In February 2025, Friends of Williamson County Animal Center announced they had received an award to start a program to divert unnecessary surrendering of family dogs for correctable behaviors. Funding from PEDIGREE Foundation has been extended in support of the collective effort that has also expanded its reach. The original shelters and trainers in Cheatham, Maury and Williamson counties that successfully launched the program have welcomed cohorts from Davidson and Montgomery.
“Too often, families believe surrender is their only option when behavior challenges arise. In reality, many of those issues can be addressed with the right support. Owner relinquishments and surrenders accounted for 30% of pets entering shelters and rescues in 2025, underscoring the need for accessible resources that help families before they reach a breaking point. Behavior and training support can be the difference between a dog losing its home and staying with the family that loves them. We’re proud to continue awarding grants for innovative programs like this from Williamson County Animal Center that keep people and pets together,” said Deb Fair, Executive Director, PEDIGREE Foundation.
Dog owners who are looking for help but do not live in one of the collective counties should not give up hope. Williamson County Animal Center (WCAC) Assistant Director, Scott Pieper said that some of the new trainers involved with the project are willing to travel or meet with owners in an agreed upon midway location.
Now equipped with more than a year of experience and knowledge gained from the project, Pieper identified several changes made to reach a wider audience and keep more dogs in their home. He noted philosophical shifts in addition to adding stakeholders. “Classes were initially limited to dog owners who contacted us to schedule a surrender,” Pieper said. “We had great success with those who participated, but what we learned is that a lot of people have lost hope by the time they make that decision and it would be too hard on them to give it a try then find it’s still not going to work out. So, we had a lot of people refuse.” To correct issues before an owner reaches their breaking point, he said anyone who is struggling with their dog’s behavior should contact him or one of the participating county shelters.
Further, Pieper said that the program is now prioritizing individual sessions as opposed to groups to give dedicated attention to each situation. “Group classes are typically for a set period, usually six weeks,” according to Pieper. “With individual sessions, a trainer can give their full attention to one dog at a time for as long as needed. Maybe the issue is resolved in one session, maybe they need ten.” The program is now available to those who are fostering a dog with behavioral issues as well, he said; including those caring for dogs at rescues or shelters that are not formal project partners.
Shakira is a two-year-old, 48-pound mixed-breed low rider who checks so many boxes for a wonderful family pet. She is friendly, calm, good with kids, crate trained and incredibly easy to walk on a leash. Shakira was surrendered through no fault of her own and is ready to bring her laid-back personality and loving companionship to a new home. She is generally comfortable around other dogs, but she can occasionally be selective or a little bossy. If you already have a dog at home, we’ll ask you to schedule a meet and greet to make sure everyone is a good match. Stop by to meet Shakira and all of the adorable adoptables at WCAC today!
As a last resort, Pieper said the project will pay for two months of access to a training video library for owners that aren’t able to schedule sessions.
He expects these and a few administrative changes will enable the project to benefit around 600 dogs, many of which may, Pieper believes, would otherwise be rehomed or surrendered.
WCAC (www.adoptwcac.org) is open to the public Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.; Saturday 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.; and closed Sunday. Located at 1006 Grigsby Hayes Court in Franklin, hours may vary due to holidays. Phone: (615) 790-5590
About PEDIGREE Foundation
We believe every dog deserves a loving, forever home. PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to help end pet homelessness. Nearly 3 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and nearly half never find a home. The foundation was established in 2008 by Mars Petcare, maker of PEDIGREE® food for dogs, to help increase dog adoption rates. We’ve awarded more than 6,400 grants and over $15.3 million to U.S. and Canadian shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. Since launching our Canadian grant program in 2022, we have provided more than $465,000 CAD to local shelters and rescues and Disaster Relief Grants across Canada. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we’re working toward a day when all dogs are safe, secure, cared for, fed well and loved. See how you can help at PedigreeFoundation.org.
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