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After the holidays, Tullahoma’s Limbaugh Animal Shelter is looking to find forever homes for their resident canines, with several dogs having lived at the shelter longer than any current staff has been with the shelter.

“I’ve been here since August of 2021, so some of these dogs have been here longer than I have,” said Cheryl Rhoads, Animal Control Supervisor. “This building houses 36, and we are constantly at capacity. If it’s nice weather, we’ll use the other building, but the other building has no A/C and no heat. The drains are pretty hard to clean, but we will use it if we have to. When temperatures fall below freezing, we lock everybody inside, that way they’re in the heat. If we’ve got anyone over [in the other building], we’ll bring them into the kitchen just so everyone’s warm.”

The shelter is currently eight dogs over capacity, with an additional nine dogs in foster or foster-to-adopt homes. The main shelter, which was opened in June of 2019, has 36 kennels, and its run is connected to a play area and kitchen to allow the shelter employees to care for the canines.

However, when the kennels are full, the staff uses their office space to hold smaller dogs, using the kennels in the old shelter building when needed. As of the time of this article, eight dogs were being housed in the old building out of necessity.

During 2022, the shelter participated in its annual adoption and fundraising events, including the Bark in the Park and their Home for the Holidays event, partnering with Best Friends Network.

Bark in the Park is their largest fundraiser to raise funds to provide medical care for sick and injured dogs. Each year thousands of dollars are raised to provide care for the dogs in the shelter.

The 2022 Bark in the Park event was the shelter’s first return to normal public events since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2019. Over $5,000 was raised at the event, as well as at least four dogs being adopted.

“We get a lot of donations from the community,” she said. “In the upcoming year, we’re looking for a spring event to do, and we’re in talks with Best Friends Network to do a big adoption event where we get other people to come in, other rescues and shelters in the county. It’s not just us; it’s everywhere. We just have the luxury of being a no-kill shelter; but that means, they’re coming in, but if they’re not getting adopted, they’re not going anywhere.”

The shelter’s longest resident, Buster, an American Staffordshire terrier mix, has been at the shelter since July of 2021. He is one of the shelter’s biggest dogs, but he plays well with the other shelter dogs.

“He has a big head and sometimes gets excited and doesn’t realize how hard he can grab things,” his bio on Facebook reads. “Due to his size and toy hoarding, we would not recommend him to a home with small children. He has not been tested with cats. He has never shown any aggression to people, but he has accidentally gotten ahold of a hand or two when going for a toy or treat. He immediately lets go if he realizes it.”

Buster is also a “toy hoarder,” destroying anything that is stuffed and going after the filling. He is a heartworm survivor, testing positive in October of 2021 and receiving a negative test in May of 2022. He is now on ProHeart 6 injections. .

Another Staffordshire bull terrier mix, Theo, has been with the shelter since July of 2021. He is just under three years old, and he is high-energy. He reportedly plays well with other dogs, and the shelter recommends a family with older kids due to his energy levels.

“I think he was an owner-surrender,” said Rhoads. “Again, he’s been here longer than I have. He used to be in a really big play group of six to eight dogs. He made friends with a little pit bull that wouldn’t play with anybody else, and once she got adopted, he kinda just went a little downhill. You can tell he’s a little sad.”

Jarvis, another Staffordshire bull terrier mix estimated around 3-years-old, has been with the shelter since May of 2021, with a brief stint out with an owner before being returned in March of 2022. He was not returned due to anything with his behavior.

“He was here before I was here,” said Rhoads. “We adopted him out once to a guy, he had some trouble, and he had to bring him back. We adopted him again to the guy, then he did the exact same thing. Jarvis is still here looking for a home. Great dog, plays well with others, loves toys.”

Fiona, another Staffordshire bull terrier mix, has been with the shelter since December of 2021. She can be dog selective, but she plays well with another current resident, Jack, a pit bull terrier and Labrador retriever mix.

“We have had zero problem keeping weight on this butterball,” her Facebook bio reads. “When she’s not out in the play yard, she’s napping in her kennel. She is very calm and gentle with people. Fiona is one of the few dogs that refuses to potty in her kennel. She will even only use the outdoor area if it’s critical. She normally waits to be let out into the yard.”

The shelter requires that homes with other dogs bring them to meet Fiona prior to consideration for adoption.

Phoebe, a mountain cur and pit bull terrier mix, has been with the shelter since March of 2022, after her owner was evicted.

“He took one dog. Neighbors said he called for her and she didn’t come, so he just left,” Rhoads explained. “She was severely overweight when we got her.”

Phoebe currently plays with shelter resident Jarvis, and he is the only dog she will play with at this time. She is highly food motivated and does well for treats. She walks on a leash well, and she enjoys playing with toys.

These dogs and all other available adoptable residents can be viewed at the shelter’s Petfinder, and more information can be found on the shelter’s Facebook page. All adopted dogs from the Tullahoma Animal Shelter are up to date on vaccinations and spayed/neutered.