An animal shelter doesn’t seem like the typical place for a child’s birthday party. But as you enter the light-filled lobby of McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center, you realize it’s anything but typical. Furry faces greet you from the front Feature Rooms, housing potential dog or cat adoptees. Whimsical animal art adorns the bright yellow walls, leading the way to the Puppy Pavilion and “Cat-anooga” – rooms filled with tower-like cat beds and murals of downtown and Lookout Mountain. “A lot of parents will stop over after school with their kids to play with the animals,” says Karen Walsh, executive director.
McKamey Director of Operations Paula Hurn, Board vice chair Lee Towery, Board member Carol Goodman, Board chair Ann Ball and Executive Director Karen Walsh, from left, are ready for the Paws Around the World event.But on Oct. 21, McKamey will host a different kind of party. Its third annual benefit, Paws Around the World, is a first-class ticket to international cuisine such as wild mushroom strudel, Peking duck and crawfish étouffée. In addition to a silent auction and special presentation to the Center’s namesake, Bob McKamey, the intercontinental evening will highlight the Center’s efforts for the Scenic City’s four-legged population. But the near $65,000 fundraising goal won’t just go toward dog food, says Lee Towery, event chair, board vice chair and caterer through her company, Lee Towery Catering.
“All the funds raised go toward not only the animals in our charge but also education and outreach,” she says. “Our No. 1 goal is to put ourselves out of business, but unfortunately there are still overwhelming animal issues in Chattanooga.”
With a staff of 42 and capacity of 500, McKamey served 8,400 animals last year. “When we opened in July of 2008 we had 80 animals the first day,” says Paula Hurn, director of operations. “The following week we were at maximum capacity.”
At the Center, Hurn hands out a different kind of hors d’oeuvre as she gives a tour of the facility. Dogs are given treats for remaining quiet for guests-all part of efforts to teach them manners and increase chances of adoption. Other enrichment programs include a classical CD mixed with sounds only a dog can hear and Kong balls filled with peanut butter. Catnip-filled paper bags are handed to the felines, while volunteers blow bubbles for them to chase. (Preparation of the treats is done by volunteers or guests of the aforementioned birthday parties.) Different scents are also used such as vanilla, mint or rosemary to give canine noses a workout.