite. They are free (!) and very absorbent. Litter boxes can be made from:

• The lid to a box of office copy paper
• The cardboard flat that holds several cans of cola or pet food
• Any small, shallow box (larger than a shoe box top)

If you want to make a good item great, have your child decorate the cardboard tray using colorful markers.
Carpet Squares: These are used for cat and kitten cages and for enrichment in the rabbit adoption area. We prefer smaller carpet squares (24″square).
Catnip Socks: Take a child’s-sized, clean sock

• Put a pinch of catnip in the toe of the sock
• Tie a knot in the sock so the catnip can’t escape
• Optional: color the outside of the sock with cloth markers, add a cotton ball and/or jingle bell to the sock’s contents

Pet Supplies: Small Mammals

• Clean Pinecones (no glue or paint)
• Willow (unpainted, untreated) Baskets
• Toilet Paper Tube Toys
• Carrots, Dandelion Greens & Other Leafy Vegetables
• Hard Plastic Infant Toys (keys, etc.)
• Kaytee Exact Rodent Food or Other High-Quality Food
• Treats
• Purina Rabbit Food (plain pellets in the green bag)

Carrots, Dandelion Greens and Other Leafy Vegetables (no iceberg lettuce, please): These foods provide important nutrients and variety for a small mammal’s diet. A five-pound bag of carrots can last up to a week. Washed vegetables in ziplock bags are ideal, but produce straight from the grocery store is okay, too. Preferred leafy vegetables include:

• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Leaf lettuce (green, red, endive, escarole, romaine, etc.)
• Kale

Pet Supplies: Birds

• Pet Bird Food
• Millet Spray
• Toys & Dishes
• Roomy Cages
• Treat Sticks (nut, fruit, honey)

Administration

• Batteries (AA, AAA, and C)
• Postage Stamps
• Manila folders
• Sharpies
• Post-It Notes
• Pens (any kind)
• White, 8 ½” x 11″ Copy Paper

Household Items

• Wal-Mart or Other Gift Cards
• Paper Towels
• Latex Exam Gloves
• Waterless Hand Sanitizer
• Squeegees
• Long-Handled Scrub Brushes

Humane Education

• Washable Markers & Other School/Craft Supplies
• Girl Scouts Badge Requirement Handbook
• Story Books about animals (please call Amy Johnston at (865)215-6668 for titles or shop at ASPCA or HSUS)

Mobile Spay/Neuter “Spay Shuttle”

• Paper Towels
• 70% Alcohol
• Swiffer Wetjet Refills
• Towels or Rags
• Plastic Garbage Bags (at least 30 gallon size)

Veterinary Clinic

• Greenies Pill Pockets
• Lint Rollers
• Heating Pads
• Rubbing Alcohol 70% or 90%
• Bacitracin Ointment
• First Aid Kit & Supplies
• Infant socks (can be used)

Workshop

• Star Drivers
• Drill Bits
• Bolt Cutters
• Chain Saw
• 14′ Ladder
• Cordless Drill
• Shelving Units for storage
• Drain Auger/snake
• Multi-oulet power strips

There are so many more resources available on the youngwilliams.com website but this is a bit to get your wheels turning on how to improve your local pet community by supporting your local shelter and donating today at your local shelter or Young Williams Animal Shelter  via the following link:  https://37689.thankyou4caring.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=298 For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website. Golda's Grooming  "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here: Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet