photo courtesy A.A.R.F.

According to the initiative, Shelter Animals Count, approximately four million cats and dogs are adopted from shelters each year. A pet can make your life brighter. They’re there to help you celebrate the good times and don’t leave your side when you’re having a bad day. We’ve compiled a list of places where you can find your furever friend.

Pet Rescues and Adoption Services

A.A.R.F

http://aarf-tn.com/

Agape Animal Rescue & Training Center
https://agaperescue.org/

Animal Harbor

https://www.animalharbor.org/

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue

https://bigfluffydogs.com/

Cats Are US

https://www.facebook.com/catsareustn/

Critter Calvery

https://www.crittercavalry.com

Clover Patch Sanctuary

https://www.cloverpatchsanctuary.com/

Crossroads Campus

www.crossroadscampus.org/

Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee

https://tnavianrescue.org/

Middle Tennessee Boxer Rescue

https://www.mtbr.org/

Middle Tennessee German Shepherd Rescue

https://www.mtgsr.com/

Nashville Humane Association

www.nashvillehumane.org/

Nashville PITTIE

https://www.nashvillepittie.org/

New Leash On Life

https://www.newleashonline.org/

Noah’s Ark Society Rescue

www.noahsarksociety.org/

Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary

https://ofsds.org/

Operation Education

http://www.opedanimalrescue.com/

Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue

https://www.proverbs1210rescue.org/

River’s Edge Farm Horse Rescue

https://www.riveredgefarmhorserescue.org/

Rutherford County P.A.W.S.

http://paws.rutherfordcountytn.gov/

Snooty Giggles

https://www.snootygiggles.com/

Sumner Humane Society

https://www.sumnerhumane.org/

Tennessee Deathrow Dogs

https://www.deathrowdogstn.com/

Volunteer State Doberman Rescue

https://www.vsdr.org/

Pet Care and Spay-Neuter Services

Beesley Animal Clinic

www.beesleyanimalclinic.com/

Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter Clinic

http://www.mtsnc.org/

Sumner Spay Neuter Alliance

http://www.sumnerspayneuteralliance.org/

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A Few Notable Rescues & Services

A.A.R.F. (All About Rescue and Fixin’ Inc.) is a small group of volunteers with a passion for animals. They’re a foster-based animal rescue organization in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. They pull animals from high-risk situations, such as local animal shelters and local strays from counties that don’t have the luxury of having an animal shelter. In addition to their adoption program, they work closely with many local animal shelters to ensure that dogs are not euthanized for space. This program has proved successful in reducing euthanasia of canines in their local shelters from around 80% to nearly 10%.

Beesley Animal Clinic is dedicated to providing care and kindness to animals. Their main goals are to provide affordable spay-neuter services for everyone and to educate each individual about responsible pet ownership. Their signature fundraising event, Paws and Pearls, is typically held in the spring. They have a new fundraiser for 2020 called Barks & Bourbon set for September. For more information on Beesley Animal Clinic and their fundraisers, visit https://beesleyanimalclinic.com/.

Clover Patch Sanctuary Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity pledged to rescue sick, hospice, special needs, terminally ill and elderly rabbits, guinea pigs and the occasional waterfowl. They also educate the general public on rabbits and rabbit care. Clover Patch Sanctuary is made up of volunteers, families and dear friends that work together harmoniously. Compassion is their number one priority!

Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee (EAST) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of parrots living in captivity. They offer sanctuary to unadoptable parrots through sponsorships, as well as lifetime care to parrots whose guardians wish to give their companions sanctuary for life. EAST also provides adoption services for well-socialized parrots who desire human companionship. They feel strongly about educating the public about conservation and environmental issues, and to inspire a sense of responsibility toward the care of our earth and our animals.

New Leash on Life’s Annual Bark in the Park is set to be held at the James E. Ward Ag Center at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2020. The purpose of Bark in the Park is to raise funds for the care of the animals under their protection, provide education, raise awareness and continue helping when emergencies arise. Learn more at newleashonline.com.

Operation Education Animal Rescue (OpEd), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue group serving the Middle Tennessee community. Their annual fundraiser, Rockin’ 4 Rescue, will be online this year and the $1,000 raffle will be a virtual event. They’ll do the raffle drawing live on Facebook on September 17, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. It’s $10 per entry ticket for the raffle. Learn more at opedanimalrescue.com.

River Edge Farm Horse Rescue is a non-profit 501(c)3 public charity located on 63 beautiful acres in Middle Tennessee where horses of all breeds and ages are taken in and cared for. They’re dedicated to taking in horses that are voluntarily surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them, are abandoned, or have been taken from owners where they were neglected or mistreated. They do place some of the horses up for adoption and make every effort to provide a good fit between the horses and potential adopters.

Volunteer State Doberman Rescue (VSDR) was founded on April 1, 2018, by a dedicated group of volunteers wanting to create a harmonious rescue to assist Dobermans in need from Tennessee and surrounding states. They are a foster-based organization. VSDR is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.