PETS FOR LIFE
There are currently 19 million pets living in the United States with families whose income level falls below the poverty line.
This doesn’t mean that those pets are any less loved or cared for, but it does mean that their owners face additional barriers to accessing pet supplies, veterinary care, and other necessary pet services.
Under the mentorship of The Humane Society of the United States, Pet Community Center’s Pets for Life program serves North and East Nashville neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and limited access to pet services and resources. We use long-term, door-to-door outreach to build trust and connect with people and their pets, and then provide affordable and accessible veterinary care and supplies.
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Our Pets for Life program has served over 1,700 families and 3,500 pets living in the areas of Nashville with some of the lowest income levels and the least accessible veterinary care, pet supplies, and other resources (zip codes 37207, 37208, 37218).
Through Pets for Life, we offer clients free and low-cost spay/neuter surgeries, vaccines, nail trims, wellness visits, preventive medications, and access to dog training through our partner organizations
Above is a map of Davidson County (PCC's location) with an estimated number of unspayed/unneutered cats and dogs by census tract who live with families with an annual household income of $25,000 or less – over 41,000 pets. This does NOT account for the number of unspayed/unneutered animals in households with an income over $25,000 who may also struggle to afford or access spay/neuter services.
You'll notice that areas of the county with a higher concentration of low-income households have few to no veterinary clinics.
Resources
To learn more about Pets for Life and the importance of serving pets living in poverty, we highly recommend visiting the resources below.
