18 Million born each year in USA

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that in just seven years, it is possible for one female cat and her offspring to produce 420,000 cats. Likewise, a fertile dog can produce two litters in one year; each containing six to 10 puppies. In six years, a female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

In the United States alone more then 50,000 puppies and kittens are born each day. The sad, but true fact, there are not enough homes or foster homes for 18 million new puppies or kittens.

What happens to all theses animals?

A small amount of them have or will find a home. Some will be stuck outside and will likely die of starvation, temperature extremes, be hit by cars, infected with lingering, debilitating diseases, stolen by laboratory dealers, used as bait by dogfighters, attacked by other animals, or tortured and/or killed by cruel people.

There is an easy, effective, ethical, and inexpensive solution to pet overpopulation and thus decrease the number of animals that die. By adopting from shelters instead of buying from pet stores, puppy mills, or breeders, and always having animals spayed or neutered.

Spaying and neutering is not only the best way to reduce animal overpopulation, it is also a good way to prevent certain health and behavioral problems in cats and dogs. Spaying reduces the stress and discomfort females endure during heat periods, eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, and greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males much less likely to roam or fight, and helps prevent testicular cancer.

The animals that are adopted from the Humane Society, if old enough, are spayed or neutered before going home. The ones that are too young, the family pays a deposit, is given a discount certificate to use at their veterinarian for the surgery and a deadline is set to get the surgery done. If the surgery is done within the time given, the family will get their $30.00 deposit back. The Humane Society also offers assistance to low income people to have their cat or dog spayed or neutered. If their income is within the state guidelines the cost is very minimal, $25.00 for a cat and $35.00 for a dog.

Millions of innocent animal die every year because of greed, vanity, and laziness. Their lives are in your hands, please be a part of the solution, have your pets spayed or neutered.

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is what is referred to as an OPEN DOOR SHELTER. An Open Door Shelter does euthanize when space is needed. An Open Door Shelter does not have the option of closing their doors when full, they must make room. The phrase "No Kill Facility" means they only euthanize when it is medically needed and not to make room. A No Kill Facility can only house and care for a certain number of animals, when they reach that number they will not take in more, until space is available.

An open door shelter and no kill facility both have short term foster homes. Foster home are great and needed, but fostering could turn into hoarding unless the foster parents only take in a limited number at one time. A foster home should only take what they can personally care for. Before a foster family decides to take in several, they should first check with their local authorities and with the Department of Agriculture, the state does have guidelines and laws pertaining to foster homes.

Being an open door shelter the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri must keep the doors open and continue to accept the homeless, unwanted, neglected or abused animals. We must obey the rules and regulations set by the Department of Agriculture. The animals must be confined, and of course unaltered males and females must be kept in different kennels. Due to the health and condition of some animals that are brought to us we try to keep them from spreading possible diseases by not housing them in kennel runs together. We adopt out animals to hopefully forever homes, send some to rescues or larger Humane Societies and place some in foster homes while they await an opening in a rescue.

I'm sure everyone has read stories about puppies or kittens being found in dumpsters, left at the front door, tied to a tree, thrown out a car window, pulled from the river, or found in a taped up box. Everyone's heart goes out to them and the people want to help. These type of stories are not uncommon to the staff at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, this cruelty is something we see everyday. It is sad, it is sickening, and it is something we face each day. It isn't a story to us, it is part of the reason we go to work. We start each day with a prayer, Please give us the strength to help those that can not help themselves.

A larger and more efficient shelter is something that the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri has needed for many years. We hope the community will step forward with donations to help build a new shelter.

The building plans have been designed with animal space, care and health being the most important elements. Keeping them healthier longer, less stressed, and more socialized will make them more adoptable.

The homeless,neglected and abused animals need a new building. Your help is needed so they can get their new,larger, more efficient,and healthier shelter.

Out of the 18,000,000 puppies and kittens born each year in the United States...........

the only kind word or gentle touch many of them ever receive is from the technician who must end their lives because there simply are not enough homes or space to keep them all.