From Fox2 St. Louis
By Teresa Woodard
From 1,033 dogs euthanized in 2009, to just three in the last few months of 2010. St. Louis is reporting stunning numbers since the non profit Stray Rescue took over control of caring for stray dogs roaming city streets.
“This is a puppy mill dog. Remember that puppy mill that closed down?” said Stray Rescue Founder Randy Grim, pointing to a little white fluffy dog with no hind legs, getting top notch veterinary care in the emergency room of his new shelter on Pine Street.
“These two were trapped in a truck, the neighbors said for like three weeks,” he said, pointing to two puppies next to the fluffy white dog. “This one has been shot in the leg,” he said of another.
The ER is home to the sickest and the most neglected in his shelter. The dog named Sagebrush is the most abused. “She’s a bait dog from a fighting ring, disfigured in the face,” said Grim, helping Sagebrush from her cage in the clinic, watching her hobble about. “She’s gone to hell and back.”
No Kill Policy At St. Louis Shelter Saves Over 1000 Dogs
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Six months ago, she wouldn’t have survived. Now she will. “All of those dogs would’ve been euthanized,” said City Health Director Pam Walker, looking at those sick dogs in the clinic.
The city put down more than 50 percent of all the dogs that came in; more than 1,000 every year. But in July, St. Louis handed over animal control duties to Grim’s Stray Rescue. The nonprofit has a shelter with more room, more foster homes, and more volunteers. Those things keep more dogs alive.
Grim has euthanized two dogs because they were too sick to live. Only one has been put down because of severe aggressive behavior. “Adopting him out would have been irresponsible,” he said.
“I feel like we’re on the side of the angels. I do,” said Grim.
A couple of guardian angels, dressed in blue, brought in a new resident for Randy Tuesday night. Two city police officers dropped off a black lab that had been chained up and abandoned in a yard on Penrose in North City.
“The public was reluctant to call us because they knew they’d be euthanized,” said Walker, “so Randy is getting a lot of dogs off the street that we didn’t even know about. And if they keep it up, they’re going take in 1,300 more than what we did last year, and they haven’t euthanized.”
Stray Rescue spays, neuters, then adopts out on average 120 dogs every month. The city only adopted out 300 in all of last year.
Stray Rescue does all of this without taking a dime from the city.
Related, Euthanasia is not humane, kind, or necessary | Warning, this video is graphic
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See More …
Animal Ark, Minnesota’s premier No Kill shelter, and the No Kill Advocacy Center have teamed up to offer a monthly series of low-cost webinars to help shelters, rescue organizations, private citizens, and municipalities learn more about and begin implementing the programs and services of the No Kill Equation.
Topics include reforming animal control, turbocharging adoption programs, building a volunteer and foster care program, non-lethal community cat initiatives, using legislation and litigation to save lives, and much more.
The interactive sessions will be hosted by Nathan Winograd and Mike Fry from Animal Ark and feature some of the most successful shelter directors, animal law attorneys, and advocates in the USA and beyond. One Friday afternoon each month, the webinars will be streaming live to computers worldwide.
For more information and to register, click here.
euthanasia
a euphemism
murder most foul
a moral schism
to “put to sleep”
as an animal takes
his/her last breath
call it what one will
death is still death
Karen Lyons Kalmenson
Our Compass 
NO KILL: have you ever read anything sweeter? NO KILL sounds good, and humane. Shut down puppy mills, spay/neuter, educate : it’s easy. Thank you very much Stacey •~♥♥♥~•
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I applaud Randy Grim.. Bless his big heart.. Blessings to all the staff, volunteers as well.. How wonderful to read something on animals that’s possitive.. I’d had always wanted to have a Rescue myself.. I remember in my youth that I’d bring home the hurt, abused, strays.. When we get the urge, we get a puppy/dog from a rescue.. We got a rescue just 3 yrs. ago.. WE love our animals/rescues.. Many other kinds of dogs don’t compare.. Keep the good works .. You ROCK!!!! Thank You for all your hard works, & caring.. Bless you all….
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euthanasia
a euphemism
murder most foul
a moral schism
to “put to sleep”
as an animal takes
his/her last breath
call it what one will
death is still death
LikeLike
Great post Stacey!! Thank you, timing is perfect, Connee just sent me “Redemption” by Nathan Winograd , am reading now. ..This is imparative, that we stop the killing now!!
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Excellent, Dom, please let me know how it is!
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