The mission of Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee (CAIT) is to improve the lives of companion animals and reduce the homeless pet population in Tennessee by promoting humane education and spay/neuter initiatives.
Every day in Tennessee, hundreds of cats or dogs are euthanized because there are not enough loving homes to accommodate the seemingly endless number of cats and dogs in the state. CAIT is helping change that. As an official outreach program of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, we engage 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. CAIT developed a shelter medicine curriculum and works closely with the UTVMC Shelter Medicine team to expose our students to the realities of shelter medicine and the problems faced by sick, abandoned, homeless and mistreated animals.
We know we can accomplish more as a team than as individuals. Through partnerships with the Animal Care & Control Association of Tennessee 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.
CAIT is funded solely through the generous support of our community members and corporate grants. We would be grateful for your support. To donate to CAIT: tiny.utk.edu/CAITdonation
Ultimately, it will take all of us working together to reduce the homeless pet population in Tennessee.
Do you have an interest in teaching and mentoring our future veterinarians? Learn more about the VOLVet Volunteer Program.
Contact Information
If you would like to join us or for any questions about CAIT, please contact us.
