Animal shelter reopened

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Animal Center officially reopened back to full service on June 2.   The shelter had been closed for more than six months due to problems with the floor and walls being refinished. The project was a necessity due to cracks in the floor harboring Parvo virus and causing outbreaks of sickness in the dogs. For months, the shelter had been accepting animals in emergency situations only, according to shelter director Patricia Sawinski, who said that the shelter’s kennels had been removed for the floors to be repaired. The shelter building is owned by the county and is leased by the Friends of Campbell County Animals, (FCCA). County commissioners hired a local contactor to do the work. The shelter kennels had been taken out of the building due to the epoxy coating that had to be put down on the floor and walls. The project took longer than anticipated due to the failure of the epoxy to adhere to the floor and the project having to be redone by a second contractor. The work was finished May 26, and shelter staff began moving kennels back inside.

While the shelter was  being worked on, around 163 animals had to be fostered out or boarded, while shelters in neighboring counties were also called upon to help. Most of those animals are still in foster care due to the “shelter’s backlog of cases on animals waiting to be surrendered or brought in.”

According to Sawinski, the shelter has people fostering animals from here to Sevier County.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone that fostered and helped out with the animals. People have been so awesome to step up and help,” Sawinski said.

The Campbell County Animal Center is located at 749 Towe String Road in Jacksboro. It’s open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 5:30 PM. For more information call 423-566-8018. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/10/2020-6AM)