Summary of Event Activities:

  • A speaker from the UT College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Attend a special tour, In the Pawprints of Terry: A Cat’s Life

  • Meet and greet with dogs and cats available for adoption 

  • View objects, images, and sources about the pets of Mabry-Hazen House

  • Drop off pet supply donations

  • Shop with local vendors

  • Have a professional pet photo taken

  • Learn about local animal welfare organizations

Evelyn Hazen’s favorite cat, Terry, lounges comfortably in Mabry-Hazen House sometime in the 1960s.

Pawprints: Past & Present

Admission: FREE

Sunday, September 14, 2025
1 PM to 4 PM

Join Mabry-Hazen House (MHH) and the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley (HSTV) for Pawprints: Past & Present on Sunday, September 14, 2025, from 1 PM to 4 PM!

This new collaborative program explores the significant role animal companions play in the lives of humans across time. Spend the afternoon learning about the history of pets at Mabry-Hazen House, meeting new potential furry friends available for adoption, and supporting two important local nonprofits. 

A variety of activities will occur at this all-ages, family-friendly event. The historic house museum will offer a special tour, “In the Pawprints of Terry: A Cat’s Life at Mabry-Hazen House,” a treasure hunt for Miss Evelyn’s cats, displays of objects and images about the history of pets, and more! 

Meet cats and dogs available for adoption at the Humane Society, learn from HSTV and other animal welfare organizations how to support local animals and pets, grab a treat from local pet supplies vendors, and have a professional photo taken with your pet. HSTV will also be accepting donations of pet supplies.

At 2 PM, Dr. Zenithson Ng, professor in the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine, will give a presentation on the history and science of human-animal relationships and animal welfare. 

Pawprints: Past & Present is free and open to the public. Pets are welcome, but must be leashed at all times, cleaned up after, and be friendly with other people and animals. Pets are not permitted inside the house museum. 

More information:

The history of human-animal bonds spans tens of thousands of years, originating in the domestication of animals and the development of human societies. But, pets are a relatively recent invention, with most historians dating the concept of family pets to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Both Mabry-Hazen House and the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley have their origins in the 1800s, when new ideas on animal companionship emerged. MHH was completed in 1858, and the HSTV was chartered in 1885. 

These organizations’ shared history goes beyond their origins. Miss Evelyn Hazen, the last family member to live in the house, was an animal lover and a supporter of the Humane Society. She adopted scores of pets over time—cats, dogs, guinea hens, and even a cow! When she died in 1987, Evelyn willed that all the family's land and possessions be sold, proceeds donated to the Humane Society, and the house torn down to the ground, OR the home and grounds were to be converted into a museum. The latter choice was made, and Mabry-Hazen House has been open to the public as a museum since 1992. To honor the spirit of Evelyn’s final wishes, MHH and HSTV initiated this collaborative effort.

Evelyn’s adored chinchilla Persian cat, Terry, has found a tenth life at Mabry-Hazen as the museum’s unofficial mascot, adorning merchandise and prompting many questions. 

Terry was not the only furry friend who called Mabry's Hill home. The museum preserves dozens of historic objects and images connected to the fuzzy companions who dwelled here across the house’s timeline. We’re thrilled to share this peek into pets past!