Wilson County expands animal control outreach with free microchips, mobile adoption trailer and volunteer program

Steve Gatlin, director of Wilson County Animal Control, said his office has stepped up outreach this year with a free microchip event, a mobile adoption trailer and a volunteer enrichment program that he credits with raising reunification and adoption rates.

"If your dog has a microchip, 98% of the time, we get that dog home," Gatlin said, describing how officers scan found animals in the field, look up chip numbers and contact owners directly so animals do not need to enter the shelter.

Gatlin said the department ran a microchipping event that provided 100 free microchips to Wilson County residents. A company provided the chips, and the shelter staffed the clinic with its veterinarian and vet techs. Residents showed proof of county residency; the first 100 attendees received a free implant.

When officers recover an animal without visible ID, Gatlin said they vaccinate and medically screen it, photograph the animal and post it online—on a Facebook group (Wilson County Lost and Found Pets) and the official Wilson County Animal Control page—to speed reunification. He said the department also posts adoptable animals to Petfinder and the county website.

Gatlin described a new mobile adoption trailer that opens like a food truck and includes a bank of five cages. The trailer is used for pop‑up adoption events in public parking lots, where staff can process adoptions on the spot.

Adoption fees typically are $45. Gatlin said the department also charges a refundable $50 spay/neuter deposit when a dog is too young to be altered; owners submit proof of alteration later to receive the refund. He added the office frequently runs fee‑waiver specials to increase successful placements.

On shelter policy, Gatlin said state law requires a three‑day hold for found animals but the county uses a five‑day hold before evaluating animals for adoption to allow extra time for owners to reclaim pets.

Gatlin described a volunteer program built on the Dogs Play for Life enrichment model. He said about 40 people have signed up as volunteers, with roughly 10 who are regulars; volunteers walk dogs, provide one‑on‑one time and basic training to make shelter animals more adoptable.

The director credited local partners for support, naming Joy Clinic, New Leash on Life and True Rescue in Mount Juliet, plus coordination with neighboring Lebanon and Mount Juliet animal control agencies. He also recounted rescue work—such as a recent confined rescue of an older dog from a sinkhole—to illustrate how animal control fits into broader emergency response.

For residents interested in services, adoptions or volunteering, Gatlin gave the shelter number as (615) 444-9775 and said the office is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the county landfill facility at 378 Dump Road.

"We've done really well lately," Gatlin said, urging people to consider microchipping, tagging and adopting to keep animals with their families and out of shelter inventory.

The interview closed with Gatlin and host Barry Tatum encouraging viewers to contact Wilson County Animal Control for volunteer opportunities, adoption events and future microchip clinics.