Safe Haven Animal Rescue Program (SHARP) - Taylor MI transport stop

2008 a small group of animal lovers met and started a group to be named Safe Haven Animal Rescue Program (SHARP). These animal lovers personally saw the effects of a rural county with no animal shelters. Polk County is in the far South-eastern corner of Tennessee. It is a very rural county with most of its 442 sq. miles belonging to the Cherokee National Forest. Unfortunately, the beauty of the mountains and forest has drawn people to drop family pets off to survive on their own. SHARP’s dedicated members knew becoming a 501(c)3 would help with fund raising and achieve long term goals. With our new status achieved, SHARP put together a new mission statement and strategic plan to guide the group forward. Our group consists of hard-working everyday volunteers with the passion to give time and love to every dog or cat taken in. Currently we use a foster based program to house our dogs and cats. Each dog or cat taken in is given all vaccinations, heartworm checked (dogs)and spayed/neutered before being offered for adoption. SHARP dogs and cats are kept with their foster parent and treated like a member of their own family. The foster-based system allows us to give detail to potential families about each dog’s and cat's characteristics and needs. Of course, the tears flow when it is time to hand a dog or cat over to a new family, but the tears are always followed up with a smile knowing one more dog or cat has a forever home.