Each year, thousands of animals come through the doors of Young-Williams Animal Center. Whether they are lost, stray, abused, or abandoned, our goal is the same — to find a home for every pet.

On our mission to end pet homelessness, promote animal welfare and enhance the human-animal bond, in 2022 alone, Young-Williams found homes for more than 6,000 pets. We love to share happy tails from our adopters.

Lola’s Happy Tail

“Here are some pics I took of my precious Lola Jayde Palacios. She’s a completely different pup now. On July 16, I was on the Facebook page of a local animal shelter, and I saw they were having an adoption event. David agreed to take me to meet the dogs and just see what happens. When we got there, Lola (previously Viola) was the first dog I saw, but I was unaware that she was up for adoption. I had assumed she was already with the girl who was holding her, but no.  When she saw me, she came right up to me and placed her head on my lap. I honestly figured that perhaps she sensed that I’m pregnant. Maybe that’s why we bond the way we do. She was actually brought to the shelter as a stray, and she recently gave birth to puppies. She’s just so incredibly sweet and gentle. When I was made aware that she’s one of the dogs who was available for adoption, I knew I had to take her home. It would’ve eaten away at me if we had walked away and left her. I’m so in love! She’s adjusted to life at her new home extremely well already. If you’re looking to get a furry companion, please visit your local animal shelter and give those sweet babies another chance at a loving home.”

– Niyah

Mr. Schuester’s Happy Tail

“We were told Mr. Schuester came in as a stray and after meeting him, couldn’t believe that someone let him get away! Our family was nervous about adopting a GSD with no previous experience, but this boy asks for nothing more than a stable home and love! He has brought us joy, excitement and so much hair, but he’s found his forever home with us! Young-Williams does a great job with dog assessments! This is our second lifelong family member we’ve adopted from Young-Williams, and we were extremely pleased with their assessment that Mr. Schuester was well suited for a home with a small child. He does great with all kids in any situation and there really is a peace of mind knowing that their assessment of dog behavior can be trusted!”

– Lisa

Cash’s Happy Tail

“During the pandemic, I was really lacking purpose. My roommate convinced me to go to YWAC to look at the different dogs. We went twice and met tons of different dogs but none of them felt like my perfect match. I was sitting outside, scrolling through the website (we weren’t allowed to go in- Covid!), and I landed Cash. When he was brought out, he nearly took the volunteer walking him on a ride through the bushes. It made me really laugh, something I felt like I was missing in my life. I brought him home for a spend the night and failed miserably. He is me in dog form. I can’t imagine a day without my sweet, silly boy. Cash loves toys and naps and hates taking baths. He has the best ears in the whole world! He has given me a new purpose in life, and I am so grateful for my good boy. Cash came with some behavioral issues, but I am able to work with them. Never give up on the difficult dogs! Thank you for all you do to support this special place.”

– Maddie

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of pets in East Tennessee. Want to get involved with Young-Williams Animal Center? Click to learn more about adopting, fostering, and supporting Young-Williams.