"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,   but, because of the people who don't do anything about it."

                                                                    Albert Einstein

        We’re happy you stopped to visit our gallery.  We hope that you might share your light, to help save the thousands that are dying at the hands of man-KIND here in our Springfield Animal Control Facility.  Just a week ago over 70 beautiful dogs were euthanized because there was no where for them to go. That is, no one loved them enough to provide a healthy, loving, safe shelter, so that they could live out their lives to life expectancy.  Ask yourself:  Are we living in a world that has become so complacent that we can simply say, OH, that’s terrible!”… Then do nothing!  You want to hear the sad part of the story?  You pay for the atrocity, with your taxes. 

    Now you ask, ”œWell what are the alternatives?”    It is time to question.  I absolutely do not advocate the building of more and more shelters for animals to simply be warehoused...  I do however, advocate that the ones we STORE,  be housed humanely &  given every opportunity for a good, loving home before government heartlessly condemns them to death.  You say… ”œIt’s not your problem!”  I disagree.  Over 150,000 pounds of dead animals are dumped in our landfill each year!  That may not be your problem now, but it eventually will be.

    Every progressively run city in the nation has higher regard for their pets than Springfield. Mo.  But, who is behind those cities?  It is the citizen that takes the initiative to make the change: if they didn’t their pets would be sitting in the same mess ours are.  Second question:  Have you ever visited the City Animal Control facility?  I bet that 90% think that if you went to the SWMO Humane Society you’ve been to the city shelter!  WRONG!  There are two very different facilities. Most animal lovers would agree that Neither are appropriate for sheltering domestic pets,  but the city facility,(often called the pound) is an embarrassment. No pet should be housed in the manner that those are, while they await their demise of death by lethal injection, often in the heart, many not being fed or maintained properly. One of the officers recently alluded to hating cats. The next day she was the officer to euthanize over 40 of them.  An officer that proclaims to hate cats should not be allowed to execute them. 

    HOW can YOU HELP???  First & foremost is be aware of the problem.  Now you are!  State statutes offer two alternatives for the fate of unwanted pets finding themselves in a city shelter. The first & most popular is adoptions to the public…which our city chooses NOT to do.  They have a variety of excuses as to why they won’t & try to buffoon the public into believing that rescue groups save many.  The truth is, no more than a handful escapes the tragedy of death there, while several thousand are killed & hauled to the dump, which is the second alternative by state statutes. Now that you have some facts…get off your duff & start fighting to make changes.  Do you even know your council person?  Show up to council meetings.

   Finally, I  ask your apology for the harshness of this letter.  However, this morning another 35 died in vain, so it seemed appropriate that as we celebrate the DEAD during Halloween…that we at least remember the pets that never had a chance at life. 

                                                                                                                      Ann Schonert, Founder/Pres  

                                                                                                                                The Pet Connection

        A visit to a shelter can be a very emotional experience...even for the toughest of individuals.  Our city shelter is way too small to handle the animals that are brought in as strays by the animal control officers, but even worse are the many that are simply dropped off like "trash" by their uncaring owners.  PLEASE PET OWNERS...Don't let your pets end up in this place!

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?=3msQpSkf_OU