Statements
Mission
Pet Community Center is dedicated to strengthening the human-animal bond through accessible veterinary care and support services.
Background
Pet Community Center (PCC) was formed in 2011 by a caring community of advocates and volunteers. The community-initiated a grassroots spay/neuter financial aid program utilizing a network of veterinary clinics and volunteers. Within two years the demand for spay/neuter services far outnumbered the appointments available in the network. Additionally, Nashville had an astonishingly high shelter euthanasia rate (80% in 2010) with little success in finding a solution. Studying other cities saving 90% or more of their shelter animals, PCC identified that Nashville lacked key resources. Ultimately, Nashville was short 7,000 spay/neuter surgeries annually, creating an unprecedented need for a change in the way the Nashville community received veterinary care. With support from the city of Nashville and a local animal-loving community, PCC opened a spay/neuter clinic in June 2014. In 2015, in direct response to Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC) data indicating inadequate access to affordable veterinary care as a primary factor of owner surrender, PCC opened an affordable vaccine clinic. The goal of the program is to make preventive veterinary care accessible to the most at-risk pets and to reduce the rate of owner surrenders attributable to lack of veterinary treatment.
Impact
Pet Community Center's programs have been carefully crafted to meet needs, fill gaps, and save lives. Each quarter, PCC staff analyze statistics from Metro Animal Care and Control to determine what type of animals are coming into the shelter, and the areas from which they are coming. PCC also carefully examines human demographic data and access to pet related services in each zip code in Nashville to find the areas with the most need. This data allows PCC programming to effectively target the most at-risk pets and use resources for the greatest impact.
Key Accomplishments:
- Since 2011 PCC has increased access to spay/neuter and veterinary care for more than 125,000 animals. Pet Community Center's full price surgery for dogs and cats is $80.
- In 2023, PCC covered $253,909 in spay/neuter surgeries for pets of low-income residents or community cats (unowned/feral cats).
- Dog and cat intake at Metro Animal Care and Control have fallen 50% since the inception of PCC in 2011.
- The shelter's live-release rate (save rate) has increased from 20% in 2010 to 90% from 2019-2022.
- PCC partners with 20 local animal welfare groups to provide spay/neuter and veterinary care to rescued pets and pets belonging to low-income residents.
- 2018 Center for Nonprofit Management Salute to Excellence award winner of the Frist Foundation $25,000 Team Building Award in partnership with Metro Animal Care and Control; Finalist of the Frist Foundation $25,000 Revenue Development Award.
Needs
Many community cat caretakers and pet owners are unable to afford the cost of spay/neuter surgery, even at reduced prices. Approximately half of all our clients need financial aid (in addition to our already low prices) in order to spay or neuter their pet. Here is what a donation can cover for a pet in need.
$15 - provide a vaccine
$30 - spay/neuter/vaccinate a community cat
$80 - spay/neuter a cat
$80 - spay/neuter a dog.
Volunteers help out with a variety of tasks at the clinic including laundry, trappings cats, administrative work, and helping out at our mobile clinic. More details about volunteering can be found at ww.petcommunitycenter.org/volunteer. Donated supplies such as puppy pads, paper towels, and printer paper are always needed! Our full wish list can be found at http://petcommunitycenter.org/item-donations.
CEO Statement
There's something incredibly special about the love of a pet. And if your family is like mine, our dogs and cats aren't really pets at all; they are beloved members of our family. That's why Pet Community Center believes everyone deserves to enjoy the privilege of pet ownership, regardless of their financial status. Our mission is to strengthen the human-animal bond through accessible veterinary care and support services. Through our clinic and community-outreach programs, we are breaking down barriers and providing families in all socioeconomic communities the power to care for and love their pets the way they want to. What's more, by making high-quality veterinary care more accessible and serving the community through our programs, we are taking a proactive approach to ending pet homelessness. Pets belong in healthy, loving homes, and PCC makes that possible by giving families the resources they need to keep their pets at home and by prioritizing high-quality spay/neuter surgeries that reduce pet overpopulation. If you love pets like we do, then please join our PCC family by getting involved as a donor, volunteer, or advocate.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Animal Related - Animal Protection & Welfare |
| Secondary Category: | - |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Nashville metro area.
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Davidson |
