Who We Are
Our History
Of the six men who chartered the Humane Society back in 1885, one was Peter Kern, a German immigrant who was a connoisseur of worthwhile things; cruelty prevention being one of them. The HSTV was originally known as the Knox County Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Animals. It kept that full name for years but by 1900, there were other advocates for child welfare and the Humane Society was focused almost entirely on helping animals. In the early days, the Humane Society didn’t have a headquarters, but met once a month in their attorney’s office. They always had an attorney in their organization, because much of the early efforts were based on the enforcement of laws and to “secure by all lawful means the arrest, conviction and punishment” of people who mistreat animals, either by hurting or neglecting them. In 1957 Knoxville established its first animal shelter, which was also the only animal shelter in the State of Tennessee. The Knox County Humane Society began a longtime contract with the County to take care of stray animals. 20 years ago, the Knox County Humane Society expanded its borders beyond the County to become the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley. The Humane Society left its Knox County contract in 2001, and at that time opened its first no-kill shelter. Since then, our organization has found homes for nearly 22,000 dogs and cats. Our Adoption Center and Spay/Neuter Clinic is located on Bearden Hill. The Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley has worked hard throughout its existence to be at the forefront of animal welfare.
Statistics
Based on our continued success with adoptions and animal care we are at a lifesaving rate of 96% of all incoming animals into our shelter.
This is based on our report of intakes and outcomes through Maddie’s Shelter Animals Count. In 2020 we had 1588 animals come through our doors for the opportunity to find a forever home.
Join Our Team!
If you have a passion for our mission and want to make a difference in our community and beyond, please consider joining our team. Your commitment to animal welfare and expertise in the field can help grow our impact to animals and humans in the communities we serve. All candidates must be 18 or older, pass a pre-employment drug screening, comply with random drug testing, possess a clean, valid driver’s license to drive our company vehicles, have an excellent work ethic, be able to work effectively under high stress, and handle an emotionally and physically demanding work environment. All candidates must be computer literate, using Microsoft Suite products, email, internet browsers, and be able to learn and use database programs. Animal care, animal handling, rescue, and/or sheltering experience is not required for every position – but if you have any at all, please include it on your application and/or resume!
Due to the volume of applications we receive and in the interest of thoughtfully considering individuals best suited for each position, the hiring Manager will contact only those applicants moving forward in the selection process. No phone calls, or walk-ins please. For questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].
Adoption Counselors (Full and Part-Time)
MUST BE AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY & SATURDAY! Our adoption counselors give the best first impression to all of our guests at Humane Society, Tennessee Valley! Do you have exceptional customer service skills? A happy and polite attitude is a must along with passion, compassion, and a love for both people and animals in order to make the perfect match for our adoptable pets. Being part of the adoption team, you will help educate the public by answering all animal and shelter related questions. Keep in mind that our busiest days are Friday, Saturday so you must be flexible with your schedule to be available to find the most homes for the animals in our care. The ability to multi-task is essential along with exceptional customer service skills. Must be computer literate using all Microsoft Suite products and have the ability to learn and use Shelter Buddy database to process and manage adoptions. Experience with animals through sheltering/rescue is preferred. Customer service experience, a great attitude and willingness to learn is a must. Please include any animal handling experience on your application. If you have the desire to save lives and launch a career in animal welfare, please send your cover letter and resume to [email protected]. No phone calls or walk ins please.
A complete job description will be provided upon job offer and acceptance. A valid driver’s license and insurable driving record is required. If you are interested in joining the Humane Society, Tennessee Valley team, please email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] or mail a copy to PO Box 51723 Knoxville, TN 37950. No walk-ins or phone calls please. Due to the high volume of interest, we will only contact applicants that will be considered for an interview.
Animal Care Team (Full-Time and Part-Time)
WEEKEND AVAILABILITY A MUST! Are you obsessed with laundry and not afraid to get dirty cleaning up after puppies and kittens? Do you love to be outside in all types of weather as long as you have a canine friend with you? Does a clean litterbox make you happy? Our Animal Care Team works hard every single day of the year making sure our animals are healthy and happy with full bellies and clean kennels, litterboxes and dog yards. We need people to keep the shelter running smoothly and make the care of the animals a top priority. Must be able to demonstrate the ability to multi-task, work independently as well as part of a team and identify tasks that need to be completed without being asked in order to make the animals stay at our shelter the best it can be while they are here. MUST love both people and animals and be willing to pitch in for other departments when needed. Applicants MUST BE VERY FLEXIBLE when it comes to scheduling including early morning shifts 6:30AM-2:30PM, afternoon shifts 11AM-7PM, weekends, and holidays. This is a fast-paced environment with a need to be physically active, lift 50 pounds, work outside and inside, reliable, compassionate to people and animals, able to laugh and willing to learn. A clean, valid driver’s license to drive our company vehicles (we will process a DMV check) is a must in case one of our animals needs emergency care! If you are ready to launch your career in animal welfare, please send a cover letter/resume of letter of experience and your desire to work to improve the lives of shelter animals please email [email protected]. No phone calls or walk ins please.
A complete job description will be provided upon job offer and acceptance. A valid driver’s license and insurable driving record is required. If you are interested in joining the Humane Society, Tennessee Valley team, please email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] or mail a copy to PO Box 51723 Knoxville, TN 37950. No walk-ins or phone calls please. Due to the high volume of interest, we will only contact applicants that will be considered for an interview.
Our Team
Administration
- A. Constance Paras, CAWA
- Executive Director
- Brian Neilsen
- Shelter Manager
- Hannah Joyner
- Community Outreach Manager
Shelter Medical Team
- Mariah Dee, DVM
- Shelter Veterinarian
- Amanda Niethammer, DVM*
- Shelter Veterinarian
- Ken Turner, LVMT*
- Veterinary Technician
- Marie Ooten
- Shelter Medical Assistant
Knoxville Center Team
- Zack Hlatky
- Volunteer Program Coordinator
- Danielle Peace
- Foster Program Coordinator
- Marisa Petherbridge
- Animal Care Team Lead
- Zach Carter
- Animal Care Technician
- Allison Ivey*
- Animal Care Technician
- Aalaya Shattuck
- Animal Care Technician
- Matthew Shouse
- Animal Care Technician
Financials
Board of Directors
Victoria Konar Ph.D.
President
Kati Goodner, Esq.
Vice President
Todd Wright CPA
Treasurer
Heather Beck, MBA, APR, WELL AP
Secretary
Maggie Bates CPA
Melissa "Mo" Benjamin
John Blum
Maureen Bosch
Sable Manske
