The Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society was born from a vision shared between two local women whose sole desire was to help abandoned and unfairly treated animals in the Dyer County Community. After crossing paths with an abandoned animals found near Church St., the women made the choice to rescue the animal and find it a new, loving home. This would be the first of countless thousands of animals rescued and adopted by the Humane Society, a non-profit organization established in 1986. With no city or county operated animal shelter, the two women knew what they had to do. Rallying the support of the community and early board members, Joe and Peggy Hendren, Feathers and Parker were able to start a small animal shelter from a location on Church St. In 2007, the Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society relocated to its present facility on East Court St. The facility was donated to the Shelter by prominent local community leader and animal advocate, Stallings Lipford. The facility featured a larger floor plan and allowed the Shelter to accommodate more animals. The Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society is a low-kill shelter and operates as a Bissell Pet Foundation-certified facility. The Shelter was established in the 1980s with a vision to provide respectful, humane treatment to animals in Dyer County. Fulfilling its mission, the Shelter works with local rescues to rehome animals and hosts various adoption events and fundraisers throughout the year.
Funding for the Shelter is partially provided by the City of Dyersburg and Dyer County Local Government. Additional funding is provided through private donation and fundraisers.