A veterinarian decided to surprise the cats and dogs at a Tennessee animal shelter with a visit from Santa Claus himself.
Christmas came early for the animal residents of Friends of Campbell County, Tennessee Animals in Jacksboro this year thanks to the efforts of 73-year-old Dr. Carson Hutchison.
Decked out in the familiar wares of Jolly Old St. Nick, Hutchison decided to wind down from a busy day performing 40-plus spay and neuter surgeries for community pets by visiting the shelter's animal population.
Hutchison has served as veterinarian at the shelter for the past eight years and no doubt understands the impact a little love and affection can have on these animals.
It's an impact that was previously highlighted in a 2018 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, which highlighted how just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting was enough to boost the well-being of a shelter dog.
The hope is that Hutchison's visit provided the animal residents with at least a little boost during what is a difficult time for shelters across the U.S.
Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet "Shelter Watch Report" found.
Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
The shelter is one of Best Friends Animal Society's 4,400 network partners around the country that are working to become no-kill. Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters by the year 2025.
No-kill means finding homes for every adoptable pet. The benchmark for being considered no-kill is 90 per cent, leaving 10 percent for animals that are too sick or have severe behavioral problems that would prevent them from being placed in the community.
A spokesperson for the shelter told Newsweek: "Right now, across the country, shelters are continuing to be overcrowded. Shelters can be a frightening place for animals and it's gestures like Dr. Carson Hutchison's that make all the difference for deserving cats and dogs as they wait for loving homes. Shelter pets need to receive love and affection so they can learn to trust again. It's our hope for 2024 that more people choose the adoption option when acquiring pets. An adopted pet is so grateful for a second chance. The love you will receive from a dog or cat you give a second chance to is the best gift of all."
The shelter is an example of what shelters are doing to help save them all through a combination of collaborative partnerships, proven programs, and data-driven decision-making.
The shelter was at a 3 percent save rate almost 10 years ago before Patricia Siwinski took over as executive director. The shelter now has a save rate of 82 percent and is working towards achieving no-kill and saving as many pets' lives as possible.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Correction 12/21/23, 4:30 p.m. ET: This story was updated to correct the name of the animal shelter to Friends of Campbell County, Tennessee Animals.
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