The Animal Center Wish List

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If you would like more information about a donation or receiving tax credit, please email David Bolton or call him at 865-215-6664.

Where to Donate

Please bring all donations to the Lost & Found/Incoming Animal entrance on the side of the building. Please do not leave donations at the front entrance, the door to animal control, or in the garage at the back of the building.

Items We Cannot Use

• Newspaper (Our storage area is full! This item may reappear on our wish list.)
  
• Aluminum Cans
• Bleach
• Cat or Small Animal Carriers (we can use Medium/Large/XL carriers!)

Any wish-list item followed by an asterisk (*) indicates that there are instructions about making the item or other useful information about the item at the bottom of the page. If you would like more information about these items, please email Taylor Slemmer or call her at 865-215-6661.

• Stuffed Animals*
  
• Clay Cat Litter/Oil Dry *
  
• Cardboard Trays *
  
• Cat Toys *
  
• Kong or Other Durable Dog Toys
  
• Peanut Butter*
  
• Bath Towels, Sheets & Blankets
  
• Canned Puppy and Kitten Food
  
• Monetary Donations
  
• SPECIAL REQUESTED DONATION: Laptop computer(s) for Knox County Animal Control to use in the field for entering data and retrieving information.

Pet Supplies: Cat

• Carpet Squares *
  
• Children's Socks *
  
• Large, Paper Grocery Bags or Small Boxes *
  
• Canned Kitten and Cat Food
  
• Cat Treats
  
• Washable Cat Beds (Do you love to crochet? knit? quilt? sew? Join the Snuggles Project!)
  
• Toenail trimmers

Pet Supplies: Dog

• 3-Quart Stainless Steel Bowls
  
• Medium/Large/XL Airline-Approved Pet Carriers (we cannot use cat or small carriers)
  
• Canned Puppy and Dog Food
  
• Dog Treats (no rawhides or pig ears, please)
  
• Washable Dog Beds * (Do you love to crochet? knit? quilt? sew? Join the Snuggles Project!)
  
• Toenail trimmers
  

Pet Supplies: Small Mammals

• Chinchilla Exercise Wheel
  
• Clean Pinecones (no glue or paint)
  
• Willow (unpainted, untreated) Baskets *
  
• Toilet Paper Tube Toys *
  
• Carrots, Dandelion Greens & Other Leafy Vegetables *
  
• Hard Plastic Infant Toys (keys, etc.)
  
• Kaytee Exact Rodent Food or Other High-Quality Food
  
• Treats
  
• Purina Rabbit Food (plain pellets in the green bag)
  

Pet Supplies: Birds

• Pet Bird Food
  
• Millet Spray
  
• Toys & Dishes
  
• Roomy Cages
  
• Treat Sticks (nut, fruit, honey)
  

Administration

• 15" Black Flat-Screen Computer Monitor
  
• Antique Store Merchandise Display Case
  
• Batteries (AA, AAA, and C)
  
• Postage Stamps
  
• Manila folders
  
• Sharpies
  
• Post-It Notes
  
• Writeable CDs
  
• White, 8 ½" x 11" Copy Paper

Household Items

• Wal-Mart or Other Gift Cards
  
• Cardboard *
  
• Classical Music CDs*
  
• 24" Widescreen LCD Computer Monitor
  
• Paper Towels
  
• Latex Exam Gloves
  
• Waterless Hand Sanitizer
  
• Squeegees
  
• Long-Handled Scrub Brushes
  
• 1- to 5-Gallon Buckets

Humane Education

• Washable Markers & Other School/Craft Supplies
  
• Usable DVD Player
  
• Girl Scouts Badge Requirement Handbook
• Story Books about animals (please email or call her at 865-215-6661 for titles)
  
• Story Books about animals (please email Taylor Slemmer or call her at 865-215-6661 for titles or shop at ASPCA or HSUS)

Mobile Spay/Neuter "Spay Shuttle"

• Paper Towels
  
• 70% Alcohol
  
• Peroxide
  
• Swiffer Wetjet Refills
  
• Towels or Rags
  
• Blankets
  
• Sheets and Pillowcases
  
• Plastic Garbage Bags (at least 30 gallon size)

Veterinary Clinic

• Lint Rollers
  
• Heating Pads
  
• Rubbing Alcohol 70% or 90%
  
• Bacitracin Ointment
  
• First Aid Kit & Supplies

Workshop

• ½" Drive Socket Set
  
• Two Pipe Wrenches
  
• Star Drivers
  
• Titanium Drill Bits
  
• Speed Square
  
• Chalk Line
  
• Stud Finder
  
• Auto-Loading Utility Knife
  
• Leaf Blower
  
• Weed Eater
  
• Chain Saw
  
• Gas Cans
  
• Laser Level

Most Needed Items

Stuffed Animals
Animal Center dogs show no mercy on their toys, but they have fun as long as the toys last. Goodwill and other shops often have one or two days each month where merchandise is 50% off. Flea markets, yard sales, and your children's toy box are other sources of stuffed toys. If possible, please do not donate stuffed animals that contain Styrofoam, sand, or other fillers.

Clay Cat Litter/Oil Dry
All cats and kittens are given fresh litter every day. We use generic clay cat litter or better yet, Oil Dry. Oil Dry is relatively inexpensive and can be found in the automotive department of discount shopping centers.

Cardboard Trays
These are used as litter boxes for cats, kittens, and rabbits. They are a staff favorite. They are free (!) and very absorbent. Litter boxes can be made from:

• The lid to a box of office copy paper
  
• The cardboard flat that holds several cans of cola or pet food
  
• Any small, shallow box (larger than a shoe box top)
  

If you want to make a good item great, have your child decorate the cardboard tray using colorful markers.

Cat Toys
Animal Center cats are hard on their toys, and because the toys must be washed, the staff is, too. For those reasons, we have some favorites.

• Plastic balls with bells inside
  
• Pre-made, cloth toys
• Catnip socks (see below)
  

Catnip Socks

• Take a child's-sized, clean sock
• Put a pinch of catnip in the toe of the sock
• Tie a knot in the sock so the catnip can't escape
• Optional: color the outside of the sock with cloth markers, add a cotton ball and/or jingle bell to the sock's contents
  

Peanut Butter
Rubber Kong dog toys are improved upon by putting a bit of peanut butter inside. Dogs can spend many happy hours trying to get the peanut butter out. A busy dog is a happy dog. Off-brand peanut butter works just fine.

Newspaper That is Still Folded
One of our favorite volunteer activities has been retired: unfolding newspaper and making newspaper logs. The staff tells us it is difficult to get rolled newspaper to unfold properly in the cages. The sides curl up, the newspaper twists, and the cage gets dirtier than it should. In an effort to keep our animals clean and comfortable, we ask that newspaper not be rolled. Please continue to discard glossies and inserts before donating, but keep newspaper folded. Thanks!

Donations for Cats
Carpet Squares: These are used for cat and kitten cages and for enrichment in the rabbit adoption area. We prefer smaller carpet squares (24"square).

Children's Socks: Clean children's socks for cat toys (see Cat Toys above)

Large, Paper Grocery Bags or Small Boxes: These are used as kitty hiding places. Cats can't resist the crinkle sound of the bags. Boxes should be no smaller than a shoe box and no larger than a copy-paper box.

Donations for Dogs

No-Sew Dog Beds: Use two pieces of fleece that are the same size. For a roomy dog bed we recommend that the pieces be at least 36”x36”, but larger beds are needed, too. Lay one piece on top of another. Cut fringe all the way around the fleece. Cuts should be at least 1” apart and approximately 4” long (into the fabric). Tie the top and bottom fringed piece to each other. That’s it!

Optional: Stuff the bed with batting from a craft store or an old pillow. Consider putting a few mattress or quilt stitches in blankets with batting. This will hold the batting in place during washing.

Small Mammals
Willow (unpainted, untreated) Baskets: Baskets can be purchased from Agri-Feed Pet Supply on Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville or from discount super centers. You can also order untreated willow baskets and other rabbit toys from Busy Bunny and have your gift sent directly to the Animal Center, 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN 37919, Attn: Taylor Slemmer. Baskets must be free of glue, paint, or other materials. Rabbits also enjoy clean wicker baskets.

Toilet Paper Tube Toys

• Stuff fresh timothy hay into both ends of a toilet paper tube
  
• Paper towel tubes should be cut in half or thirds before adding hay
  
• Raffia or other natural twines may be tied around tube for variety
  
• If you are donating plain paper towel tubes, please cut the tubes in half before donating them
  

Carrots, Dandelion Greens and Other Leafy Vegetables (no iceberg lettuce, please): These foods provide important nutrients and variety for a small mammal's diet. A five-pound bag of carrots can last up to a week. Washed vegetables in ziplock bags are ideal, but produce straight from the grocery store is okay, too. Preferred leafy vegetables include:

• Parsley
  
• Cilantro
  
• Leaf lettuce (green, red, endive, escarole, romaine, etc.)
  
• Kale
  

Household Items
Classical Music CDs: For the enjoyment of the animals and our visitors, the Animal Center pipes soft music throughout the building. Even dogs need a little listening variety, and we need to build our music library. Soft, classical music works best for shelter animals, but easy-listening music can be nice, too.