UPDATE: July 17, 2022 - We reached $24,000. We were advised by building owner we could have this week, and he would list the building for sale next week. He has been so gracious to keep extending this deadline.

We are looking at all available options in the event this one does not work, but THIS FACILITY is an ideal location that won't require tens of thousands in repairs or modifications. We did have a small building presented to us that is available for lease but it is going to require some construction and renovation, I am meeting with that building owner on Thursday. That would be a lease and not a purchase, and definitely would require a lot of work before it could house any animals.

This facility contains almost 10k of usable finished space for the shelter, 2 acres on the main county highway in a good location! Multiple Outside fenced play yards, with some Turfed play yards. There are multiple outdoor kenneled runs that are covered and shaded as well! This LOCATION comes complete with 18 inside kennels already in place, with drains and automatic watering system! THIS IS A PERFECT location for a Smith County Humane SHELTER facility! However, it is also a desirable commercial space that could in theory be used for other businesses, and when it hits the market for full market value, we lose out on this opportunity to purchase BELOW market value and what is better than a facility already established for DOGs and pets! WE HAVE some local contractors who have already agreed to donate their time to help with improvements and build out and other things we need, plus there are some grants we can apply for to help further renovate and improve the facility! BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS if we can't get to the amount needed to sign the purchase agreement! THIS IS COMPLETELY ON OUR OWN - WITHOUT Government backing or assistance!

If you want to know more about how our shelter would operate please visit www.smithcountytnhumane.com/shelter --

If you CAN NOT GIVE TODAY, BUT WISH TO MAKE A PLEDGE TO CONTRIBUTE THIS YEAR, PLEDGE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE at the link above, download complete and mail or email to us!

You can also set up MONTHLY Re-occurring payments of support as well!

HELP SMITH COUNTY HUMANE raise the money needed to obtain a physical SHELTER for the animals in need in Smith County!

For a community of approximately 20,000 residents to have NO ANIMAL SHELTER available in 2022 is sad! We have so many animals in need and very few fosters to help hold the lost or abandoned while trying to find their families. The County Government doesn't see a shelter as a priority need in the county, but we KNOW different and WE NEED YOUR HELP! We currently only receive a contribution of $1500 from the City of Carthage.

That is ALL the support SCH receives financially from the local municipalities or County.

We receive on average 3-7 calls/messages a day for dogs that are found dumped or lost and roaming. If a finder can't contain and hold the dog we find ourselves either scrambling to try to find any safe place we can at a home, or the inability to do anything to help contain.

We HAVE FOUND a LOCATION for a Shelter that is set up and ready to go and will allow sheltering DAY 1 and allow plenty of room for further expansion as the needs arise! With almost 2 acres, and over enough square footage to operate a modern Human Animal Support Services style shelter for both dogs and cats in need!

Our overall goal is $750,000k, but we will sign the paperwork to purchase the facility once we reach $100,000 raised! (Original goal was 200,000 but with some help from the property owner we can now get in and operating with only 100k).

The sooner the better! The $100,000 will allow for us to sign the paperwork to purchase the building and begin operations. We will have additional expenses like Insurance, electric, water, payments, and of Course supplies and operations, but $100,000 gets us started comfortably! TOGETHER WE CAN FINALLY MAKE A SHELTER A REALITY FOR SMITH COUNTY TN!

We know this is a big ask! A small town like Smith County raising this money towards the Shelter and Operations of a shelter seems impossible, but we know with EVERYONE's HELP we can get there!

With 8,898 Housing units in Smith County, if every household contributed just $25 we could pass the goal of $200,000 to get started. But our work doesn't stop there though. IF every household contributed $85 we would hit the $750,000 goal. We Know that every household won't give, so We NEED EVERYONE to reach beyond their own pockets, and reach out to their friends and family, even those not in the area. We know there are residents who can't afford $20 right now much less $85, so we encourage you to DIG DEEP and be a part of bringing SMITH COUNTY out of the dark ages with a Shelter. To those who don't live here in Smith County, I encourage you to please consider donating to truly make a difference in this community! We know that animal lovers are always seeing pleas for help and money, but this is ONE PLEA we desperately need you to hear! If every one who sees this just gave $5.00 - and got 5 friends to give $5 and each of them got 5 more friends to give $5, we can get where we need to be to CHANGE THE LIVES of animals and those who love them in Smith County Tennessee.

ALL CONTRIBUTORS OF DONATIONS OVER $500 WILL RECEIVE THEIR NAME ON A PERMANENT PLACEMENT AT THE SHELTER ONCE A SHELTER IS OBTAINED!

Our shelter goals: Smith County Humane seeks to create a complete HUMAN ANIMAL SUPPORT SERVICES Center Model in time, complete with community based programs and assistance, as well as educational classes and training programs for local pets. We hope to make our facility one that will present a modern day sheltering model, not just a dark room lined with kennels filled with dogs longing for attention and hope! A more friendly and welcoming environment where the animals in our care experience love, training, enrichment, and a less shelter more homely environment. We want to create the programs needed to keep pets in their home, but be able to help when that isn't possible. Longer term goals include an in-house surgical suite for spay/neuter, as well as small efficiency rooms set up to for house pets with their owners in short term crisis situations. We eventually envision Fun indoor and outdoor play yards for the animals in our care, as well as outdoor Catio Patios for kitties to be able to have indoor/outdoor access from our free roaming Kitty Rooms! We know raising millions to create a state of the art facility is probably not within our reach right now, but we also know that we can start where we can and continue to work towards the longer term goals. If we begin with the vision, we can always expand the vision as grants become available or funding becomes available to add on to the beginning facility.

You can be a part of this VISION in changing the idea that SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES can't move beyond the dog pound shelter days of the past! YOU CAN DO IT WITH A DONATION TO HELP! Whether its a one time donation, or a monthly recurring donation, we need YOU!

****ALL FUNDS RAISED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL GO SPECIFICALLY TO THE CAPITAL FUNDRAISING AND OPERATIONS FUND unless you specify to use it anywhere needed, to help secure a shelter, the equipment, and staffing needed. We will continue to operate programs to support the community, and reserve the right to re-allocate "excess" funds from the capital and operations fund to our programs funding, if there is excess funds that are not allocated. We never want our programs to suffer while trying to improve things for the community! We will NOT sacrifice the much needed programs we have now operating in order to obtain a shelter, the only way we can do this is to RAISE the funds specifically for this need!

BUSINESSES we NEED YOU and want you to get involved, reach out to our President directly at shenia@smithcountytnhumane.com and ask about business partnerships and sponsorships that available!

Smith County Humane was founded in 2002, and became an IRS approved 501 (c) 3 nonprofit in 2004. Smith County Humane has helped spay or neuter over 6,000 animals in Smith County since its inception. Smith County Humane is currently expanding programs and services for the community it serves as there is no active county animal control or county shelter for helping abandoned or unwanted animals. We have a Community Cat Care team who actively works trapping community cats so that they can be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and returned. Cats who qualify for adoption are then routed to adoption based rescues where they can get a chance at a fur-ever home. We have began a very successful barn/working cat program which has safely relocated many cats from a life on the streets to a barn home with consistent care and feeding. Smith County Humane works to meet the needs of the animal population of Smith County whether its dogs, cats, horses, or livestock. All animals are important and deserve humane treatment. We are actively working to create intake diversion programs to keep pets with their families instead of in shelters and ways to assist when shelter is needed. We appreciate your support! We are currently a 100% volunteer organized and operated nonprofit with some volunteers contributed over 40 hours a week to the operation and growth of Smith County Humane.

CAUSE FOR PAWS - SHELTER DRIVE!!!!

HELP SMITH COUNTY HUMANE PURCHASE A SHELTER FOR SMITH COUNTY ANIMALS IN NEED!

Team Members