By ERIN EDGEMON Business Editor

Gracie McCann's face widened with glee when Tracy Hill, director of the Rutherford County Pet Adoption and Welfare Services, handed her sister, Meagan, a rescued longhaired cat.

Gracie McCann's face widened with glee when Tracy Hill, director of the Rutherford County Pet Adoption and Welfare Services, handed her sister, Meagan, a rescued longhaired cat.

The 2 ½-year-old tried to reach for the mild-mannered cat as her sister held the warm bundle.

The McCanns adopted two cats from animal shelter Thursday. They were only hoping to adopt one.
"We were looking for new family members," said mom Kim. The cats, fittingly named Sissy and Mama, came as a set.

The McCanns were just a few of the dozens of people that filled the lobby of P.A.W.S. looking to adopt an animal or attempting to recover a lost pet.

Phones continuously ring and long lines of residents form looking to adopt or to surrender a pet all day.

And it is only going to get worse, Hill said, as the shelter enters its busiest months.

With Rutherford County growing so quickly and more and more families moving here, there are going to be more animals, she said.

Call volumes have increased, putting additional stress on P.A.W.S.' 17 full-time and part-time employees.

In April, P.A.W.S. took in 641 animals. Of those, 270 were picked up by animal control officers, and 371 were surrendered.

Nearly half of all the animals (337) that had to take shelter at P.A.W.S. in April were euthanized. Some 46 were reclaimed and 204 were adopted.

P.A.W.S. logged 8,612 pets into the shelter for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. Most of those, some 5,423 dogs, cats and other domestic animals and wildlife were euthanized. Owners reclaimed 434 pets, and some 2,104 were adopted.

More cats and dogs are euthanized in Rutherford County than the whole state of New Hampshire, according to statistics from Spay USA. That state cut euthanasia dramatically from 10,321 in 1994 after starting a statewide spay and neuter program for low-income pet owners.

"I think it is very sad," Hill said of the numbers of animals being put to sleep in Rutherford County.
But she said those rates have remained stable.

"We are not noticing an increase or decrease in our euthanasias," she said, "and I think that is due to (human) population growth."

P.A.W.S. is asking the county for more funding next fiscal year to hire two new full-time office workers and to help maintain its equipment.

Hill is asking for $1,149,186 from the county for the 2008 fiscal year. The 2007 budget was $1,080,309.

Municipalities within Rutherford County reimburse the county government to offset the cost of operating animal control services.

Hill said she originally requested four additional employees but county officials cut two. She wants to bring on new staff to free up animal control officers so they can spend more time answering calls.

The Beesley Foundation Spay/Neuter Clinic, a non-profit organization, offers more affordable surgeries for cats and dogs. It requested funding for the first time from the city of Murfreesboro for fiscal year 2008.

The foundation was turned down for its $2,500 request.

Amanda Oliver, executive director of the foundation, said she requested the funds to start a spay and neuter program for low-income city residents.

Stray animals taken into P.A.W.S. are kept for three days before becoming available for adoption.

Animals stay at the shelter until they are adopted for as long as there is room and for as long as they remain healthy.

"Pets may only have a week or less in the busy season," Hill said.


Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.