1. To provide temporary care for surrendered, lost, abandoned, or abused animals until such time as permanent homes become available;
   
2. To provide a permanent home at Red Fern for those animals deemed unsuitable for adoption;
   
3. To increase public awareness of the growing problems resulting from pet overpopulation;
   
4. To systematically canvass targeted communities and offer assistance toward becoming “Spay and Neuter” or “No Drop” Neighborhoods;
   
5. To actively reduce pet overpopulation by promoting and funding the spaying and neutering of animals;
   
6. To work with schools and communities in the development and presentation of educational programs that encourage responsible pet ownership;
   
7. To cooperate with existing animal welfare organizations in accomplishing common goals;
   
8. To establish and publicize a “Safe Drop Zone” for unwanted animals;
   
9. To solicit and receive funds for accomplishing the above goals.

Adopting a Friend

If one of our dogs catches your attention, please contact us. You may reach us at this site through the link to our email address, or you may call (731) 332-9116 or (731) 332-0318. We work full-time, so please be prepared to leave a message. We will return your call as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete an adoption application, after which a home visit will be made and references will be checked. We will also ask you to visit Red Fern Animal Shelter on more than one occasion so that you can spend time with the dog you are interested in adopting. If all goes well, you will be required to sign an adoption contract.

Our adoption fee for dogs is $200. If long-distance transportation is required, there is an additional minimum $150 transportation fee. Our adoption fees may seem high, but our average cost for spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, Heartgard, and Frontline is $300.00. Please do not equate a dog's value with his/her cost in dollars. We have no "cheap dogs." Our careful screening process and adoption fees are intended to protect the animals we’ve grown to love so much. You are making a commitment for the duration of the adopted pet’s life. We take our responsibilities very seriously. Our only interest is in placing our dogs with adopters who will do the same.

We love cats too! We have some beautiful cats available for adoption. The adoption fee for cats is $100, and, as with the dogs, they are spayed or neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations prior to adoption.

We strictly adhere to the Tennessee Spay Neuter Law which requires all animals adopted from shelters to be spayed or neutered.

Click here to download our Adoption Application

Click here to download our Adoption Contract

Visit Us!

Good dogs are waiting for you at Red Fern Animal Shelter, and we can't wait for you to meet them! If you are planning to visit on a weekday, please call ahead of time to make sure someone will be here to assist you. If you are planning to visit on a weekend, we can usually be found scooping poop, cleaning feed dishes, and looking like "something the cat (dog?) dragged in." When you visit, please dress to impress the dogs, not us! Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by a committee of dogs who are out of their kennels for their daily exercise. They will be saying to you, "Pick me! Pick me!" And how can you resist?

How You Can Help

There are many ways that you can help our dogs. If you are interested in fostering for Red Fern, please contact us or fill out the application below. Perhaps you have time or talents that you are willing to volunteer. We can always use an extra pair of hands!

Click here to download a Volunteer Application

If you would like to donate money for food, spay/neuter surgeries, Frontline, or Heartgard, please click on the Paypal "Donate" button below. If you prefer to write a check, our mailing address is 1487 Miles Rd., Dresden, TN, 38225. Please make checks payable to "Red Fern Animal Shelter."

To help us purchase food and supplies for our shelter, send us an e-gift certificate for Petco by clicking on the link below. Type in Dresden, TN in the location box and select Red Fern Animal Shelter as the gift recipient.


Donate a 20 lb. bag of PEDIGREE® dog food to Red Fern Animal Shelter, and PEDIGREE® will match your donation. To make a donation now, click here . After selecting the bag of dog food, enter Dresden, TN for the city & state, and then select Red Fern Animal Shelter.

Our dogs at Red Fern love to sleep on Kuranda beds, but we do not have enough for everyone. If you would like to donate one or more beds at discounted prices, please click on the Kuranda link below.



If you shop online, we ask that you click the iGive.com link below. It will take you to almost 700 online stores that will give Red Fern a percentage of the amount you spend.


Finally, the most important ways that you can help are:
Tell your friends about us.
Spay and neuter your own pets.

What to Do About Animal Cruelty

Animal cruelty and neglect are crimes. If you are aware of animal cruelty or neglect, immediately contact the local police or sheriff, and follow up to make sure that your concerns are taken seriously and that the situation is investigated. Please do not ignore the problem or assume that "someone else will do something about it." Even if you visit an animal shelter and observe cruelty or neglect, don't hesitate to report it. Click here for Tennessee Animal Cruelty Laws


Red Fern Animal Shelter
1487 Miles Road
Dresden, TN 38225
Phone: (731) 332-9116 or (731) 332-0318

Email: RedFernAnimalShelter@netscape.com

Click here for a list of pets at this shelter


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