Our mission is to reduce the state surplus of homeless cats and dogs by
taking a proactive approach and promoting humane education
throughout the state, thus improving the lives of all companion animals
in Tennessee.
Every
day in Tennessee, hundreds of cats or dogs are euthanized because
there are not enough loving homes to accommodate the seemingly endless
supply of kittens and puppies in the state. CAIT can help change that.
Even though we are the newest program at the University of Tennessee
College of Veterinary Medicine, we have already begun to engage our
veterinary students in community spay neuter activities. Not only does
this expose our students to the problem of pet overpopulation, but it
also arms them with a solution they can administer when they move into
other communities as veterinarians.
Currently, CAIT is developing a Shelter Medicine curriculum to
expose our students to the realities of shelter medicine and the
problems faced by sick, abandoned, homeless and mistreated animals.
But we are expanding beyond the walls of the veterinary college.
We know we can accomplish more as a team than as individuals. Through
partnerships with the Animal Care & Control Association of Tennessee, the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association
and various grass roots organizations in Tennessee, CAIT is pooling
resources to educate citizens so they understand the needs of companion
animals and the importance of spaying or neutering. Ultimately, it will
take all of us working together to reduce the surplus of unwanted
animals in Tennessee.