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.