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Stray Rescue of St. Louis was officially born in 1998 but in just a few short years has grown to offer 9 different programs. Listed below is a brief description of each program and will give you an idea of the breadth of our operations.
- Rescue and Rehabilitation Program - This is our
main operation involving the rescues of homeless dogs (and some cats)
who live on the city streets. Many dogs are abandoned or dumped by
their guardians and others are born on the street and are feral. Depending
upon the degree to which dogs are feral, many must be humanely trapped.
As a no-kill shelter, these dogs are medically rehabilitated, spayed/neutered
and adopted into loving homes.
It is critical to rescue these homeless animals in order to end the overpopulation problem. Most people do not realize that one male and one female dog can produce 67,000 dogs in just seven years according to Spay Day USA. In addition to saving dogs, we are preventing hundreds of thousands of puppies from being born on the street and contributing to the overpopulation crisis.
- Animal Regulation Center (ARC) Assist Program -
Stray Rescue takes in as many injured dogs and pregnant female dogs
from the ARC as possible. In 2004 Stray Rescue provided the funding
that allowed the city pound to migrate from using the gas chamber
to lethal injection for euthanization. These dogs are medically rehabilitated
and found a loving home.
- Rent-a-Pet Program - This program gives people
who are interested in adopting a dog the opportunity to take the dog
home for the weekend and see if the Stray Rescue dog gets along with
other dog and/or cat family members. It also allows people the opportunity
to take a dog home for the weekend (certain conditions apply) so that
our dogs get a change to learn how to live in a home and get out of
the shelter for a few days.
- Teaching Love and Compassion (TLC) - We have a
small volunteer committee dedicated to providing a few select educational
programs for school children and community groups. Topics include
pet guardianship and the importance of spaying and neutering our pets.
- Guardian Campaign - Randy and Quentin travel the
country promoting the concepts of animal guardianship, the need for
no-kill shelters, compassion for animals and promoting animal adoption
from shelters. In 2004 Randy worked with St. Louis City Mayor Francis
Slay and was able to get city ordinances to read "animal guardian"
instead of "animal owner". This is the first step in strengthening
laws to protect and respect domestic animals.
- Senior for Senior Program - Senior citizens on
a fixed income who adopt an older dog are able to do so without paying
the adoption fee, and, if necessary, Stray Rescue will provide food
and medical care for the life of the dog. In addition, a person who
adopts a senior dog which has a chronic health problem may be eligible
for complimentary veterinarian support for the ongoing medical condition
for their dog. This program has been funded by Mrs. Arthur Lieber.
- Post Adoption Program - This program provides behavioral
training for dogs in which their adoption potential is limited due
to a behavioral issue or for a guardian who adopted a Stray Rescue
dog who is experiencing difficulties adjusting to their new home.
This program is designed to make sure every dog finds their perfect
home and is able to stay with their new family.
- Community Collaborations - Stray Rescue often partners
with other animal welfare organizations to either to raise money or
provide mutual support for various programs. In addition, Stray Rescue
has helped other animal welfare organizations by taking in dogs, providing
medical care or other assistance as needed. A few of our collaborations
are noted below:
- Loosen the Leash - this program was created by Cindy Vickers who is a dog behaviorist/trainer and who wanted to help at risk teenagers experience the unconditional love of a dog. She, along with the St. Louis Support dog organization, Stray Rescue and the St. Louis City juvenile detention centers this program was initiated to give teens to learn how to train a dog and the value of the human-animal bond for their own lives.
- Nooterville - we open our shelter and provide the volunteers who pass out vouchers for low cost spay/neuter surgery for eligible residents.
- Metro Animal - we provide financial assistance to this organization which specializes in the trapping of feral cats and providing spay/neuter surgeries.
- Shelter/Rescue Outreach - Randy Grim and Stray
Rescue provides assistance to other animal shelters and rescue groups
who are working to end the use of the gas chamber in their local or
county animal shelters. Randy has traveled to North Carolina, Oklahoma,
Georgia and New Mexico to share his experience and advice with local
officials so they can improve the welfare of the animals in their
jurisdiction. Many shelters converted to lethal injection which is
a more humane method of euthanization as a result of Randy's efforts.
He also works with shelters and rescue groups wanting to increase adoptions or migrate towards a no-kill philosophy. In addition, Randy mentors groups interested in learning how to trap feral dogs and rehabilitating them so they become adoptable.
- Abandoned, Not Forgotten - Stray Rescue has formed
a hotline number for any banker, real estate agent, police officer
or fireman to call when they find a dog or cat that has been left
behind in a home for any reason such as foreclosure. Stray Rescue
has partnered with Joe Richardson and Whitehouse Kennels to help house
these animals until they are adopted.
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