Your Unwavering Support Saved These Pups from Unspeakable Neglect and Cruelty
This summer, our Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued 22 dogs, including several puppies ranging from 5 days old to 6 months old, from an unlicensed breeder in Gasconade County. The dogs, mostly large-breed Coonhound mixes, were transported to HSMO’s headquarters to receive health evaluations and emergency veterinary treatment. The emergency rescue was prompted by the Gasconade County Sheriff, when they assessed the situation after a neighbor’s call. The sheriff then reached out to us, and our Task Force was able to respond quickly to remove the dogs under a warrant. Many of the dogs had a Body Condition Score (BCS) of one on a scale of one to nine, with one being the lowest. Suffering from ear infections and wounds both old and new, the dogs were also severely
underweight due to dehydration and malnutrition. A clear sign of the neglect they’d suffered was that each dog was covered in hundreds of fleas and ticks, which was causing skin infections and significant pain.
These dogs lived in horrific conditions, and without your support, we could not have intervened to save them.
A few weeks after the rescue, a court determined that HSMO would be awarded legal custody of all the dogs. Because of their circumstances, they all required significant medical care and long-term behavioral support. Today, because of your help, each one of these sweet pups is healthy and living in a loving home safe from harm.
Main Number 314-647-8800
hsmo.org
Report Animal Abuse and Neglect
314-647-4400 or 800-383-9835
Headquarters 1201 Macklind Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110
Macklind Adoption Center 314-951-1562
Best Buddy Adoption Center 11660 Administration Dr. Maryland Heights, MO 63146
Best Buddy Adoption Center 314-951-1588
Longmeadow Rescue Ranch
480 Josephs Rd. Union, MO 63084
Longmeadow Rescue Ranch 636-583-8759
Animal Medical Center of Mid-America All locations 314-951-1534 or amcma.org Patients seen by appointment.
Donations 314-951-1542
Mission: Since 1870, the Humane Society of Missouri has been dedicated to second chances. We provide a safe and caring haven to all animals in need—large and small—that have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Our mission is to end the cycle of abuse and pet overpopulation through our rescue and investigation efforts, spay/neuter programs, and educational classes. We are committed to creating lasting relationships between people and animals through our adoption programs and our shelter pet training program. We further support that bond by making world-class veterinary care available.
The Humane Society of Missouri is an independent, non-profit organization not affiliated with any national animal welfare organizations. We do not receive tax support or United Way funding. We rely on the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, and fees for services.
Dear Friends,
This summer brought scorching heat and record-breaking storms. Imagine the suffering of dogs enduring these conditions without adequate shelter, food or water. Thanks to generous donors like you, we rescued dozens of dogs suffering both locally and throughout the state. Your support allowed us to act with urgency, which often means the difference between sure death or a second chance in a loving home.
In this issue you can read about one such rescue on an extremely hot early summer day. When our Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) was called to a property in Gasconade County, they found 22 Coonhound mixes ranging in age from 5-day-old puppies to adults, all dehydrated and severely malnourished. The animals were rushed to our St. Louis headquarters for evaluation and treatment. Many other rescues took place over the last few months, and, as always, our doors remained open to any animal who needed our help.
With your support, each animal can receive the care and love they deserve.
Your support is critical to ensure each dog receives the care they deserve from our veterinary team and our behavioral and shelter staff and is adopted into a loving home.
Close to home, our team responded to several calls about dogs locked in cars in the summer heat, despite our public service message, “70 degrees and over, don’t take Rover.” As you know, the temperature inside a car can soar past 100 degrees very quickly, and temperatures above 110 degrees can be fatal in minutes. With your support, we can and will continue to be vigilant in our work to ensure no animal has to suffer needlessly.
Before I close, I want to thank everyone who responded to our survey. Your feedback helps us set priorities and guide the future of the organization. Input from loyal friends like you ensures we stay focused on our ultimate goal: ending the cycle of animal abuse and pet overpopulation.
I am forever grateful for your support of our mission and your willingness to add your voice.
With deep appreciation,
Kathryn W. Warnick President
We Heard You!
All of us at the Humane Society of Missouri are deeply grateful for your completion of our annual Loyal Friends Survey. By sharing your thoughts, you’ve proven — once again — to be a dedicated friend to our community’s most vulnerable animals.
Your participation helps us determine:
Which programs you think are most needed for animals in the community.
What matters most to you as a supporter of animals.
How to engage with more animal lovers like you so we can continue to help animals in need.
Here’s what we learned:
You ranked animal cruelty investigation (30%) and shelter services (34%) as our top two most vital community programs.
Helping to rescue needy animals is the main reason you support HSMO.
A majority (62%) of you are long-time supporters.
Our supporters are extremely generous! After animal welfare, environment and conservation were rated as “extremely important,” but a whopping 95% of you support other charities.
More than half (51%) of you have dogs, and a third of you have cats in the household!
Thank you for your loyal friendship — and for sharing your thoughts!
A Generous Gift Gives our Shelter Animals a Place to Play!
As an animal lover, you understand that the shelter environment can be stressful for dogs. Going outside for fresh air and playtime is important for their physical and mental well-being, and that’s why HSMO shelters have off-leash play yards for our shelter dogs. However, the yard at the Macklind shelter was in desperate need of upgrades and was rarely being used because of safety concerns.
The Gertrude and William A. (“Bill”) Bernoudy Foundation stepped in to cover the cost of a complete overhaul of the play yard. New, soft artificial turf went in, and a state-of-the-art drainage system was installed so the area can be thoroughly cleaned and easily maintained.
This generous gift has given the pups at our shelter who are waiting for their forever homes a chance to spend time outside with our volunteers, playing fetch and enjoying the sunshine. We are deeply grateful!
Second Chances
Wally’s Future Is Bright, Thanks to You
In January, a pregnant pig arrived at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch. She gave birth to five piglets shortly after arriving, but only one survived, and sadly, she rejected him. The Longmeadow team immediately took the tiny pig under their wing, feeding and caring for him around the clock. They named him Wally. He was the runt of his litter and needed extra TLC to grow into a healthy pig.
When the ranch’s big Spring Fling event rolled around, Wally had the opportunity to meet his potential new mom! She had recently lost her pot-bellied pig and wanted to welcome another one into her life. She knew when she met Wally that he was the one for her.
In the months since, Wally has participated in HSMO’s summer camp, teaching kids about being kind to animals and showing how loving a rescue animal can be.
We are grateful to supporters like you for helping us give animals like Wally, the second chance they deserve!
You Were There When Sally and Sanchez Needed You Most
In January, Sally and Sanchez were rescued from a property in Stone County. The temperature was 12 degrees, and they had no shelter. They were both bone thin and needed emergency medical treatment. The pups had been neglected for so long that their futures were uncertain. Our Animal Cruelty Task Force rushed them to the shelter, where they got warm and were put on a feeding schedule to slowly gain weight.
Despite their drastic physical condition, these two pups had hope in their eyes. As they gained weight, their tails started to wag. They loved to spend time with their human friends and enjoyed going for walks when they were healthy enough to do so.
By mid-March, Sanchez had nearly doubled in weight and was ready to be adopted. When his family met him, they knew right away that he had found his forever home.
Sally battled some digestive issues and had to wait a little longer to meet her forever family. But when they came along in early April, she was all smiles and wags on her way out the door. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, these two pups are in loving, forever homes!
Made Possible by YOU!
You Never Gave Up on Lydia
Lydia first came to HSMO’s Macklind shelter in September as an underweight stray dog. She had a scab on her back, wounds on her neck and was missing fur on parts of her tail. It was clear Lydia’s life hadn’t been easy before she came to the shelter, but she didn’t let it show. Her sweet disposition garnered her a fan club at the shelter, and she became a favorite among the volunteers.
Lydia waited patiently to be adopted, but months went by with no luck. But with your help, we never gave up on her. She spent time in a couple of loving foster homes as she continued her wait, which just got longer and longer.
Finally, in April, a family came along who knew Lydia was the one for them. Thank you for helping us support animals like Lydia — no matter how long it takes!
These Kittens’ Futures Are Bright, Thanks to You!
In mid-June, a veterinary assistant at HSMO’s Animal Medical Center of Mid-America saw a post online that someone had some feral kittens they needed help capturing. She acted quickly and was able to help bring the kittens to the shelter, where they were vaccinated and sent to a loving foster home to learn how to love and receive love.
When the time came for them to be spayed/neutered and be made available for adoption, these little kittens were ready to brave a new and exciting world, where they would never have to live on the street and fend for their lives.
Thank you for helping us give these tiny hearts the second chances they deserve!
Chanel Got the Second Chance She Deserved
Chanel’s story is one that spans more than a year at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch. Her mom, Fendi, came to the ranch from a neglectful situation in Benton County. She was malnourished, had a heavy load of parasites and was pregnant. Soon, she gave birth to her filly, Chanel.
Despite giving birth to a healthy baby, Fendi displayed symptoms of an uncommon phenomenon called “foal rejection” and refused to nurse or bond with Chanel. For their safety, Chanel was separated from her mother, and Longmeadow staff ensured Chanel received the colostrum (first milk) essential for newborns. Then, Chanel needed around-the-clock care from our staff.
With your support, we were able to help this rejected filly blossom into a spunky, friendly young mare who has her whole life ahead of her! She spent her formative months at the ranch, and even though the odds were stacked against her, she was adopted by a wonderful family.
Your generosity means we can help animals like Chanel thrive, despite their rough beginnings!
Welcome to the Barn Buddy family, Arnie!
Last spring, a 15-year-old miniature horse named Arnie came to Longmeadow Rescue Ranch. HSMO’s Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued him from a neglectful situation in Bollinger County. Arnie was miserable when he arrived at the ranch. His hooves were long and curled, and the front ones were infected. Mud was caked in thick layers on his legs, and his mane and tail were severely tangled. Arnie’s teeth were also in bad shape and looked like they hadn’t had any dental care in a long time. It would take significant work from the veterinary team and farrier to make Arnie comfortable, but they were up to the challenge.
Bubbles the Zebu: From the Zoo to Longmeadow
Despite the situation he came from, Arnie had a sweet and gentle demeanor. He waited patiently as the farrier worked on his hooves over the course of several weeks. Arnie’s future looked bright, as he continued to make progress. In time as he got healthier and could walk without pain, Arnie was allowed to go to the pasture with his friends and begin to enjoy his stay at the ranch.
Soon, we decided to make Arnie a Barn Buddy. This lovable gentleman will spend the rest of his years as an ambassador animal for the ranch and will have the chance to represent the work we do with your help.
We will never know the full extent of what this sweet soul endured before he came into Longmeadow’s care, but we are grateful to you for helping us give him a new life!
We are excited to announce the arrival of Bubbles, a 21-year-old dwarf zebu, from the Saint Louis Zoo! Bubbles was an excellent ambassador of this ancient breed of domestic cattle at the Emerson Children’s Zoo for two decades. She arrived at the Zoo when she was just 6 months old and has been a fan favorite ever since.
The Children’s Zoo permanently closed in October 2020, and Bubbles continued to live at the Zoo for a few years before the decision was made for her to make the journey to Longmeadow, where she will be spending her golden years. She arrived in late March and has settled into her new digs with ease. Bubbles has so much personality to show off and has loved meeting all her new friends!
From food to litter, we're proud to support the pets of the Humane Society of Missouri.
Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024
Every donation goes towards rescuing, sheltering, and rehabilitating homeless and neglected animals. Early giving is now open!
hsmo.org/givetues
Thursday — October 24, 2024
5:30PM to 8:30PM Urban Chestnut Brewing Company – Midtown Tickets and info at:
hsmo.org/barktoberfest
When you become a monthly donor, you provide critical support we can count on. You can make a huge impact with recurring gifts that are automatically charged on the first of each month, guaranteeing funding is always available for animals in need.
hsmo.org/humanehero 314-951-1598
You can donate your old car, truck, motorcycle, boat or airplane to HSMO! Donating is easy, pick-up is FREE and most vehicles are accepted. Donations may even be tax deductible!
hsmo.org/vehicle-donation 314-951-1542
