Carter County, Tennessee has received what may be one of the greatest acts of generosity it’s ever seen. The late Glenda Taylor DeLawder, who passed November 13 last year, has left her $1.2 million estate for the care of local stray cats and dogs.
Known for her sweetness in the community and for her unflagging passion for animals, “[DeLawder] wanted her love and care of [cats and dogs] to be her everlasting gift,” stated Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey.
DeLawder’s phenomenal act of kindness has already sparked change at the Elizabethtown Carter County Shelter, a forward-thinking group interested in preserving and enhancing lives for their family of cats and dogs. The administrators of DeLawder’s estate have given an astounding $540k to the shelter, which will fund spaying and neutering clinics, the expansion of the dog and cat holding areas, and the purchase of a van for transporting pets to and from adoption events. The expansion of the shelter began January 9, and the van is set to arrive by March 1.
Humphrey said that the improvements made to the shelter so far have made it a happier, more attractive hub for adopting cats and dogs. By participating in adoption events throughout the year, the shelter has adopted out approximately 400 cats and dogs, in addition to acquiring over $5,000 in sponsorships. Community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and donations have enabled animals to find forever homes even faster.
“I think Mrs.DeLawder would have been very pleased that her gift will be able to provide for future cats and dogs at the shelter for as long as the shelter exists,” Humphrey stated.
The cats and dogs of Carter County Tennessee have brighter days ahead, and the DeLawder family, as well as the community, will always remember Glenda’s last act of magnanimity — an act that has left a legacy marked by selflessness.

So willl it be possible to stop klling healthy friendly pets just because they are lonely?
What a wonderful woman!! She obviously left her money to those creatures that she loved most in life, and dogs and cats must have been a big part of her entire life. What is wrong with this? To those that criticize, hey, it’s HER MONEY!!! I think that she did a great and generous gift. God rest her soul in peace.
That is totally awesome! I wish more people would do that for the animals.
Awesome,if i had so many million i did it also !! thanks !!
Awesome!
Brilliant!! If I had a million I’d do the same.
Right! I would do the same!
This is wonderful! May more millionaires and others donate large sums of money to the care of homeless cats and dogs! God bless this lady!
What a wonderful lady!! All animals are special and important, I’m so pleased to hear this news.
Insanity
I would like to know why you feel this is insanity by helping the local shelter.
Just read the story,awesome.Kathy G some people are just miserable human beings regardless of how life goes.So it shouldn’t be a surprise that someone would leave a comment like that.You don’t actually expect them to respond to your request as to why they think it’s insanity?There’s a lot more of us that think it’s an awesome story and that’s what counts.
Awesome lady. May God bless her.