Humane Society Called to Tennessee More than Anywhere Else

The United States Humane Society has been called to Tennessee more than anywhere else in the country – 17 deployments in the last three years to rescue starving horses and raid puppy mills.

White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe appears in a Humane Society video after the charity helped recover more than 200 dogs last spring, mostly toy poodles.

“That’s when I called for the United States Humane Society because I knew we had more than I could handle.”

Many sheriffs are finding themselves in over their heads, says Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle. Nearly half of the state’s counties have no agency or even staff member focused on animal control, and Pacelle says that’s a big reason his organization has been so active here.

“A lot of states have laws that require an animal care agency in rural counties so you’ve got some local capacity to respond to problems. In big swaths of Tennessee, we’ve got none of that.”

Pacelle was in Nashville Wednesday on a book tour. He says he also met with some state lawmakers. While there’s little appetite in rural counties to pay for new animal control officers, he says the Humane Society is trying to push for stiffer penalties, particularly for cock fighting.