UCAS FAQ'S | Unicoi Animal Welfare

🐾 Unicoi County Animal Shelter FAQ & Common Myths

✅ Why is the shelter closed?

The Unicoi County Animal Shelter building was damaged in the September 2024 flood (Hurricane Helene). Architectural plans were completed to rebuild, meeting Humane Society guidelines. As of July 2025, the project is moving forward: bids are going out for reconstruction, funded largely by grants. The shelter does not currently have a physical building open for intake.

✅ Current status of animal control:

Unicoi County currently has one animal control officer (primarily handling bite cases and public safety risks). With no shelter facility open, the county cannot accept strays or owner surrenders like before. Neighboring shelters sometimes help, but most are also full.

✅ Who funds the shelter?

The shelter is supported by annual contributions from Unicoi County, the Town of Erwin, and the Town of Unicoi—but these funds mainly cover staffing (animal control officer and director). Other costs (food, vet care, utilities) rely heavily on fundraising and donations.
Note: recently, the Town of Unicoi reduced its yearly contribution, citing the shelter closure.

✅ Challenges in the community:

Overpopulation of stray cats and dogs has worsened due to limited shelter capacity, lack of spay/neuter, and people abandoning pets. The shelter and volunteers are working hard, but resources are limited.

✅ Can I surrender an animal right now?

At this time, the Unicoi County Animal Shelter cannot take owner surrenders until the new facility opens. Neighboring shelters (like Johnson City/Washington County) are often full and cannot legally take animals from outside their county.

✅ What can residents do?

Keep pets contained and spayed/neutered.
Attend shelter board meetings to ask questions or offer help.
Support local rescue groups and community TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) efforts for cats.
Consider fostering if you can safely do so.

✅ Upcoming shelter board meetings:

Shelter board meetings are open to the public. Residents are encouraged to attend, learn, and voice concerns.

📍 Is the Unicoi County Animal Shelter government run?

👉 The Unicoi County Animal Shelter (UCAS) is operated by a non-profit organization:
Erwin Unicoi and Unicoi County Animal Welfare Board (a 501(c)(3) public charity).

However, the shelter works closely with Unicoi County, Town of Unicoi, and Erwin City governments, and receives some funding (approximately $100,000/year) from them to handle animal control and sheltering services. The shelter survives off donations and fundraising which the Board fundraises (approximately $100,000/year).

👥Who are Board of Director members?

👉 The Board is made up of volunteer community members who help oversee shelter operations, policies, and programs. We do our best to keep this list updated, but for the most current roster, please attend a board meeting or contact the shelter directly. Current members are:

Chris Oetjen - appointed by humane society. The rest are appointed by the mayors; 2 per mayor

Tiffany Swinehart

Stana Donnelly

Richard Dorris

Charles Day

Ellen Reinhardt - Secretary

Linda Mathes - Treasurer

When does the Board meet and can I attend?

👉 The Board meets at Erwin Town Hall the first Tuesday of every month at 4:30 PM and is open to the public.

Who writes and revises the bylaws and agreements?

👉 Interlocal agreements can only be revised by the Mayors. The Board can not rewrite the bylaws. Attend monthly Board meetings to stay apprised.

🧩 Myth: “The shelter has plenty of space for every animal.”
👉 Reality: The shelter was destroyed in Hurricane Helene and there is currently no physical shelter. Neighboring shelters are often full and can rarely accept overflow.

💰 Myth: “They have lots of funding / tax dollars to help every stray.”
👉 Reality: The budget is extremely limited. Before the hurricane the shelter had to fundraise over $100K/year just to cover basic expenses and the Town of Unicoi significantly reduces its financial contribution. After the hurricane, most funds went to basic animal control operations and planning for a future shelter. The Board is also working to obtain FEMA funding to cover what the hurricane damaged.

🐶 Myth: “Animal control will pick up any healthy stray pet anytime.”
👉 Reality: The county has only one Animal Control Officer, who by law must prioritize emergencies like dog bites or injured animals.

🏠 Myth: “They can always just transfer animals to other rescues or shelters.”
👉 Reality: Other shelters in the region are also at or over capacity and cannot help any longer. Please support those shelters because Washington County Animal Shelter alone has taken in over 400 animals for Unicoi since the hurricane.

✂️ Myth: “It’s the shelter’s fault there are so many strays; they should just spay/neuter them all.”
👉 Reality: Spay/neuter depends on funding, local clinics, and responsible pet ownership. Community help is essential.

💉 Myth: “If my pet gets picked up, the shelter will keep it indefinitely.”
👉 Reality: By law, there’s a limited hold period; after that, animals may be placed, transferred, or humanely euthanized — though every effort is made to reunite pets first.

🐱 Myth: “The shelter or animal control can come catch feral cats on my property.”
👉 Reality: They usually do not have a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program or staff for healthy ferals; these need community‑based solutions.

📦 Myth: “It’s okay to drop off a box of kittens/puppies at the shelter door.”
👉 Reality: With no shelter building and limited staff, abandoned animals are at severe risk; always call first. Under Tennessee Code § 39‑14‑202 (Cruelty to animals): A person commits an offense who abandons or leaves any animal in any place without making reasonable arrangements for the animal’s continued care.

📍 Myth: “They’re ignoring my calls about stray animals.”
👉 Reality: With only one officer covering the entire county, response times can be slow, especially when emergencies arise.