On January 8, 2008, the Blount County Humane Society (BCHS) issued an email (shown below) to numerous individuals, media and animal welfare organizations in the area and across the state. The email was issued by Humane Society President Steve Phipps in an attempt to attack and degrade Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation (SMACF) and their efforts to raise money and assist in the construction of a new Blount County Animal Center.

In addition to the negative comments directed at SMACF, the BCHS also attacked numerous animal welfare organizations in the area that support the efforts being made in Blount County towards this new facility. Animal Rescue and Fostering Networks (ARFNets) was one of these organizations. In this email, the BCHS accuses ARFNets of abandoning their Core Beliefs by supporting the efforts that SMACF is making in Blount County.