Wilson County commissioners approved a budget amendment to replenish the Gretchen Wilson Fund after animal-control staff used the donor fund to cover emergency veterinary care following a search-warrant seizure. The director said county staff executed a search warrant after finding a hospitalized, incoherent resident with no family to care for animals; staff removed dogs and an injured cat and provided care, some of which was paid for from the Gretchen Wilson Fund.

“We had to do a search warrant to take dogs. The person had been hospitalized, and I don't know exactly what was wrong with them, but they were incoherent,” the director said. The director told the commission that local law-enforcement assisted with the seizure and that Dr. McEntire treated one injured animal and provided that care pro bono. The director emphasized that the Gretchen Wilson Fund is a donor fund and said the money used for the shooting-incident animal and other emergency care was not taxpayer money.

Staff said they priced veterinary services and sought economical options; the director said veterinarians often lower prices for county cases and that the department tries to spend donor funds “as responsibly as we can.” The commission approved the amendment by voice vote. No details on the exact amendment amount or remaining balance in the Gretchen Wilson Fund were provided in the meeting record.