The Henderson County Humane Society was chartered as a non-profit animal welfare organization in 1985. This society operated as a fostering/adoption agency until January of 1989. At that time the city of Athens requested that the society take over operation of the city animal shelter. We operated out of the old city shelter built in 1973. The city paid our utilities and gave us a monthly fee in return for our caring for city confiscated and citizen surrendered animals. We still have that agreement with the city of Athens, In addition we take in animals from municipal animal control programs and/or citizens of the county of Henderson.
Our goal is to place every adoptable animal we receive into a permanent home. In 2004 we joined Petfinder.com and have increased our adoption rate three-fold. Every animal is evaluated on its own merit to determine its adoptability. We have three full-time and two part-time employees, that are under the direction of fifteen board members/directors supported by a 300 count membership.