PEGRAM--A low-key campaign for just a few weeks around Christmas, in just a few stores, resulted in an unexpectedly large delivery of dog and cat food to the Cheatham County animal shelter last Saturday (January 20) by the Cheatham County Democrats. The drive, announced in December and concluded last week, ended in delivery of 500 pounds of bagged pet food plus 86 cans of food, in addition to at least 100 pounds taken directly to the shelter by individual donors and at least $100 in cash donations.
A staff member on hand for the delivery on Saturday said it might be the biggest one-shot donation of food the shelter has ever received, and the estimates going around seemed to indicate there was enough to feed the 25 dogs and 42 cats in residence for at least two weeks or more. The food was brought to the shelter by two members of the county Democratic Executive Committee, Tracie Dacus of Ashland City and Randy Fiedler of Pegram, who spearheaded the campaign, and other committee members and friends,
and was received by shelter director T.J. Jordi and members of his staff.
"More than anything," said county Democratic Chair Michael Lottman, "this substantial donation is a tribute to the generosity of the many Cheatham County residents who gave of their time and money, and of the merchants who accommodated the committee's collection boxes during the busiest season of the year." These boxes were set up at Dollar General stores in Kingston Springs and Pegram (next to the Town Hall), and at the Tractor Supply store in Ashland City.
The shelter on Sam's Creek Road (formally Cheatham County Animal Control) is open for business from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day but Sunday and Wednesday, and is widely recognized for its excellence despite a cramped facility and a tight budget that makes it reliant on outside assistance. The program emphasizes not only "dog-catching" and animal rescues but also humane treatment and a committed effort to find homes for unclaimed animals. In the coming weeks it will host a delegation of working volunteers from Ensworth high school, and will provide animals for adoption events at the PetSmart store in Bellevue and at Tractor Supply in Ashland City.