To ensure holiday delivery, your order must be received by December 19, 2008.

In recognition of your donation, you will receive:

• A certificate of sponsorship
• A biography and color photo of your Barn Buddy
• An opportunity to visit and groom your Barn Buddy at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, Missouri

Hurry!
Don’t forget that Barn Buddies make a great holiday gift for the person who has everything! Holiday orders need to be received by December 19, 2008.

Sponsor a Barn Buddy Today!

You don't need Highway 40 to "em-BARK" on a trip to a Humane Society of Missouri Center

With the construction affecting the entire St. Louis area, the Humane Society of Missouri encourages you to use the following resources to help you find your way to the animals, our Veterinarians, Pet Training Centers and Gift Shops. We have three locations to serve you!

Oakland Avenue east of Skinker/McCausland has unexpectedly closed. Click here for directions to our St. Louis City Center.

The 2009 Bark in the Park mascot will

• appear on thousands of printed materials,
• lead The Walk for the Animals Saturday, May 16 in Forest Park,
• serve as canine spokesperson for Bark in the Park event public appearances, and
• receive a year's supply of Purina One® dog food.

Vote for your favorite finalist now. Voting ends midnight Friday, January 16, 2009.

Happy Endings Cody Found after Car was Stolen

Dear Staff at the Humane Society of Missouri:

Cody greeting his owner Ben Dart.

Wow! What a way to get introduced to the wonderful services that are provided by the Humane Society of Missouri. On October 28, 2008 our Suburban with our Jack Russell Terrier inside was stolen from the parking area near the river by the Arch in St. Louis. Our precious Cody, as best we can determine, roamed the streets of the city until he was picked up by Humane Officer Anne Vincent, on Monday, November 3. We had continued on our vacation and while in South Dakota received a phone call from the St. Louis resident who had found our dog. After phone calls with detectives of the St. Louis Central Patrol Division and Jeane Jae, Director of Communications for the Humane Society, we were assured that our Cody was rescued. They helped us to feel comfortable that our pet would be well cared for until we were able to return to the area to claim him.

Humane Officer Anne Vincent  comforts Cody while he awaits his owners.

It was only in subsequent days and upon our return to St. Louis that we realized the extent of services the Humane Society would provide with such care and compassion not only for our dog but for us. Cody was examined and treated by Dr. Steven Schwartz and his staff. We were included in all steps of Cody's  treatment and care as phone calls from the veterinarian, Ms. Jae or others kept us apprised. Cody was even given a "chip" in case (heaven forbid) he is ever separated from us again making identifying him easier. Our reunion with Cody at the society office assured us even more of the excellent care that our pet had received. We could see that Cyndi Nason, Adoption Center Director, Jeane Jane, and Dr. Schwartz had formed a bond with our little dog and even though they were glad to see us united, we knew they would miss him. Cyndi even admitted she had entertained the idea that she might have been the one to adopt him had we not returned! She even purchased him a little bed in which to sleep. Members of the staff confessed that Cody was allowed to "run free" in their administrative offices during his week long stay with them. This too showed us they wanted to help our Cody to recover from his traumatic experience!

We are from a small rural town in Louisiana and our local parish doesn't have an animal shelter. It was awesome for us to tour and see the wonderful work that is being done by the Humane Society of Missouri. To observe the compassion for animals and the care and devotion the volunteers and employees of the Humane Society of Missouri exhibit was such a heartfelt experience for us. We will be eternally grateful for what they did for us and our pet Cody and for the lessons they taught us about the work and need for animals shelters.

Again we say thank you for the important part you played in helping return our beloved pet Cody to us!

Sincerely,

Ben and Ruth Dart (and Cody)

 

How You Can Help Donate Your Old Car

Donating your car is easy AND you can take a tax deduction. 

It doesn't matter if your car is in running condition or not!  The Humane Society of Missouri will help facilitate the pick up of your car by a towing company.

If you would like more information regarding the Humane Society of Missouri's car donation program, call (314) 951-1519 or click here.
 

 Give the gift of an animal adventure!

Take the guesswork out of gift-giving for kids with a Humane Society of Missouri gift card.  It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays, a birthday or ‘just because.’  Your gift will allow the lucky recipient to choose one, two—or as many as you wish—Pet Etc. classes offered at the Humane Society of Missouri during the upcoming summer months.  Or, if you’d really like to inspire a child, give the gift of a full week’s attendance at our very popular Kids for Critters Camps. 

Kids are anxious to make a positive difference in the world and what better way than to introduce them to animal welfare at an age-appropriate level.  Our classes and camps include interactive learning, crafts and, of course, center on the beloved animals in our shelter even practicing basic obedience lessons with them to help prepare them for their new home!  A gift of humane education classes and camps will help to make a real difference in the fight to end animal cruelty and indifference by helping to give young people the knowledge and insight to make the best choices for themselves and the animals that share our world!

You’ll find a full menu of meaningful summer fun!  Gift cards can be purchased in our gift shops in any denomination you desire.  Pet Etc. classes are generally $17.00 each and a full week of camp, which includes a day at Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, is $150.00.

To learn more about our summer programs, visit the Humane Society of Missouri’s website at http://www.hsmo.org/ and click on education.

These items and many more can be found at our Humane Society of Missouri gift shops.
Click here for HSMO gift shop locations.  

Remember: Each time you shop, you are helping homeless animals find new, forever, loving homes!

Longmeadow Rescue Ranch Book Signing on Dec. 27

Please join us for a Book Signing!

Stories from Black Dog Ranch
By Kristie C. Jones

Local Author Kristie C. Jones

Saturday, December 27, 2008
Noon-2 pm

Longmeadow Rescue Ranch

Stories from Black Dog Ranch is a heartwarming book about second chances and the special bonds between animals and people. A little dog named Mia narrates the story, telling the reader about her brothers and sisters who have found their way to the Black Dog Ranch. Each character has been on a long journey to find happiness and their true stories illustrate the importance of reaching out to those in need.

Kristie Jones was raised on a farm in Southeastern Missouri as a part of a traditional farming family. They raised crops and livestock as well as horses, dogs and cats. Her parents still live on the family farm and other family members live nearby on their own small farms.

Kristie devotes her time to taking care of all the “characters” on Black Dog Ranch. Her favorite hobbies include taking care of horses, trail riding and camping with friends and family. Her true passion is writing stories about animals she has known and loved over the years.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Humane Society of Missouri.

For more information go to www.blackdogrescueranch.com or contact Sara Lien at 888-333-7979 x 703.

Visit Longmeadow Rescue Ranch this Saturday! 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  ● ● ● Adoptable Horse and Farm Animals Barn Buddies NEW Gift Shop Click here for directions to the Ranch

Related Links:

View adoptable animals at the Ranch
See Barn Buddies in action through our Ranch Cams

State Health Department Reports First Human Rabies Death in Missouri Since 1959
Disease is rare because of public health prevention and follow-up

A southern Missouri man has died from rabies after being bitten by a bat in mid-October, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recently reported.  

According to the department the man was reportedly bitten on the left ear by a bat. He did not seek treatment or report the incident at the time, and became ill November 19. Rabies was suspected after doctors were informed about the patient's bite history and he began to show symptoms consistent with the disease. On November 25, specimens sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were confirmed positive and typed as a variant of the rabies virus associated with silver haired and eastern pipistrelle bats. The 55-year-old man died November 30.  Rabies in humans remains rare, however rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin.

“Unfortunately this sad case is an important reminder that people need to avoid contact with wild animals, and need to report wild-animal bites to health officials to determine if they are at risk,” said Dr. Howard Pue, State Public Health Veterinarian.

Pue said that while the disease is very rare in humans, it is not uncommon in wild animals in Missouri, particularly in bats and skunks. He said that Missouri has seen a larger number of rabid wild animals this year. So far in 2008 the department has reports of 61 rabid animals: 55 bats, five skunks, and one horse. That compares to an average of 54 total animals as of this date over the past 5 years, with an average of 42 bats and 10 skunks for the same time period.

The last human rabies case recorded in Missouri was in Pulaski County in 1959, according to Pue.  He said that aggressive follow-up by public health officials of people bitten by animals, effective control of stray and wild animals by animal-control agencies, vaccination of dogs and cats against rabies, and a more effective anti-rabies regimen available for use by medical professionals have all helped to make rabies in people so rare. The United States has about one to three cases of rabies in people each year.  

“It is important that anyone bitten by a wild animal or a domestic animal, particularly a stray, should report the incident to their medical provider to receive appropriate wound care, antibiotics and tetanus vaccination as needed, as well as a rabies risk assessment,” Pue said. He said the anti-rabies series of shots is very effective in preventing rabies if administered before symptoms begin.  However, once the person bitten shows signs of rabies, death is almost a certainty.  

Pue said people need to take precautions to prevent animal bites and possible exposure to rabies, including:

• Vaccinating dogs and cats against rabies.
• Reporting wild animals exhibiting unusual behavior and stray pets to animal-control officials.
• Keeping pets under control and not allowing them to come in contact with wild animals.
• Avoiding direct contact with wild animals and stray pets.
• Preventing bats from entering occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.  A bat found inside a home should not be released or discarded, particularly if it was present in a room where people were sleeping or in the same room with children or adults who, due to their health or age, may not be able to describe the extent of their exposure.  Instead, an attempt should be made to confine the bat to the room in which it was discovered and the local health department or animal control agency should be contacted to get information regarding what to do with it.