Ask The Vet RadioShow Notes

Show #: 06-115

Show Description: "Pet Adoption/ Live Remote"

Audio Files: ATVR-06-115.mp3, ATVR-06-115.wma

This week’s show was broadcast live from Pet Supplies “Plus” on Kingston Pike, in the Bearden section of Knoxville.  Dr. Tracy Dewhirst and the Ask The Vet Radio team were the featured attraction on the final day of a weekend “Pet Festival”. Doug Delozier, owner of Pet Supplies “Plus” organized and planned the event to both promote the store and support the organizations in our area offering adoption. Executive Director Tim Adams from Young-Williams Animal Center was the guest for the entire two hour show discussing the process of adopting, why rescued animals make great pets, and the services Young -Williams offers. Kim Intino, Director of Animal Sheltering Issues and the Companion Animals Division from the Humane Society of the United States joined the show via phone to discuss the role of the organization in animal adoption.  Many East Tennessee Rescue groups participated in the “Pet Festival” including Mike Kirby from the Greyhound Rescue Foundation of Tennessee and Beth Weaver from the Smokey Mountain Saint Bernard Rescue.

Show Notes and Resources:

  • Featured Guest - Executive Director Tim Adams from the Young-Williams Animal Center
    • In 2005, 16,000 animals came to the facility looking for new homes.  Numbers are increasing due to overpopulation issues and people being more comfortable surrendering animals to large, new facilities such as Young-Williams Animal Center.  Though the center takes in animals of all kinds, space is limited with the abundance of animals coming in each day.  Check out some of the adoptable animals from the center by visiting http://www.knoxpets.org/.
    • All animals that are rescued at Young-Williams Animal Center are spayed and neutered before they are adopted to reduce overpopulation.  Also, the facility microchips the animals in case they get lost.  Micro chipping is an inexpensive insurance policy that allows pets to be easily returned to their owners by injecting a small electronic device into the skin that is detected by centers and veterinarians once the pet is brought in.  Micro chipping is a permanent indicator with owner contact information and has helped many owners and their pets reunite!
    • If you have lost a pet, be sure to drop by local centers such as Young-Williams to check and see if your pet has been found.  Also, send your pictures and information to pettips@askthevetradio.com to post your lost pet on our Adoption page!
  • Call in Guest  - Kim Intino, Director of Animal Sheltering Issues and the Companion Animals Division of the Humane Society of the United States
    • HSUS is an organization that works with educating individuals about animals and helping shelters succeed. 
    • Education about overpopulation issues can help reduce the number of animals that come in to the shelter looking for homes.  Spaying and neutering is an excellent deterrent of preventing unplanned litters and can actually reduce forms of testicular cancer in male dogs.  If you know someone who cannot afford to have their animals spayed or neutered, a gift certificate makes an excellent gift idea and helps promote responsible pet ownership.  To learn more about the Humane Society of the United States or other useful information such as the pros and cons of adopting older animals vs. younger animals, visit www.hsus.org.
  • Featured Rescue Organization Representatives -   Mike Kirby from the Greyhound Rescue Foundation of Tennessee and Beth Weaver from the Smokey Mountain Saint Bernard Rescue spoke with us about the particular breeds of their organizations and conditions they require.  To find more information on these breeds and the many others featured on Ask The Vet Radio, go directly to our Pet Rescue Page!