The Humane Educational Society Of Chattanooga Tennessee

What The Humane Educational Society Of Chattanooga Tennessee does

Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga (HES) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1910 by Ethel Hardy and headquartered at 4155 Randolph Circle in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Operating as an open-admission shelter with no time or space limits on animals, HES takes in 4,000-5,000 homeless, abused, and neglected pets annually across Hamilton County, including Unincorporated Hamilton County, Soddy Daisy, Collegedale, and Walden. The organization delivers a comprehensive service portfolio organized around four pillars: Animal Care (adoption, foster care, barn cat placement, animal control/cruelty investigation), Medical Services (community spay/neuter clinic with TNR program, low-cost vaccine clinics), Community Support (pet licensing, pet food pantry, lost and found reunification), and Engagement (volunteer programs, humane education for youth, the HES Boutique & Thrift retail store). Annual outcomes include 1,793 adoptions, 1,978 foster placements, 704 transports, and 22,989 logged volunteer hours.

HES runs on a multi-stream nonprofit revenue model: donations and fundraising campaigns (Incredible Journey Annual Fund, Spay It Forward, planned giving), modest fee-for-service revenue from adoptions ($25-$250), spay/neuter ($68-$158), vaccine clinics ($10-$25), and pet licensing ($5), plus retail income from HES Boutique & Thrift. The organization receives no government subsidies and is funded entirely by donations, fees, and earned income, with operations governed by a 21-member volunteer board and led by Executive Director Starla Raiborn. Technology infrastructure is intentionally lightweight and comprised of off-the-shelf SaaS platforms — ShelterLuv for adoption applications, Acuity Scheduling for appointments, Cervis for volunteer coordination, Constant Contact for the Paw Print newsletter, PayPal for donations, and Petco Love Lost for national lost-and-found pet reunification. Strategic partnerships include Best Friends Animal Society, Bissell Pet Foundation, Adopt A Pet, and local breweries and restaurants hosting fundraising events.

Name

The Humane Educational Society Of Chattanooga Tennessee

Legal name

Humane Educational Society

Website

https://heschatt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal shelter founded in 1910 that provides adoption, foster, spay/neuter, vaccine clinics, pet licensing, and humane education services to Hamilton County, Tennessee, funded through donations, fees, and a thrift store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Shelter Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940), Veterinary Services (54194), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Low-Cost & Community Veterinary Clinics (HLAMAAAE), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Animal shelter services
• Pet adoption programs
• Low-cost veterinary services
• Nonprofit animal welfare
• Humane education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate donations, recurring donations, tribute/memorial gifts, and legacy/planned giving. Major fundraising campaigns include the Incredible Journey Annual Fund, Spay It Forward program, and Special Needs Animals fund.
2. Adoption Fees: Fees collected from pet adoptions ranging from $25-$250 depending on animal type, age, and adoption category (regular, senior, Lonely Hearts discount).
3. Thrift Store Revenue: Proceeds from HES Boutique & Thrift store selling donated household items, clothing, furniture, and pet items.
4. Spay/Neuter Services: Low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for dogs ($158) and cats ($68-$78), plus additional services like heartworm testing, vaccinations, and microchipping.
5. Vaccine Clinics: Low-cost vaccine clinics offering rabies ($20), DAPPv ($20), Bordetella ($20), nail trims ($10), and other services.
6. Pet Licensing: $5 annual pet license fees for dogs in unincorporated Hamilton County areas.
7. Third-Party Fundraising Events: Community members host fundraisers and events with percentage of proceeds donated to HES.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Humane Educational Society operates an open-door nonprofit animal shelter providing pet adoption, foster care, animal protection and cruelty investigation, low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinics, pet licensing, and humane education programs for Hamilton County, Tennessee. The organization supplements its animal welfare mission with the HES Boutique & Thrift store, whose proceeds fund shelter operations, and a pet food pantry assisting low-income qualifying pet owners.

Product overview

The Humane Educational Society operates as an open-door nonprofit animal shelter serving Hamilton County, Tennessee since 1910. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of animal welfare programs organized around four service pillars: Animal Care Services (adoption, foster care, animal services, barn cat program), Medical Services (spay/neuter clinic, vaccine clinics), Community Support (pet licensing, pet food pantry, lost & found pets, area resources), and Engagement Programs (volunteering, humane education, thrift store). The shelter takes in 4,000-5,000 homeless pets annually and does not impose time or space limits on animals. Key programs include the Community Spay/Neuter Clinic offering low-cost surgeries, Vaccine Clinics on the 1st Wednesday and last Saturday of each month, and the HES Boutique & Thrift store generating operational funding. Technology platforms including Acuity Scheduling, Cervis, and Petco Love Lost support volunteer management, appointment booking, and lost pet reunification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HES Boutique & Thrift: A thrift store located at 4784 Highway 58, Chattanooga, TN, that accepts household items, clothing, tools, and furniture. All proceeds benefit homeless animals at Humane Educational Society.

Products and services

• Animal Adoption Services Comprehensive animal adoption program offering dogs, cats, small mammals, and barn cats for adoption with adoption counseling and support services for community members in Hamilton County.
• Foster Care Program Foster program for vulnerable animals including orphaned puppies and kittens, shy adult cats, post-medical procedure recovery animals, and neglected or abused pets needing rehabilitation, supporting community members wishing to provide temporary care.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities including kennel support, shelter support, adoption ambassadors, canine playgroup team, humane education assistance, and fundraising support for community members and corporate groups.
• Community Spay/Neuter Clinic Low-cost spay and neuter services for dogs ($158) and cats ($68-$78) offered Tuesday-Friday by appointment, including TNR (trap-neuter-return) for community cats with free services for residents in HES jurisdiction.
• Vaccine Clinics Low-cost vaccine clinics held on the 1st Wednesday (at shelter) and last Saturday of each month at rotating Hamilton County locations, providing rabies ($20), DAPPv, Bordetella, FVRCP vaccines, microchipping, deworming, and nail trims.
• Pet Licensing Annual pet registration service for Hamilton County residents with rabies vaccination requirements and $5 licensing fee for unincorporated Hamilton County, Walden, Soddy Daisy, and Collegedale.
• Pet Food Pantry Temporary pet food assistance program for low-income qualifying pet owners in Hamilton County requiring valid Tennessee driver license for eligibility.
• HES Boutique & Thrift Thrift store at 4784 Highway 58, Chattanooga accepting household items, clothing, tools, and furniture with proceeds benefiting the shelter's homeless animals. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
• Humane Education Educational programs including Furry Tales Story Time, Scout Nights, Pet Needs & Pet Language workshops for grades 2-5, and community outreach for children and families.
• Lost & Found Pets Service Lost and found pet services with Petco Love Lost integration, flyer creation resources, and coordination with local animal control agencies to reunite lost pets with their owners.
• Animal Services (Animal Control & Cruelty Investigation) Animal control and cruelty investigation services for Unincorporated Hamilton County, Soddy Daisy, Collegedale, and Walden areas, including cruelty reporting and response.
• Barn Cat Program Placement program for cats not suitable as house pets, including feral cats and those with litter box issues, providing spayed/neutered, vaccinated barn cats for farm settings.
• Pet Surrender Service Pet surrender service with $25 surrender fee per animal ($50 for a litter) providing a humane path for owners who can no longer care for their pets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,793 pets adopted annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Best Friends Animal SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational animal welfare organization partnership. Best Friends is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of pets in America's shelters.
• Bissell Pet FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPet foundation supporting adoption events and pet welfare initiatives. Bissell provides funding and support for adoption events.
• Dr. Elsey'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet product company providing donations and support for shelter animals.
• Greater GoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization supporting animal welfare causes through donations and awareness.
• Adopt A PetcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline pet adoption marketplace where HES listings are featured. Provides platform for connecting adopters with shelter animals.
• Petco Love LostcoreTechnology or IntegrationNational lost and found pet database partnership. Helps community members report and search for lost pets using the national database.
• American Animal Protection Association (AAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelter Plus membership providing access to resources and best practices for animal shelters.
• Oddstory Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery hosting Yappy Hour events. Donates $1 to HES for every pint sold during events.
• Jack Brown's Beer & Burger JointminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant with Dog Menu. Proceeds from special menu items donated to HES.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: One of the largest U.S. animal welfare nonprofits. Provides nationwide adoption, veterinary, cruelty investigation, and advocacy services that overlap with HES's full program portfolio.
• PetSmart Charities: Largest funder of animal welfare adoptions in North America. Operates in-adoption centers within PetSmart stores and funds shelters like HES with adoption-focused grants.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): National animal welfare advocacy and direct-care organization. HES shares the 'Humane' branding lineage and operates similar sheltering, cruelty response, and humane education programming.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National leader in no-kill animal welfare; HES's strategic partner. Operates a network of sanctuary and partner shelters with comparable adoption, foster, and advocacy programs at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Charleston Animal Society: Regional open-admission shelter providing adoption, low-cost veterinary, cruelty investigation, and humane education services comparable to HES but serving the Charleston, SC area.
• SPCA Tampa Bay: Florida-based SPCA offering adoption, low-cost veterinary, cruelty investigation, and community education — directly comparable service mix to HES but in a different regional market.

Emerging players

• Petco Love: National nonprofit arm of Petco supporting adoption, lost-pet reunification, and shelter funding. Operates the Petco Love Lost platform integrated with HES.
• Bissell Pet Foundation: Pet-focused foundation funding adoption events and shelter support. A direct GTM partner of HES, running comparable adoption-event and shelter-grant programs.

Others

• Adopt a Pet: Online pet adoption marketplace and HES technology partner. Not a direct competitor, but a key distribution channel through which HES listings reach national adopters.

Direct peers

• McKamey Animal Center: Open-admission, no-kill animal shelter also based in Chattanooga, TN. Directly competes for the same donor base, volunteers, and adopters in the same metro area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/heschatt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJvLsJlbJ0ynSz_EIfXSjQw
• Facebookfacebook.com/heschatt
• Instagraminstagram.com/heschatt
• TikToktiktok.com/@heschatt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humane-educational-society

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Humane Educational Society Of Chattanooga Tennessee