Jesse C. Beesley, a local noted sculptor, was instrumental in forming the first humane society in Rutherford County in 1976. The Beesley Animal Foundation was established in 1980. He inspired the formation of the spay/neuter clinic in 1992.

Beesley is especially proud it was instrumental in establishing the requirement that all adopted animals be spayed/neutered, and in support of that requirement we operate an affordable spay/neuter clinic where approximately 250 surgeries (both shelter adoptions and public pets) are performed each month.

Since the opening of our clinic in May 1992 we have performed thousands of surgeries. Today the Beesley Animal Foundation operates Beesley Animal Clinic and is dedicated to decreasing the suffering caused by pet overpopulation. In addition to the Beesley Animal Clinic, there are also four other programs that fall under the Beesley Animal Foundation (BAF) umbrella in support for community pets and pet owners.

Educate - BAF strives to educate the community about responsible pet care including how spay/neuter and pet wellness are necessary in making sure pets remain healthy. Healthy pets are Happy pets!!
Assist Financially - BAF offers financial assistance those underserved including low income individuals, senior citizens and those facing homelessness. Qualified individuals receive assistance for the spaying/neutering of their cat or dog and sometimes vaccinations.
Community Outreach - Through this program BAF partners with various organizations in Rutherford and Cannon counties to distribute cat and dog food with their human food drives. We are also excited to once again go out into our community to senior centers and other places to give vaccinations to the cats and dogs of the homeless, underserved, and seniors
Oliver Pet Assistance Fund- created by Beesley Animal Foundation (BAF) to provide financial assistance grants to family- owned pets in Rutherford and Cannon Counties in need of urgent (non-emergency) veterinary care.

Beesley Boo Bash 2025