Kat's Dog Tales

Lily and Noel pose in their kissing booth at the Hero's Hope Pet-Assist fundraiser on May 7, 2011.

Hero’s Hope Pet-Assist, a non-profit organization started by three women with a love for animals and people, held a fundraiser May 7, 2011, in Smithville, Mo.

Smithville resident Gina Westpfahl, Liberty resident Heddie Leger, and Edgerton resident Deborah Pack all have ties to animals in different ways. Through their work with animals, however, one thing became clear. People who are elderly, disabled or terminally ill need a way to get their health care needs met and know their animals will be alright in their absence.

“We take that burden off their shoulders,” Pack said. “We raise money to feed and care for the animals but also get them shots if the owner can’t afford them.”

The fundraiser was held in the parking lot of For Pet’s Sake with games, prizes donated by local businesses, a bulldog kissing booth and a dog fashion show. First place in the fashion show went to a Pomeranian named Chloe owned by Kurstin Martin, second place went to Bosco owned by Lawrence Dray, and third place to Pogi owned by Myla Davis.

The admittance fee was a bag of dry dog or cat food. Pack said the fundraiser garnered 95.5 pounds of pet food. The organization also received $238 in donations, and one dog was adopted.

“This is really good considering it was our first event in Smithville, and it was a weekend that landed on Mother’s Day, graduation and kids’ ball games,” Pack said.

K.C. Wolf was on hand to help usher people into the parking lot on U.S. 169 Highway. Smithville Mayor Brian Fullmer, members of the Smithville Police Department and the Smithville Fire Department made appearances at the fundraiser. Many of them, including the mayor, received kisses from Pack’s bulldog named Lilly.

Winners of the dog fashion show at Hero's Hope Pet-Assist fundraiser: (center) 1st place-Chloe with Kurstin Martin; (right) 2nd place-Bosco with Lawrence Dray; 3rd place-Pogi with Myla Davis.

Pack, a teacher at Outreach Christian School in Avondale, enlists the help of Lilly with her pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. The bulldog has attended class, sat with the children while they read, and will graduate with the students this month. But Lilly is different than most dogs the children have known – he is deaf. Pack said he has helped the young children learn to look past what’s on the outside and see what’s on the inside.

“Lilly doesn’t hear with his ears,” Pack said. “He hears with his heart.”

Leger, who is a certified dog trainer, owns the Rottweiler for which the organization is named. Hero is a therapy dog that was diagnosed with cancer. So far he has beaten the disease. Leger said she has one story she likes to tell that represents the kind of help that Hero gives to others who are sick. She said a woman who was in hospice wouldn’t speak to anyone until the day Hero came to visit her. Leger said the woman smiled and began talking to him. She improved daily until she was released.

“Not every patient has this dramatic of a recovery, but many will ask for a therapy dog such as Hero as part of their last wishes,” Leger said. “The dog helps them connect with their past life and good memories. The dog brings the world to them.” 

Westpfahl is a cat lover, and she owns two cats, one of which was tortured. She said Olivia has no tail, is missing one-half an ear and only has one eye. Fiona is deaf. Westpfahl said she likes taking care of imperfect cats.

“I want to try to get people to see when you adopt an animal, it doesn’t have to be perfect,” Westpfahl said. “When you get it home, it can be the perfect cat.”

Pack said that all of these animals represent segments of the population that Hero’s Hope Pet-Assist would like to help: the elderly, terminally ill and the disabled.

Rita Korener, who rescues dogs, brought some of her current canines to the Hero’s Hope fundraiser on May 7, 2011, with her own hope – to adopt out one or more of them.

Not all rescue groups are large organizations. Some are comprised of rescue homes and people who have the space and the heart to rescue animals from conditions they often find deplorable. People like Korener, who jokingly said her husband has a real job so she can rescue dogs and find them permanent homes, are also on the frontlines of the rescue mission.

Korener has help from family and friends, as well as other people who own rescue homes. Even though she doesn’t have a large organization, along with the donations, Korener said all of her doge are spayed or neutered and have their shots before they are adopted.

Kahner Tabor is all smiles as his mom, Marcia Tabor, gets his newly adopted puppy ready for the trip home.

At the fundraiser, Korener brought dogs rescued from different circumstances. She pointed at two of the puppies, one black and one blond, which she kept in a large pen under the awning to protect them from the heat. One slept and the other barked each time another dog strolled by with its owner. She said she rescued them from a puppy mill that was shut down.

“These are the last two out of 15 puppies we rescued,” Korener said.

St. Joseph resident Cynthia Jeney, who has fostered and adopted golden retrievers, said she has a particular disdain for puppy mills and unethical breeders. Her third foster dog was from a puppy mill, which was also shut down.

“The pup was quite a little hellion,” Jeney said.

However, the puppy calmed down and became quite obedient before going to its permanent home, she said. Two of the puppy’s brothers had heart murmurs, which is something Jeney said an ethical breeder would have caught earlier and retired the dam or sire from the breeding program.

Puppy mills are but one of the circumstances under which Korener has rescued dogs. She had one puppy with her that had lived with an animal hoarder.

One of the dogs ready for adoption that Rita Korener had at Hero's Hope fundraiser.

Sometimes even with the best intentions a dog which is adopted ends up back with the rescue group or home. Such was the case with a miniature pinscher that Korener adopted out. She said the new owners didn’t check on the dog for four hours after bringing it home. By then, the dog had escaped and ran the streets.

“(The dog) went to doggy jail,” Korener said.

She paid the fines to get the dog out, and the owners made her buy the dog back.

Korener’s wish came true the day of the fundraiser. Marcia Tabor adopted the black puppy that was so vocal for her young son, Kahner Tabor. After the dog, which Korener had named Big Ben, was out of the cage and on his leash his barking stopped.

If interested in adopting a dog, contact Korener at 816-790-3480.

St. Joseph resident Cynthia Jeney and Kansas City resident Melissa McMillan have both fostered dogs, and both of them ended up adopting one or more of the dogs they fostered.

Libby is one of McMillan's four rescue dogs.

McMillan, who has fostered off and on for about four years, first worked as a volunteer for animal shelters and rescue groups. Then something changed in her situation to make it possible for her to provide foster care – she got a fenced backyard. A fenced backyard is high on the list of most rescue organizations, she said. After taking an application, someone came to inspect her home.

“They check out the fence for holes – that kind of stuff,” McMillan said. “And they look at how the people interact with other animals they may already have.”

Niles came to Melissa McMillan as a foster dog, but ended up staying.

McMillan fostered dogs from two organizations, Friends of Parkville Animal Shelter and Chain of Hope. She received two dogs from each organization and they never left her home.

“I fell in love with them and kept them,” she said.

Jeney, who fostered golden retrievers for about two years, said the rescue group she works with also has very strict guidelines. GRRRR, Golden Recovery Retrieving Retrievers Rescue, has foster hosts fill out a questionnaire first.

“Then they send a member of the board to come to your house, inspect the property to make sure it’s safe and healthy for a golden, and then they start matching you up,” she said.

Melissa McMillan adopted Onyx after bringing him in as a foster dog.

McMillan is not partial to any particular breed, while Jeney works with only golden retrievers. Jeney, who had three foster dogs during the time she was participating, said she understands the nature, personality and impulses of golden retrievers. For people who are interested in one breed, there are plenty of breed-specific rescue groups. Plus, Jeney already had an elderly golden retriever, which got along well with her four cats. She got involved when a friend who had just adopted a golden retriever from GRRRR told her about the experience.

“Also, my friend pointed out that my really big fenced yard and my huge heart were ideal nurturing places for a lost, neglected, or abused golden,” she said. “Who could resist flattery like that?”

Once a foster home passes inspection and a match is made, the dog is taken to its foster home. Jeney said a rescue group member also brings along enough food and sometimes flea prevention medication to get started. Dogs have already been tested for behavior/aggression issues and treated for any health problems, she said.

“They reimburse foster parents for prescriptions, vet bills, and so on,” Jeney said.

Then the work of preparing the dog for its forever home begins, and the foster parents’ input is valued.

“The first couple of weeks in a foster home the dog is not put up for a ‘forever home’ adoption, at least not until the foster parent has given the OK,” Jeney said.

She said some dogs are ready right away, but others need work such as housebreaking and learning other manners. The rescue group takes precautions against impulsive Christmas-present adoptions. That was when Jeney received her foster dog.

“By the time the holidays were over, we were inseparable, and I re-named her Lily,” Jeney said. “That was 6 years ago.”

Lily and Trudy, rescue dogs, are happy in their new home. Cynthia Jeney adopted them.

Rescue groups and foster parents have a symbiotic relationship that works toward one goal – to find a forever home for dogs – even if the forever home turns out to be the foster home.

Wiggles has long hair, but not a double-coat.

Sherai McCracken, who is training to become a groomer at Hidden Valley Animal Hospital and Grooming Salon, said the first thing she learned was how to trim dogs’ nails. They taught her this first, most likely, because it is intimidating for the novice.

Keeping nails shorter is not simply a cosmetic procedure. Longer nails can present health problems. McCracken said that nails that become too long can affect the way a dog walks. Also, dogs can catch a longer nail on objects that tear it off, causing bleeding and pain.

McCracken offered some tips for trimming nails, including the fact that it becomes easier the more you do it. Black nails can be trickier than light nails. The quick, which is a bundle of nerves and sensitive, is pale pink on light-colored nails. With black nails, McCracken said to begin trimming a little at a time until you see a small, darker spot in the middle of the nail.

“To me (the spot) looks shiny,” she said. “That’s the quick.”

Clippers with a guard on the backside to stop the nail from sliding forward are available for purchase. Grinders are a newer tool on the market. According to The Ultimate Dog Lover, a book by veterinarian Marty Becker, columnist Gina Spadafori and animal rescue volunteer Carol Kline, the grinder might make grooming nails more pleasant for the dog and its owner.

“Many professional groomers and in-the-know dog owners now grind nails with few complaints from their canine charges,” the trio wrote in their book.

Their recommendation is slow introduction to the grinder. Over separate sessions, show the grinder to the dog, turn the grinder on, and get closer to the dog’s nail while the grinder is on until touching the dog’s nail. The owner should follow each session with praise and treats, the authors wrote.

Generally, every four to six weeks is the right amount of time for keeping a dog’s nails at a good length. Some dog’s nails may need extra care if they have become overgrown. For example, the rate of growth in older dogs may increase when they slow down on their digging and/or walking habits.

McCracken said a procedure called “tipping” will coax the quick to recede, and the dog’s nails will respond by becoming shorter. She said to clip the very tip off on a weekly basis. The grinder can be used a similar way, according to The Ultimate Dog Lover.

Accidents happen to even experienced groomers, and a severed quick will bleed, sometimes quite a lot. McCracken said to have styptic powder on hand to stop the bleeding if this should happen.

Molly has short hair, but it is still important to brush her on a regular basis.

Dogs benefit from brushing, even those with shorter hair. Obviously, owners of long-hair dogs will need to be more vigilant to keep matting and tangles to a minimum. And breeds with double-coats require brushing both coats.

“With double-coated breeds, the undercoat keeps growing and becomes like wearing a winter coat in the summertime,” McCracken said.

Jasper, a double-coated Pomeranian, needs special attention when getting brushed.

Owners of double-coated breeds must also be careful when cutting their pet’s fur. While some pet owners opt for shaving their dogs completely in the heat of the summer, McCracken warned against it with the double-coated breeds, such as Pomeranians.

“It depends on the breed,” McCracken said. “Shaving ruins a double-coated dog. It can grow back in wrong directions or get coarser.”

By learning how to give your dog spa treatments at home, your pet will be healthier, look better and get to spend some one-on-one time with his best friend – you.

TIMELINE

May 2, 2010: Over 190,000 signatures delivered to Secretary of State’s Office with the help of the coalition, Missourians for the Protection of Dogs. The coalition included Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, Humane Society of Missouri, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and individuals.

Aug. 3, 2010: Secretary of State’s office announced certification of the “puppy mill” initiative, which appeared as Proposition B on the November statewide ballot.

Aug. 13, 2010: Circuit judge in Cole County upheld the language of petition summary for the puppy mill proposition. The lawsuit, filed by President Karen Strange of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners (MoFed) and a lobbyist for commercial dog breeders, challenged the language of the petition summary, which Secretary of State Robin Carnahan drafted.

Feb. 15, 2011: House Agricultural Policy Committee voted unanimously to approve a bill that repealed key provisions in Prop B.

March 10, 2011: Senate voted on its version (SB113) of a repeal and rewrite of Prop B. The bill is approved with a 20 to 14 vote.

April 13, 2011: House approved SB113 with a vote of 85 to 71.

Before Prop B ever made it to the ballot in November 2010, the initiative was the center of debate for organizations and constituents. Now that 51.6 percent of Missouri voters have approved the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, Missouri lawmakers have invited themselves to the controversy. 

Robyn Bousum, vice-president for the Friends of Parkville Animal Shelter (FOPAS), voted in favor of Prop B. She has been an animal caretaker for years and has seen firsthand the damage that unscrupulous breeders cause.

“(FOPAS) ends up with dogs from puppy mills,” Bousum said. “They can’t walk right. Their gait is off because of living on a wire floor.”

One of the provisions in Prop B required that breeders keep dogs in cages large enough for them to stretch and move around, that are not stacked, and that are at floor level with wooden slats to protect the dogs’ feet from the wire cage.

The senate’s version of the bill, SB113, strips most of this provision. The exception is that dog cages can only be stacked if they have an impermeable barrier between them, except when cleaning.

Bousum said she can’t agree with dogs in a 29- or 30-inch crate without the ability to stretch or move around.

“I just think that’s cruel,” she said.

In addition, SB113 removes the penalty provisions in Prop B, which made it a Class C misdemeanor for each violation of the law. However the senate’s version, renamed the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act (CCPA), creates a new crime of canine cruelty.

Canine cruelty is defined as someone who repeatedly disobeys the ACFA or the CCPA by posing substantial risk to a dog. Canine Cruelty can result in a Class A misdemeanor, as well as anyone who is required to be licensed that stacks cages without a barrier, except when cleaning. The CCPA also added a civil penalty in which courts may assess violators up to $1,000.

According to a study conducted by the Better Business Bureau and released in March 2010, many puppies that come from Missouri breeders end up sick and costly for the purchaser. The statewide study on Missouri’s puppy mill industry was in response to the high number of reports received by the BBB from people and pet store owners who purchased puppies from commercial breeders. The BBB recommended that the state and federal Departments of Agriculture, which administer the puppy industry, pursue repeat offenders more aggressively.

Missouri resident Shane McCracken would agree with that recommendation. He said he was not in favor of Prop B due to a lack of enforcement. He also did not think Prop B, which created stricter regulations and made every violation a separate Class C misdemeanor, would stop people from breaking the law.

The BBB recommended that Missouri, which is home to 30 percent of all federally licensed puppy breeders, think about legislation to streamline prosecution of repeat offenders.

With only about 13 inspectors for the entire state, the CCPA may not do anymore to ensure enforcement than Prop B. In the CCPA, the director of the Department of Agriculture may refer a case to the attorney general or a prosecutor if violations go uncorrected. Then a prosecutor or the attorney general may bring an action, such as a restraining order, in an attempt for compliance.

“It can’t be left up to prosecutors because their hands area full,” Missouri resident Pat Reed said.

One more recommendation from the BBB was to increase license fees for commercial breeders, which has not been done in close to two decades. The current law imposes a maximum charge of $500 for licensing certain dog facilities, including dog breeding. The CCPA raises that amount to $2,500.

Another provision that the CCPA repeals is requiring breeders to have no more than 50 dogs for breeding. For both Bousum and Reed, this was a key provision in Prop B that they wanted to see made law.

The two bills also part ways where veterinarian requirements are concerned. Under the current law, veterinarians are required to make a visual inspection of dogs at a breeding facility twice per year. Prop B would have changed the requirement to a physical inspection of dogs at least once per year. The CCPA repeals this provision, reverting to current law.

Ire About More than Puppies

Missourians for the Protection of Dogs led a coalition of individuals and animal welfare organizations in a hard-fought campaign to land Prop B on the ballot. The coalition included the Humane Society of Missouri, the Humane Society of the United States, the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.

Bousum, who volunteered much time to garnering signatures for Prop B, said she is angry with lawmakers who have forgotten how hard the battle was to get this initiative on the ballot due to the process involved. To Bousum, the repeal of some parts of Prop B and the modifications to others is a slap in the face of the democratic process.

Reed also said she was disappointed to learn about the changes to Proposition B.

“The will of constituents is being ignored,” Reed said. “The people have already voted.”

Reed believes the reason the changes to Proposition B were not put on a ballot for the voters is because legislators already know the people would reject it.

“They’re not modifying (Prop B),” Reed said. “They are gutting it.”

Even though McCracken was against Prop B, he is not happy that Missouri legislators took it upon themselves to rewrite the law without putting it before the voters. He said he has a real lack of confidence in Missouri legislators right now.

“They obviously don’t believe we are capable of choosing wisely,” McCracken said.

McCracken pointed out that with the other problems in the state, he thought legislators should be spending time on more important issues rather than revisiting something the voters have already spoken on.

Bousum echoed that thought with a question: “Do they have nothing else to do?”

Sen. Rob Schaaf (R)-34

Sen. Rob Schaaf (R), whose 34^th district lies in Buchanan and Platte counties, voted for SB113, although 58.8 percent of his constituents voted in favor of Prop B. After repeated attempts to contact Schaaf, he did not return phone calls or answer emails.

However, during an interview in Jefferson City with stltoday.com, Schaaf told a reporter that his constituents did not understand the ramifications of passing Prop B. He said SB113 was a more balanced version of the law that will meet the voters’ goals.

The legislators must not be listening to Missourians like Reed, who has strong opinions about puppy breeders.

“Puppy mill people are not human,” Reed said. “They’re just after money.”

McCracken said the legislators are not listening to the people. According to a recent poll conducted by Lake Research Partners, McCracken might be dead-on.

The poll revealed that 59 percent of voters who have an opinion on the issue are against the Missouri Legislature repealing the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act. Forty-one percent favor the repeal. And of those who had an opinion, 64 percent want Gov. Jay Nixon to veto any repeal by the legislature. Another 36 percent want the repeal passed into law.

“I think it’s despicable that the Legislature ignored their constituents,” Bousum said. “It will be my pleasure to get them out of office.”

Perhaps what is most disappointing to Reed is the state’s reputation if Prop B is repealed.

“(Missouri) will still be the puppy mill capital,” she said. “If we cannot be responsible enough to take care of our lowliest of animals, how can we be expected to take care of our fellow man? And if the state will allow this treatment, they can’t be serious about crime.”

The CCPA goes to Gov. Jay Nixon next for his signature or veto.

I want to thank two readers, FDF and Linda, for their posts in reply to my commentary on March 25: “Prop. B Repeal Angers Voters.” Although they have differing views about Proposition B, both have some interesting points to make. Take a moment to read their comments.

FDF posted information about the changes between Proposition B and SB113. The Humane Society’s website also has a similar comparison chart. For readers who wish to, you can click on FDF’s name to be directed to a petition to “Stop Government Repeal of Proposition B.”

Linda posted a comment offering reasons that she feels make the modifications necessary. She also suggested a contact, the president of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, who is also a lobbyist. I’m interested in what she has to add to the story I’m writing now and plan to post this week.

Stories sometimes drag a reporter in different directions than she planned. Take the story I’m writing now, which is about Missouri’s Proposition B or “The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.” Voters approved this initiative last November. However, the Missouri Senate passed a modification of Proposition B last week. The Missouri House will be voting as early as next week.

Early on while interviewing sources from both sides of the issue, I realized one part of the story needed to be dedicated to the Missouri Legislature repealing Proposition B. Most of the folks I interviewed – those for and against Proposition B – were all livid about this.

One other issue also became clear to me. The people I interviewed, who were not dog breeders, didn’t know that their legislators were modifying the act. And they blamed the press for not covering this controversial topic.

Look for my three-part story next week, which will look at the new legislation, as well as opinions from voters on both sides of the issues.

A black female Labrador follows commands for Gladstone Animal Control Officer.

A stranger can tell quickly that they are siblings, but not solely based on their looks. The way they share in everything reveals their closeness. They take turns plucking toys from their big rubber tub, and they race to reach their balls as they bounce to the floor. Their tug-of-war rope is frayed at both ends.

The two sisters, which are black Labrador Retrievers, didn’t have names when they arrived at the Gladstone Animal Shelter in August 2010, according to Animal Control Officer Beth Gillespie. That’s when a woman called animal control to report that her neighbors moved and left the one-year-old Labs behind. Six months later at the shelter, they still have no names. Names aren’t necessary to form a bond, though, Gillespie said.

“We get pretty attached to them,” she said.

Darcy Meadows, also a Gladstone Animal Control Officer, said the two Labradors are young and healthy. Since time constraints are not a major consideration for euthanizing animals kept at Gladstone Animal Shelter, the dogs have a chance to be adopted.

“Euthanasia is the last resort,” Meadows said. “Lack of space is our biggest enemy.”

Three other northland cities – Platte City, Parkville and Smithville – also report lack of space as the leading cause for euthanizing stray dogs. Factors such as age, health and aggressiveness can sign a dog’s death warrant if a shelter reaches capacity, according to Robyn Bousum, who is the vice-president of Friends of Parkville Animal Shelter (FOPAS). 

A problem that worsens the issue of space is receiving dogs from Kansas City and/or unincorporated Clay and Platte counties, all of which have their own animal shelters. Wilson and Meadows said they strongly suspect they are receiving stray dogs that have not been found within their city limits. However, FOPAS accepts dogs from other areas such as Platte City and Plattsburg.

“We try to help those that don’t have another outlet,” Bousum said.

Platte City does not have its own animal shelter. Stray dogs found within the city limits are housed whenever possible at Jackson Animal Hospital, located just outside the city limits, according to Platte City Chief of Police Carl Mitchell.

For many years, Smithville kept its stray dogs at the water department. Chief of Police Ken Wilson said the dogs were kept in outdoor cages, which were covered partially with a roof. During very cold weather, employees of the city’s water department would come in on their own time to bring the dogs inside for warmth.

Then a new animal shelter was built. The funding came entirely from donations gathered in the name of 17-year-old Megan Kitchen, a Smithville High School student who died in a 2008 car accident. Laurie Kissinger, Kitchen’s mother, said her daughter loved animals, and this cause would make her proud. The animal shelter was completed on Dec. 18, 2010, just in time to beat the first blizzard of the winter.

“As the snow hit, I was walking the last dog inside,” she said.

One of two sister Labrador Retrievers which have been housed at the Gladstone Animal Shelter for six months.

The shelters are funded in different ways. Smithville’s shelter was built entirely through donations of time, skill and money. But the food, dog supplies and veterinarian bills are paid out of Smithville’s general fund. Much of Gladstone’s funding comes from the city budget, according to Angie Lee, the animal shelter’s supervisor. Platte City refunds Jackson Animal Hospital its incurred costs by fining the owners once they are located, Mitchell said. Volunteers, according to the website, do almost all of the work at FOPAS. Also, Parkville’s shelter is funded through donations and fund-raising events. The cities work closely with rescue groups, too.

“We’re going to do everything to get (the dogs) adopted out,” Wilson said.

The folks at Gladstone Animal Shelter are doing all they can to find homes for the two sister Labs with no names. The two have been through much together, but Gillespie doesn’t think they will end up in the same adoptive home together. She said it is better to split them apart in order to save them both. For now the two black Labradors, one with a bit more white than the other, share a large pen, eat together and dream together when they sleep – perhaps of a new home.

Volunteer Cruz Esteban helps stack dog food at new building.

The quest began almost two years ago when the noose of the nation’s great recession began to tighten.

The mission of a handful of people was to open The Northland Pet Pantry, which put donated pet food and supplies into the hands of families who might otherwise lose their cat, dog or bird.

Pet owners in the northland, like everywhere else, faced a heart-breaking choice: pay for the human family’s basic needs or care for the family pets. Finances would not allow for both. 

“A lot of what we see is people out of work,” Northland Pet Pantry President Jennifer Fulton said. “There’s no reason for the animals to suffer.”

The Northland Pet Pantry opened for business in April 2009; however, the nonprofit organization didn’t have a physical place of business.

Instead, churches and businesses scattered throughout the northland agreed to serve as drop-off sites for individuals and businesses to donate food, supplies and cash. Three times per month board members and volunteers worked to hand out food at locations in Liberty, Riverside and Smithville.

“Since day one we’ve been looking for a permanent building,” Fulton said. “It’s been so cool to see it come to fruition.”

Board members signed a lease on a building to call their own in January of this year, which is located at 104 N.E. 72^nd St., Suite B, Gladstone, Mo.

The first day of operation at the new location was Saturday, Feb. 12, and about 30 of the Northland Pet Pantry registered recipients found their way to the new location.

“A line formed about 9 a.m. and we didn’t even open until 10 a.m.,” board member Melissa McMillin said.

The organization currently has over 60 recipients registered through the new punch-card system, McMillan said. Because individuals are limited to eight donations per year, McMillan said the punch-card system has made tracking this and inventory easier.

The Northland Pet Pantry currently has pet food, collars, treats, cat litter, hamster bedding and kennels. A shortage of dry cat food seems to be a constant.

Those in need of assistance can come by between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday at the new location throughout the month of February. 

For more information on donations or help, visit The Northland Pet Pantry Web site at www.northlandpetpantry.com.