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Frequently Asked Questions


  1. I found a dog/cat. What should I do now?
  2. I lost my pet! What should I do?
  3. I want to adopt a dog/cat. What should I do now?
  4. What is East C.A.N.'s adoption process?
  5. Is there an adoption fee? How much?
  6. I would consider fostering a rescue animal. How do I get started?
  7. I'd like to volunteer. What opportunities are there?
  8. I need to re-home my pet. What should I do?
  9. Besides money, what other donations do you accept?
  10. Where can I go to get my pet spayed/neutered?
  11. Do you know of any foster programs for Military families?
  12. What can I do about the feral cats in my neighborhood?
  13. Do you know of any vets that will do end-of-life care/PTS at my home?
  14. What are some options for pet owners struggling in this economy?
  15. Where can I turn for help with emergency vet expenses?
  16. What can I do if I'm having trouble buying food for my pet?
  17. What are some other local animal welfare agencies/organizations?
  18. I'm concerned about the welfare of my neighbor's pet(s). What can I do?
  19. Do you know of any pet-friendly apartment buildings?

I found a dog/cat. What should I do now?

East CAN recommends giving owners at least 2 weeks to come forward and claim their pet. Please ask for proof of ownership (pictures, vet records, knowledge of unique markings/traits, etc) before returning the animal. Encourage the owners to put a tag on their pet's collar (or have one made for them) or even get their pet microchipped.
If no owners come forward, it may be time to re-home the pet. Send a picture and information about the animal (where/when found, age, size, gender, energy level, tolerances [children, dogs, cats, car-rides, baths, etc]) to East CAN at info@eastcan.org. Please also include a list of efforts you have made to find the owner. Based on the information you provide to us, we will determine what further assistance we may be able to provide.

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I lost my pet! What should I do?

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I want to adopt a dog/cat. What should I do now?

Visit our Adoptables page to get more information about the adoptable animals we currently have available. If you are interested in one of the animals you see, email us with the name of the animal in question, and be sure to include information on the kind of home you can provide the animal. Also fill out the Adoption Application Form. If you don't see an animal that fits your lifestyle listed on our website currently, please check back periodically. There are new animals being added all the time.

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What is East C.A.N.'s adoption process?

Complete the Adoption Application Form. Once we receive your application, we will email you with a status based on the applications received.

Steps of our process include;

  1. An initial meet and greet
  2. A supervised intro with other animals in the household if necessary
  3. Reference checks
  4. A home visit
  5. Trial visit/sleepover of at least 2 weeks

We do not sign contracts or require fee payment until the 2 week trial is complete and all parties have decided it is a good fit and the adoption should be finalized. Once finalized, an adoption contract is signed.

We ask for a rehoming fee of $150.

At that time vet records are changed over to new owner. The new owner is required to change registration and microchip information immediately.

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Is there an adoption fee? How much?

Yes.  East C.A.N. requests that adopters pay a fee to offset the costs of vetting and caring for our animals until forever homes are found. The adoption fee is $150.00.

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I would consider fostering a rescue animal. How do I get started?

While we all agree that animals make our lives better they are also a lot of work. We have numerous types of foster shoes to fill but have a limited number of long term foster opportunities available with specific qualifications required.

Emergency fosters – This is a temporary spot but may require medical attention in the short term. Typically best for homes with no children and no other dogs or cats.

Babysitter (Foster for Foster) – Valuable resource when current fosters are travelling and need a short term crash pad for the rescue animal in their care.

Puppy fosters – Puppies are tons of fun and tons of work. We do look for homes with previous puppy experience to assist with vet visits, potty training, crate training and positive energy outlets.

Long Term fosters – This is not a job for the faint of heart. A long-term foster is generally an open ended commitment since we cannot guarantee when an animal will be adopted. We ask that you be prepared to continue with structured training, the boundaries we suggest, regular leash walks, potential vet visits to finalize basic care and occasionally join us for positive social interactions and pop-up adoption events.

Fill out our Foster Application Form. Someone will schedule an interview and home visit with you once we receive your application.

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I'd like to volunteer. What opportunities are there?

  • We always need people willing to work shifts at periodic events
  • Fund Raising Manager
  • Grant Writing
  • Update of Medication Inventory
  • Daily Mgmt of our email Inbox
  • Coordinator of Storage Facility
  • Delivery and pick-up of donations
  • Vet transport
  • Experienced Dog Trainers
  • Professional and Hobby Photographers
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I need to re-home my pet. What should I do?

First of all, could you keep your pet if you obtained some assistance? If so:

If you are still convinced you need to re-home your pet:

  • Rehome Your Pet

  • Contact other rescues – both local and long distance – and check for breed-specific rescues if appropriate
  • Contact the Nashville Humane Association about their in-take program, you may need to get on their wait list
  • Use social media, etc. to let all your friends, family, and acquaintances know
  • IMPORTANT: IF YOU ARE ADOPTING YOUR PET TO A STRANGER, you should request a re-homing fee, perform a home visit, and check his/her personal references. PLEASE do not give your pet away for free to someone you do not personally know and trust. Thoroughly investigate any person and/or rescue that you are considering, including the TN Animal Abuse Registry; https://www.tn.gov/tbi/tennessee-animal-abuse-registry.html
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Besides money, what other donations do you accept?

We are always accepting donations. Items we are in need of at this time include:

  • gently used dog beds
  • dog food – preferably grain free
  • large wire collapsible crates
  • medium and large collars
  • medium and large non-retractable leashes
  • all sizes of Sprenger Pinch collars
  • chew toys
  • unexpired heartworm and flea medications
  • Petco, PetSmart, and Amazon gift cards
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Do you know of any foster programs for Military families?

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What can I do about the feral cats in my neighborhood?

  • Call the Pet Community Center to find out information about their Trap/Neuter/Release program.
  • Call The Cat Shoppe in Berry Hill and reserve some humane cat traps. They will loan them for a $50 cash deposit.
  • Set them with food in the back of the trap and cover the traps so they seem more cave like.
  • Once you have one in a trap – call Value Vet for appointment to spay/neuter and tested for feline aids/leukemia.
  • Keep the cats in the traps— feed and water them in there until their vet appointment.
  • If this appointment is more than 3 days away you should let the cat go and try again another time or try another vet. The cat will obviously be stressed in the trap and to contain them at length is unfair.
  • Take the cat to the vet in the crate.
  • Have the vet do a feline aids/leukemia/heart worm test prior to surgery.
    • If the test is positive: it is advised to have the vet euthanize the cat, otherwise it will die a long, slow and painful death. The fee for this would be $37.50 test, $87.50 for euthanize.
    • If the test is negative: vaccinate against feline aids and leukemia.
      Fees for test (37.50), vaccine (30), and spay/neuter (40.00).
  • Financial Assistance: Hopefully your neighbors will contribute as well to get their street cats spayed/neutered. If you are not able to come up with enough to cover the costs for each cat, East C.A.N. will contribute based on our current level of available funds.
  • Fix for Life: If you are able to make an appointment and take the cat to Fix For Life in Lebanon for their Snip & Tip program, East C.A.N. will pay 100%. (IT'S FREE). Note: FFL does not perform feline leukemia/aids tests.
  • Pet Community Center: Contact Anna Henley regarding the Feline Fix program, a “Trap-Neuter-Return-Manage initiative for community cats.” www.felinefixtn.org or
    615-512-5001.
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Do you know of any vets that will do end-of-life care/PTS at my home?

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a recommendation for us, please let us know.

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What are some options for pet owners struggling in this economy?

The following is a list of organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need.  Please keep in mind that this is certainly not an exhaustive list and each organization is independent and has their own set of rules and guidelines. You will have to investigate each one individually to determine if you qualify for assistance:

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What can I do if I'm having trouble buying food for my pet?

  • Contact East C.A.N.
  • The Nashville Humane Association has a Food Bank that operates from 1-4pm every Sunday and Wednesday. To be eligible, bring with you 1) proof your animal has been spayed or neutered; 2) a valid TN License or TN ID (to prove you live in Davidson County); and 3) evidence that you are on Govt. Assistance, unemployed, or low income. Bring whatever proof you can of any of these things. It's not their objective to turn people away. For more information, call (615)352-1010.
  • Contact the Middle Tennessee Pet Food Bank
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I'm concerned about the welfare of my neighbor's pet(s). What can I do?

  • Try approaching the animals' owner and offering assistance. We recommend this is done in teams of at least 2 people at a time; get tips here
  • Contact Metro Animal Control
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Do you know of any pet-friendly apartment buildings?

Here here are some articles with tips about renting an apartment with a pet:

Check out the following housing search web sites with pet friendly listings all over the USA. This is not an exhaustive list.

If you live in another pet-friendly complex, let us know.

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