Our mission is to end the cycle of abuse and pet overpopulation through our rescue and investigation efforts, spay/neuter programs and educational classes.
Humane Society of Missouri
210 Employees | 154 Years
210 Employees | 154 Years
Our mission is to end the cycle of abuse and pet overpopulation through our rescue and investigation efforts, spay/neuter programs and educational classes.
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 abuse and pet overpopulation cycle 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 and shelter training programs. We further support that bond by making world-class veterinary care available.
Our services include:
HSMO’s Animal Cruelty Task Force is the only statewide resource in Missouri working with local law enforcement to uphold Missouri’s animal cruelty laws. The Disaster Response Team rescues and shelters animals when floods, tornados, snow, extreme heat, ice storms, and other emergencies occur. The State Emergency Management Association and the Missouri Department of Agriculture have designated HSMO as the lead animal welfare agency responding to disasters involving animals. Last year the ACT traveled 303,349 miles to conduct 8,409 responses to reports of abuse and neglect involving 123,010 animals.
Free and reduced-cost spay/neuter programs that keep St. Louis residents and their pets safe from stray animals, HSMO spays or neuters between 7,500 and 10,000 animals each year. In FY2023 HSMO performed 8,208 spay/neuter surgeries with 2,965 of those provided through Operation SNIP, our low- and no-cost spay/neuter program.
HSMO Adoption Centers are the largest sources of pets in St. Louis, placing nearly 7,000 in homes last year. HSMO places more animals in forever homes than any other area shelter.
The Humane Education Department’s wide-ranging, character-based humane education programs impact tens of thousands of children and adults each year. They teach the elements of kindness towards all living creatures and impart all the tenets of character education to help St. Louis become a kinder community. HSMO reached 20,166 children and adults through humane and character education programs last year.
The Dana Brown Charitable Trust has been a valued partner, allowing our organization to thrive, grow, and expand our primary services for many years. The newly communicated mission of the Dana Brown focus, will change our approach for support. Our Humane Education Department and programs working with our city and county school districts that predominantly serve financially disadvantaged students will provide our shift in grant requests to best meet the new mission and guidelines.
Our delivery of age-appropriate learning opportunities is designed to teach children and youth throughout the St. Louis metro area respect for all living creatures. The goal of HSMO’s humane and character education programs is to stop the cycle of animal abuse and neglect before it begins by: assisting children in developing compassion, a sense of justice, and a respect for the value of all living creatures, providing the knowledge and understanding necessary for children to behave according to these principles, and; fostering a sense of responsibility on the part of children to affirm and act upon their personal beliefs.
HSMO offers humane and character education programs targeted toward underserved communities and curricula for teachers aligned with Missouri standards. HSMO provides free transportation and covers all costs for students to participate in our Humane IQ and Tale to Tails programs, which target at-risk youth.
Humane IQ for At-Risk Youth is a two-part character education program for fifth and sixth-graders. HSMO partners with underserved local public school districts to provide Humane IQ, which teaches students responsible pet care tips, how to read animal body language, the joys and benefits of sharing our world with animals, nurturing empathy for animals, safe pet handling, and how to interact with animals. Children also read to shelter animals and later share what they learned with their peers at an all-school assembly. Teachers receive 60 lesson plans and resources to incorporate humane concepts into the curriculum.
Additional HSMO education programs include week-long Kids for Critters Summer Camps; one-day Animal Adventure Classes; Shelter Buddies Reading Program; Club H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Pets and Environment), and specialty education programs for children, including Boy and Girl Scout workshops, birthday parties, and special events.
