Massey Ferguson and Kubota; image by Young-Williams

KNOXVILLE - Young-Williams Animal Center has partnered with the Knoxville Fire Department (KFD) to provide pet microchip scanners at Station 3, located at 204 E. Baxter Ave., and Station 17, located at 4804 Western Ave., as part of a new initiative to help reunite lost pets with their families faster.

Scanners are now available at both stations, giving community members a convenient and accessible way to check stray or lost animals for microchips. This initiative aims to quickly reunite lost pets with their families, who often live just a few blocks from where the animal was found.

From left, (kneeling) Captain Tim Woods, Janet Testerman, CEO of Young-Williams, Rachel Ide, Director of Animal Services for Young-Williams, KFD Sr. Firefighter, Nathan Fitzgerald, KFD Master Firefighter, Justin Chambers, KFD Deputy Chief of Administration, Rob Cheesman.; image by Young-Williams

A demonstration of the technology at KFD Station 17 today showcased how the scanners work with the goal of reducing the number of animals entering the shelter system.

“These scanners are a simple but powerful tool to help get pets home faster,” KFD Deputy Chief of Administration Robert Cheesman said. “Our fire stations are trusted community hubs, and we’re proud to support this effort to reunite families with their pets.”

The two stations were selected based on heatmapping data showing high volumes of stray animal calls in the surrounding neighborhoods. Most pets are found within a mile of their home, often just a street or two away, making neighborhood-based scanning a practical solution. Heatmapping is a graphical representation of data that uses a system of color-coding to indicate high activity or low interaction.

“We know how heartbreaking it is to lose a pet, and we also know how quickly they can be found if they are microchipped,” Young-Williams Animal Center CEO Janet Testerman says. “Once a pet crosses the threshold of the shelter, it has less than a 15 percent chance of finding its way home, so by keeping pets in the neighborhoods where they’re found and using these scanners, we can reunite more families and reserve shelter space for animals in crisis. This partnership with KFD is a meaningful step toward reducing intake and reuniting pets with their families.”

Young-Williams Animal Center takes in an average of 600 stray animals per month, yet less than 20 percent have any form of traceable identification. Microchips are one of the most effective ways to identify and return lost pets, but they only work if the information is accurate and accessible.

Young-Williams Animal Center encourages pet owners to ensure their pet is microchipped and that the microchip information is up to date and for community members to use the scanners at the shelter or participating fire stations if they find a stray animal. Additional scanners may be added in the future based on community need and program success.

Young-Williams Animal Center provides discount microchipping by appointment at their Division Street location. To make an appointment, please text or call 865-265-1456. The fee is $15, which includes registration.


About Young-Williams Animal Center
The vision of Young-Williams Animal Center is “a home for every pet.” It is the municipal shelter of the City of Knoxville and Knox County and each year takes in approximately 10,000 animals.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Young-Williams Animal Center serves the needs of lost, unwanted, injured, abandoned and neglected animals. The center’s mission is to lead the community to end pet homelessness, promote animal welfare and enhance the human-animal bond through the shelter and placement of animals, spay/neuter initiatives and public education of companion animal issues. Young-Williams Animal Center reminds pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.

Young-Williams Animal Center’s main facility is located off Sutherland Avenue at 3201 Division Street. Young-Williams Animal Village satellite adoption location and public spay/neuter program is located at 6400 Kingston Pike.

Both locations are open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The shelter closes from 1-2 p.m. for an hour of quiet time for the animals. For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center, call 865-215-6599 or visit young-williams.org.