Volunteer opens no-kill shelter for dogs in Bollinger County

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. — Vanessa Murray sees a picture of dogs and becomes stirred with emotion.

"I see these dogs," she said, "and it's kind of like they're saying, 'Well, who'll play with me now?' and it's sad."

Murray is the director of a recently opened no-kill, not-for-profit dog shelter, Furry Animal Rescue Mission, or FARM, in Sedgewickville. She runs the only no-kill animal shelter in Bollinger County.

"They never euthanize them," said Sarah Moyers, a board member for FARM. "If they can find homes, good; but if not, we keep them" for life.

Murray began pursuing the idea of a no-kill animal shelter after she visited her son's grave about two years ago, and a dog would not leave his grave site. Murray's son, a lover of dogs, died when he was 18.

The encounter inspired Murray to do something for the memory of her son.

"I sort of took it as a sign," she said.

After months of preparation by Murray, FARM opened in January. The shelter has housed roughly a half-dozen dogs at a time since its inception, and Murray has been able to place three dogs in adopted homes so far.

FARM shelters dogs only and does not deal with cats. The Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary is the no-kill shelter in Cape Girardeau County. They take in with both cats and dogs.

Murray emphasized she does not act as a dogcatcher. She says many people call her to deal with an aggressive or abandoned dog in the neighborhood, but she does not have the training to do that.

"People dump dogs in general," she said. "I'm not animal control; I'm a volunteer."

Donations and grants

The start-up costs for the shelter were paid mostly out of Murray's own pocket, but she has received several donations along the way. The housing for the shelter was provided by old farm buildings on her husband and father-in-law's farm. She updated them to have kennels and changed the feeders to control portions for the dogs.

Rosetta Moyers, another board member, said they have gone around to corporations like Kmart to collect donations such as cages or damaged bags of dog food the store will not sell.

"But they won't tell you about it," she said. "You have to go there yourself."

Fundraisers, such as arts-and-craft fairs for children and yard sales, have also been an integral part of the organization's finances. At the fundraisers, Murray has a dog mascot she uses to attract attention and possible donors. The mascot made its most recent appearance at the 100-Mile Yard Sale in May.

Murray has also been pursuing some government grants.

"Vanessa has pretty much given her life to it right now," Rosetta Moyers said. "She has no job outside of this."

The organization's other goal is to prepare dogs for adoption.

"Dogs don't want to live in a kennel their whole life," Sarah Moyers said. "It's not a natural life."

But Murray does not accept every dog she is presented. She screens them for potential problems such as being aggressive around food or people. Murray will also not take a dog if it has certain diseases, such as heartworm, that might spread to other dogs in the shelter.

"She's trying to take in dogs in need of help," Sarah Moyers said, "but also adoptable."

Before releasing dogs for adoption, Murray provides vaccinations and has the dog spayed or neutered. She can deal with most medical issues herself, but the county requires a rabies shot to be given by a veterinarian.

tthomas@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 197