Blount County animal center asks for staff and radio upgrades amid high demand

Chief Ron Crow, director of the Blount County Animal Center, told the budget committee the shelter is operating at heavy capacity and needs staff and equipment to maintain care and safety. Crow said the center provides "kennel services, shelter, warmth, daily care for animals 365 days a year," and that volunteer support — documented at more than 22,000 hours last year — helps sustain day‑to‑day operations.

Crow outlined three specific requests for the 2026–27 budget: a full‑time office assistant at $41,262 to reduce front‑desk workload and overtime, two part‑time kennel assistants (about $64,770 total) to eliminate chronic overtime and increase two‑person kennel coverage, and two handheld radios (about $2,500 each) to match upgraded county dispatch frequencies. He said the kennel currently runs significant overtime on peak days and that hiring would reduce compassion fatigue and paperwork delays that can affect animal care.

The director also provided operational context: the center processes roughly 2,000 animals annually, runs community vaccination and spay/neuter programs in partnership with a volunteer Friends group and a part‑time veterinary team, and recently completed a main‑roof repair estimated at roughly $88,000. Crow said recent adoption and outreach efforts yielded more than 1,400 adoptions last year and that community food‑bank efforts support owners in need.

Committee members asked about volunteer coverage and purchasing on state contracts; Crow said volunteers provide roughly 50–55 hours per week among several named volunteers and that the shelter uses cooperative contracts (for example, a discounted food contract). The presentation and Q&A were informational; there was no vote. The committee was reminded the budget process continues with additional briefings and a public hearing scheduled for June 11 at 5 p.m.