NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sumner County has 12 days to come up with money for the sheriff's department to take over its animal shelter.

If that doesn't happen, the shelter could be turned over to an outside agency.

County leaders voted earlier this year for the sheriff's department to take control of the shelter, but the sheriff said he can't unless his department gets more money.

Debate over who should be in charge of the shelter began after a Channel 4 I-team investigation revealed a veterinarian was putting down animals with an injection straight to the heart.

Some Animal Shelters Get Help From $190K Grant

Some local animal shelters and nonprofit animal groups received some much-needed financial support on Wednesday.

The state Department of Agriculture presented $190,000 in grant money for local spay and neuter programs at 45 animal shelters.

The grants cut down on the cost to spay and neuter cats and dogs in the areas where animals often don't make it to shelters.

"These are the lucky ones, the ones that get to our shelters. The unlucky ones are the ones you see in your rural areas, in our communities and our cities. They're on the streets, they're abused, there's nowhere for them to go, and it's very, very difficult for those animals to survive," said Humane Association representative Mary Pat Boatfield.

Spaying and neutering cats and dogs reduces the number of unwanted animals and also cuts down on the number of animal cruelty cases.

Money from Tennessee's "animal friendly" license plates helped fund the grants.