SPCA of Bradley County opens animal shelter

photo Volunteers Nancy and Joseph Farbo put a fresh coat of paint on the railing at the office entrance to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Bradley County animal shelter.

ABOUT THE SHELTERThe SPCA of Bradley County Animal Shelter is located at 1570 Johnson Blvd., Cleveland, TN 37311. Operating hours are noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the SPCA of Bradley County at:• Phone: 423-454-9635• Website: www.spcaofbradleycountytn.org• Facebook: facebook.com/bradleycountyspca

CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Two dozen volunteers were on hand over the weekend to help paint, clean and spruce up refurbished judicial facilities that now serve as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Bradley County's animal shelter.

The shelter, on Johnson Boulevard, opened its doors Monday as part of the SPCA's $80,000 agreement to provide animal control services to the county.

"We're very excited this is happening," volunteer Shelley Moreland said between scraping and painting wooden railings at the entrance to the shelter office.

"It renews my strength to see so much community support for another organization seeking to help animals," said Jack Cooper, director of the animal shelter. "It's good for the soul."

The facilities - a garage and a trailer - were overhauled by the SPCA in recent months, with Bradley County agreeing to reimburse the organization for up to $40,000 for the work.

County residents may bring homeless animals and animals they no longer can care for to the SPCA shelter, Beth Foster, media coordinator for the organization, said in a recent announcement.

SPCA humane officers will be available to respond "to situations involving animals at the request of emergency service providers such as the sheriff's department or fire department," she said.

Cooper said shelter staff will not patrol neighborhoods looking for stray animals.

Foster said potential animal adopters may come to the shelter during operating hours "to meet potential new family members."

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The shelter's adoption fee is $50, which includes spay/neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, de-worming and a microchip for the adopted pet, Foster said.

Anyone wishing to surrender an animal is encouraged to contact the shelter to make an appointment with an intake counselor, who will work to determine if there are services the organization can provide that will help keep animals with their owners, she said.

Cooper said the shelter will seek to keep euthanasia rates under 10 percent.

SPCA will hold a ribbon-cutting event at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Bradley County's agreement with the SPCA marks the end of a longstanding contract with the Cleveland Animal Shelter to provide animal control services to residents living outside Cleveland city limits.

The contact with the city animal shelter came to a standstill last summer when the Bradley County Commission and the Cleveland City Council could not reach agreement on the county's portion of the shelter's proposed 2013-14 budget, which exceeded $600,000.

Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.

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