News
By Renee Krejci
When Stray Rescue of St. Louis was announced the winner of Zootoo.com’s $1 million shelter makeover, founder Randy Grim had one thought: “Josephine doesn’t have to live in the bathroom anymore!” The Shepherd mix stays in the building’s only bathroom because the shelter is so overcrowded—but not for long.
Within a month or two, the group hopes to get started on its new state-of-the-art shelter, to be housed in a 16,500 square-foot building on Pine Street donated by A.G. Edwards.
“Nice guys and underdogs always finish last,” Grim says. “For once we finished first, and I’m trying to share that good fortune.” That is why Grim hopes to house four other animal-welfare groups in the building—the Cat Network, educational group Operation Spot, Metro Animal Resource Services, and Pound Pals, which performs free and low-cost spay and neuter.
The new shelter will likely be a $3—$4 million project, which Grim says will only be possible with the help of the community. Grim thinks one of the reasons Stray Rescue walked away with the big prize was because of the city’s support—nearly 1,000 people came out to cheer on the organization when Zootoo came to visit on May 1.
“It was the city itself that won it for us,” Grim says.
Grim has already raised $700,000 for the new shelter, not including the Zootoo prize. He thinks they will need an additional $2 million to complete the project. “I’m working on that fast and furious,” he says with a laugh.
Things weren’t always promising and cheerful for Grim during the course of the contest. Over the final month of the contest, two of his own dogs died within two weeks of each other. “I was so devastated. There was a period where I didn’t care about the competition,” he admits. “But I pulled it together.”
Grim traveled to Orlando with the other 20 semifinalists on May 15, where the three finalists were announced. “When we made the top three in Orlando, I said, ‘Wow, I can win this.’ But then I realized it didn’t matter who won; the other shelters needed it just as much,” he says.
Stray Rescue was awarded the $1 million prize live on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on FOX on May 21. “I was super happy but also really nervous,” Grim says of his big win. “There’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.”
The million-dollar makeover isn’t the only thing Stray Rescue has won recently—the shelter was awarded a $2,000 grant from the Humane Society of the United States to help save pets abandoned by home foreclosures. Grim started a program called Abandoned, Not Forgotten, in which any banker, real estate agent, police officer, or fireman who sees an abandoned pet can call a hotline and Stray Rescue will retrieve and house the animal. Grim says he has rescued more than 600 dogs from foreclosed homes. “I’ve never seen so many animals left behind,” he says.
For more information, visit StrayRescue.org and Zootoo.com.
Summer is in full bloom, which can mean only one thing—it’s the season for playing outside! And what better time for O’Fallon, IL, to open its new dog park. The off-leash area was added to Rock Springs Park and opened on June 7. The new park is 1.5 acres and includes a fenced space where dogs can freely socialize. The park was Boy Scout Trevor Lear’s idea, and he spent more than 500 hours working on it. Home Depot and Rural King provided donations.
In the April issue of St. Louie Tails, we reported on the protests at the A-1 Midwest Puppy Expo, held at the American Legion in Shrewsbury. Protest organizer Janet Banks had a goal—to educate the public on the inhumane conditions of puppy mills and encourage potential pet parents to adopt. The expo was supposed to be held again on May 17 and June 26, but both events were cancelled.
Banks says several fellow protestors called the number listed in the expo ad and were told the expo was cancelled as a result of the protests. Tails also called, but was told the expo was cancelled because of the heat. Banks says she’s happy the expo will no longer be there, but will continue to watch for its return.
“If they come back, I will be there to greet them, hopefully with a large number of animal lovers with me to continue the protest!” she says.
Meanwhile, Banks is organizing a protest outside of Puppy Pros, a store located in Jefferson County at 1055 Gravois Road. The store breeds and sells purebred dogs. Like the Puppy Expo, Banks is unsure of the conditions in which the dogs are raised, but feels the public should be adopting pets, not buying them.
“We feel there is a pet overpopulation problem, and they shouldn’t be profiting by selling puppies,” she explains.
The tentative date for the protest is Saturday, June 28. Banks is looking for protestors to join her in standing outside the store and handing out information about puppy mills and adoption. If interested in joining the protest, email Janet Banks at jkbladybug@aol.com.
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (MAAL) staffers are disappointed that several dogfighting bills did not pass this year, but the group remains optimistic. On its website, MAAL says it has laid the groundwork for passing the legislation next year, noting that it is difficult to pass a bill the first year it is proposed.
The first bill would increase the penalties for being a repeat dogfight spectator. It would also make it easier to seize the property of those involved with the fighting. It was combined with another bill, but never made it to the floor for a vote.
For more information about animal legislation, visit MAAL.org.
Nancy Grove has a passion for animals, but she doesn’t stop at rescuing—she takes her passion all the way to Jefferson City.
“Most people who love animals don’t realize it’s a political issue as well as an emotional bond,” Grove says. Because of all her work with animal-rights legislation, Grove was one of 110 women nominated for the St. Louis Women of Achievement Award, which recognizes the volunteer efforts of women. Grove took home the first-ever award for animal welfare.
“I was extremely surprised and incredibly flattered,” Grove says, noting that she doesn’t need an award to know her work is important. Grove was a founding member of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (MAAL) in 1990.
Sandy Mickelson, a former board member of MAAL and good friend of the honoree, says Grove is a motivating force behind the organization. “She’s an enlightened individual who never seeks center stage,” she says.
A practicing attorney until she decided she wanted to work with animals, Grove began volunteering at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri in 1983. She was volunteer director and then became executive director for eight years. She met with fellow animal lovers to discuss the puppy mill problem in St. Louis. Out of that meeting, MAAL was born. Grove is still on the board for the Alliance. “That’s something I trust I will never give up,” she says.
“[Grove] has been involved from the get-go,” says Julie Leicht, executive director of MAAL. “She has really been instrumental in leading the charge for animal welfare in St. Louis and on the state level.”
She also supports a variety of animal-welfare groups and agencies and is on the advisory board for Operation Spot, an educational outreach group. She said she is currently looking into confined animal farming, an issue that doesn’t get enough attention.
Grove hopes her award will inspire others to get political about animals. “The political aspect of animal welfare is really a challenge,” she says. “But when it goes well, you feel like a million bucks, and you know you helped a lot of animals.”
For more information, visit MAAL.org and WOAStL.org.
Stem cell therapy making aching
Granted, cats are the ones who are supposed to have nine lives. But thanks to stem cell therapy, an aging Rover may soon feel like he has some extra years of his own. Through this new treatment, Rover’s own fat can do what pain medications and surgery can only aspire to––significantly decrease, even eliminate, the pain caused by osteoarthritis.
Veterinarians trained in the therapy (there are approximately 250 in the U.S.) isolate stem cells in a small amount of fat and then inject them directly into painful areas in the joints. Stem cells can regenerate cartilage, bone, and other body tissues. Pain relief from a single injection, which comes with a $2,000 price tag, lasts from several months to more than a year.
First performed on a horse in 2004, stem cell therapy has since benefited approximately 3,000 horses, 300 dogs, and a few cats. Researchers at Vet Stem, the company that patented the procedure, are exploring applying it to the treatment of heart and liver conditions. —Melissa Wiley
For more information, visit Vet-Stem.com.
Stray Rescue wins million-dollar makeover
When Stray Rescue of St. Louis was announced the winner of Zootoo.com’s $1 million shelter makeover, founder Randy Grim had one thought: “Josephine doesn’t have to live in the bathroom anymore!” The Shepherd mix stays in the building’s only bathroom because the shelter is so overcrowded—but not for long.
Within a month or two, the group hopes to get started on its new state-of-the-art shelter, to be housed in a 16,500 square-foot building on Pine Street donated by A.G. Edwards.
“Nice guys and underdogs always finish last,” Grim says. “For once we finished first, and I’m trying to share that good fortune.” That is why Grim hopes to house four other animal-welfare groups in the building—the Cat Network, educational group Operation Spot, Metro Animal Resource Services, and Pound Pals, which performs free and low-cost spay and neuter.
The new shelter will likely be a $3—$4 million project, which Grim says will only be possible with the help of the community. Grim thinks one of the reasons Stray Rescue walked away with the big prize was because of the city’s support—nearly 1,000 people came out to cheer on the organization when Zootoo came to visit on May 1.
“It was the city itself that won it for us,” Grim says.
Grim has already raised $700,000 for the new shelter, not including the Zootoo prize. He thinks they will need an additional $2 million to complete the project. “I’m working on that fast and furious,” he says with a laugh.
Things weren’t always promising and cheerful for Grim during the course of the contest. Over the final month of the contest, two of his own dogs died within two weeks of each other. “I was so devastated. There was a period where I didn’t care about the competition,” he admits. “But I pulled it together.”
Grim traveled to Orlando with the other 20 semifinalists on May 15, where the three finalists were announced. “When we made the top three in Orlando, I said, ‘Wow, I can win this.’ But then I realized it didn’t matter who won; the other shelters needed it just as much,” he says.
Stray Rescue was awarded the $1 million prize live on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on FOX on May 21. “I was super happy but also really nervous,” Grim says of his big win. “There’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.”
The million-dollar makeover isn’t the only thing Stray Rescue has won recently—the shelter was awarded a $2,000 grant from the Humane Society of the United States to help save pets abandoned by home foreclosures. Grim started a program called Abandoned, Not Forgotten, in which any banker, real estate agent, police officer, or fireman who sees an abandoned pet can call a hotline and Stray Rescue will retrieve and house the animal. Grim says he has rescued more than 600 dogs from foreclosed homes. “I’ve never seen so many animals left behind,” he says.
For more information, visit StrayRescue.org and Zootoo.com.
Dog park opens in O’Fallon
Summer is in full bloom, which can mean only one thing—it’s the season for playing outside! And what better time for O’Fallon, IL, to open its new dog park. The off-leash area was added to Rock Springs Park and opened on June 7. The new park is 1.5 acres and includes a fenced space where dogs can freely socialize. The park was Boy Scout Trevor Lear’s idea, and he spent more than 500 hours working on it. Home Depot and Rural King provided donations.
Puppy Expo protests a success
In the April issue of St. Louie Tails, we reported on the protests at the A-1 Midwest Puppy Expo, held at the American Legion in Shrewsbury. Protest organizer Janet Banks had a goal—to educate the public on the inhumane conditions of puppy mills and encourage potential pet parents to adopt. The expo was supposed to be held again on May 17 and June 26, but both events were cancelled.
Banks says several fellow protestors called the number listed in the expo ad and were told the expo was cancelled as a result of the protests. Tails also called, but was told the expo was cancelled because of the heat. Banks says she’s happy the expo will no longer be there, but will continue to watch for its return.
“If they come back, I will be there to greet them, hopefully with a large number of animal lovers with me to continue the protest!” she says.
Meanwhile, Banks is organizing a protest outside of Puppy Pros, a store located in Jefferson County at 1055 Gravois Road. The store breeds and sells purebred dogs. Like the Puppy Expo, Banks is unsure of the conditions in which the dogs are raised, but feels the public should be adopting pets, not buying them.
“We feel there is a pet overpopulation problem, and they shouldn’t be profiting by selling puppies,” she explains.
The tentative date for the protest is Saturday, June 28. Banks is looking for protestors to join her in standing outside the store and handing out information about puppy mills and adoption. If interested in joining the protest, email Janet Banks at jkbladybug@aol.com.
Dogfighting bill fails to pass legislature
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (MAAL) staffers are disappointed that several dogfighting bills did not pass this year, but the group remains optimistic. On its website, MAAL says it has laid the groundwork for passing the legislation next year, noting that it is difficult to pass a bill the first year it is proposed.
The first bill would increase the penalties for being a repeat dogfight spectator. It would also make it easier to seize the property of those involved with the fighting. It was combined with another bill, but never made it to the floor for a vote.
For more information about animal legislation, visit MAAL.org.
Animal-welfare advocate wins St. Louis Women of Achievement Award
Nancy Grove has a passion for animals, but she doesn’t stop at rescuing—she takes her passion all the way to Jefferson City.
“Most people who love animals don’t realize it’s a political issue as well as an emotional bond,” Grove says. Because of all her work with animal-rights legislation, Grove was one of 110 women nominated for the St. Louis Women of Achievement Award, which recognizes the volunteer efforts of women. Grove took home the first-ever award for animal welfare.
“I was extremely surprised and incredibly flattered,” Grove says, noting that she doesn’t need an award to know her work is important. Grove was a founding member of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation (MAAL) in 1990.
Sandy Mickelson, a former board member of MAAL and good friend of the honoree, says Grove is a motivating force behind the organization. “She’s an enlightened individual who never seeks center stage,” she says.
A practicing attorney until she decided she wanted to work with animals, Grove began volunteering at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri in 1983. She was volunteer director and then became executive director for eight years. She met with fellow animal lovers to discuss the puppy mill problem in St. Louis. Out of that meeting, MAAL was born. Grove is still on the board for the Alliance. “That’s something I trust I will never give up,” she says.
“[Grove] has been involved from the get-go,” says Julie Leicht, executive director of MAAL. “She has really been instrumental in leading the charge for animal welfare in St. Louis and on the state level.”
She also supports a variety of animal-welfare groups and agencies and is on the advisory board for Operation Spot, an educational outreach group. She said she is currently looking into confined animal farming, an issue that doesn’t get enough attention.
Grove hopes her award will inspire others to get political about animals. “The political aspect of animal welfare is really a challenge,” she says. “But when it goes well, you feel like a million bucks, and you know you helped a lot of animals.”
For more information, visit MAAL.org and WOAStL.org.
Stem cell therapy making aching
bones young again
Granted, cats are the ones who are supposed to have nine lives. But thanks to stem cell therapy, an aging Rover may soon feel like he has some extra years of his own. Through this new treatment, Rover’s own fat can do what pain medications and surgery can only aspire to––significantly decrease, even eliminate, the pain caused by osteoarthritis.
Veterinarians trained in the therapy (there are approximately 250 in the U.S.) isolate stem cells in a small amount of fat and then inject them directly into painful areas in the joints. Stem cells can regenerate cartilage, bone, and other body tissues. Pain relief from a single injection, which comes with a $2,000 price tag, lasts from several months to more than a year.
First performed on a horse in 2004, stem cell therapy has since benefited approximately 3,000 horses, 300 dogs, and a few cats. Researchers at Vet Stem, the company that patented the procedure, are exploring applying it to the treatment of heart and liver conditions. —Melissa Wiley
For more information, visit Vet-Stem.com.
