News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Friends Of Jackson County Animal Shelter plan to build the county’s first shelter, with construction to finish late 2026 or early 2027.
Friends President Mark Pack said the organization received a property donation this past fall. Pack said the shelter is starting from the ground up and is currently in the first of four stages.
“We get calls just about every day for animals that are lost or abused, lost or abandoned,” Pack said. “We also have two microchip readers that we purchased so we can actually scan any animal in Jackson County and try and get them back home.”
Pack said a building plan is in place, and 2025 will focus on raising funds and spreading awareness. The group hopes to begin construction in 2026.
He said the process will bring positive change to Jackson County in more than one way. Pack said there is also no veterinarians in the county either, a situation he plans to address as well.
“We are doing our best, we have a lot going on, but we are moving in the right direction. Sometimes it feels like we’re moving like lighting and sometimes it feels like we’re moving like molasses.”
Pack said his goal is to eventually have more than one animal shelter. He said he envisions not only a dog and cat shelter but also a large animal shelter capable of housing pigs. Pack said having such a facility would greatly expand the services available for animals in need in the surrounding area.
“We also have a foster program that we foster animals so if anybody can foster an animal, we’d love to add you to our list,” Pack said. “But we’ve also fostered not only dogs and cats but three pigs, so we know there’s a need for large animals also.”
