Things Only Getting Better in Nashville (GA)

On our March tour, when we realized we had a free afternoon and were going right through Nashville, Georgia, we just had to stop to check in on Kayla, the ACO/director/everything else at the City of Nashville GA Animal Shelter. We were last here in 2023 when Kayla had been on the job just a few months.

You can read about that visit here.

While the dogs are still housed in what appear to be giant rabbit hutches, there are plans for a new shelter building in a new location soon.

Kayla’s budget now covers most of the shelter’s needs (instead of only euthanasia and some food like the last time we were here).

Kayla is a veteran and a dog-trainer, which I still believe are probably the perfect prerequisites to running an animal shelter. Her common sense attitude prevails at this shelter and she continues to be a huge asset to this community.

In 2024, the shelter took in 200 animals. 43 were transferred to rescue, 28 cats were TNRed, 38 were reclaimed, and the rest adopted.

NCAS has only had to euthanize for behavioral and extreme medical. Kayla has great support in the JAG vet clinic which spays/neuters/treats her animals at a reasonable price. @Fix-a-Pet mobile clinic comes to Nashville once a month to spay/neuter community animals (Kayla grabs any spare spots for the shelter animals).

Thanks to a grant, the shelter can offer low-cost spay/neuter vouchers to residents. Recently Nashville City Shelter and Berrien County Shelter worked with the Bissell foundation to spay/neuter cats, but had to put a pause on that until Kayla can find additional transport help to move 30 cats at a time to the clinic (the required number). Not long after our visit, she reached out to our InstaGrant coordinator and WWLDO helped pay for a trailer with HVAC that will enable Kayla to not only transport animals in larger numbers to the clinic, but to transport them to events also.

All of the dogs get out of their kennels/hutches every day to romp and play. We spent some time with Keller, a fun blue pup who is deaf and partially blind who has been at the shelter for 8 weeks. He was friendly and not slowed down one bit by his handicaps (his nose is particularly good as he mugged me for treats!).

Kayla works 7 days a week and, like Jessica over at @Lanier County Animal Shelter, laughed when I asked about days off. She does have a couple of volunteers who help, and she is grateful for the support she gets from the police department (Kayla and the shelter are under the city police department now).

When we arrived, one of her foster caregivers was finalizing his foster fail, and before we left, a couple arrived to look for a dog to adopt.

Clearly, she is engaging her community in the effort to rescue animals. The Food Lion and Tractor Supply donate to the shelter, and the feed store allows her to order dog food in bulk for a discount. She is still as resourceful as ever.

If you’d like to support Kayla’s work, please consider shopping the shelter’s Amazon wishlist: https://tr.ee/knzV6x65OA

Until each one has a home,

Cara

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Who Will Let the Dogs Out: Stories and Solutions for Shelters and Rescues was published in January of 2025. It is filled with stories and ideas to help everyone be part of the solution. You can buy a hardback or paperback copy for yourself and/or buy a copy for a shelter or rescue through our website. It is also available on Amazon in paperback and ebook. We are looking for opportunities to share a presentation of the ideas in the book and facilitate conversations about how we can work together to find solutions for our shelters. If you have a dog-hearted group that would like to connect, contact Cara@wwldo.org.

To see our Emmy-nominated, award-winning short documentary, Amber’s Halfway Home, click here.

Did you know we have a podcast? I’m working at getting regular episodes up, including the audio version of the new book (narrated with additional info), and interviews with shelter heroes we meet. Find the podcast on Spotify and other podcast services.

For more information on any of our projects, to talk about rescue in your neck of the woods, or partner with us, please email cara@WWLDO.org.

And for links to everything WWLDO, including volunteer application, wishlists, and donation options, check out our Linktree.