History

 

Men will be just toward men when they are charitable toward animals. Henry Bergh Founder of the American humane movement

January 3, 1870

Admirers of Henry Bergh's philosophies found the Humane Society of Missouri, just four years after Bergh's first ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is founded in New York City. Sketchy records indicate that George Patridge is the first president for the Humane Society of Missouri. Business is conducted from a small, one-room office in downtown St. Louis at 1618 Carr Street. Animals were housed in an old, weather-beaten shed, and during cold weather, were brought inside the office, where business went on as usual.

1874

Back in New York, Mary Ellen, a 10-year-old abused and neglected child, was carried by Bergh into the courtroom wrapped in a horse blanket. The child displayed a mass of scars from repeated beatings and mutilations and was severely malnourished. However, according to the laws of the day, she was completely at the mercy of her mother. Bergh asked that the child be treated like a "dumb animal" and placed into the hands of the ASPCA as animals were now protected from this kind of abuse. The unprecedented verdict states that Mary Ellen would be committed to "the Sheltering Arms" of the ASPCA. Her mother was sentenced to prison for one year.

1911

The first horse ambulance is placed in service to help rescue animals in distress and investigate nearly 1,500 cases of abuse and neglect in St. Louis.

1924

St. Louis socialite Mary Mitchell calls attention to the lack of watering troughs for horses. She decides to alleviate their suffering by installing a fountain service adjacent to her home in the fashionable Central West End.

1927

The Humane Society of Missouri helps nearly 14,000 animals. In these early years, the Humane Society of Missouri also cared for abused and neglected children as a result of the landmark case involving Henry Bergh and young Mary Ellen.

1928

John Lichter donates $30,000 for a new building to be located at 1210 Macklind Avenue. The donation was made in memory of his wife, Irene, who had been a director for the Humane Society of Missouri for many years.

1932

Eric Hansen becomes the first General Manager of the Humane Society of Missouri. The Humane Society of Missouri handles a record number of animals - nearly 33,000 animals -- while contributions decrease in size and number due to the Great Depression. The Humane Society of Missouri conducts free clinics for pets and their eligible owners. On Tuesdays and Fridays, WIL Radio broadcasts descriptions of stray dogs and cats in hopes of reaching their owners. The Humane Society of Missouri also makes national news by scattering birdseed from an airplane to birds unable to feed themselves in the severe winter weather.

May, 1933

Newspaper headlines read "Humane Society of Missouri Broke and In Debt." The debt was the sum of $5,000 of unpaid salaries.

1937

It is revealed that Miss Mary Mitchell (the animal-loving socialite) had contributed more than $50,000 to cover annual deficits throughout a period of 15 years. In an effort to help curb violent behavior, the Humane Society of Missouri gives cameras to boys in exchange for air rifles. The theory behind this practice is "It's better to shoot with a camera than with a gun."

1940

Arnold M. Amundsen becomes Director of the Humane Society of Missouri. 1942 The Mary C.J. Todd Memorial Hospital and Clinic is built with funds she has bequeathed.

1945

Fritz K. Grolock becomes Director of the Humane Society of Missouri. While Grolock is president, the Humane Society of Missouri enlarges the clinic facilities to include a new waiting room, examination rooms and resident veterinarians quarters. The Humane Society of Missouri, which served as the only area animal/child welfare group of its kind, discontinues service to children due to the development of other agencies meeting child welfare needs.

1948

A crematory for animals goes into operation at the Humane Society of Missouri. This is the first time pet owners can have their pets cremated and keep the ashes.

1951

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch creates a tradition with the introduction of "Dog of the Week", later changed to "Pet of the Week".

1955

The first female veterinarian in the state of Missouri, Dr. Suzanne Saueressig joins the Humane Society of Missouri as a staff clinician. Originally from Germany, Dr. Saueressig hopes to learn as much as possible about American veterinary medicine and then travel on to South America and Africa to continue her learning process. However, shocked by the horrific pet overpopulation problem in the United States, Dr. Saueressig instead begins a 50+-year career with the Humane Society of Missouri, "chipping away at an iceberg with a teaspoon."

1962

The Humane Society of Missouri gives sanctuary to a 200-pound lioness. The lion lives in the basement for many weeks and becomes quite a friend to many of the 25 employees.

1963

Donald H. Anthony becomes General Manager and facilitates a fact-finding mission of some of the larger and newer shelters in the eastern United States. This trip was to analyze the Humane Society of Missouri's need for new and improved shelter facilities.

March, 1965

Two new adoption wings with a total capacity of 52 animals are in use. Each housing unit has inside-outside facilities with heated floors and running water. The remodeled puppy adoption area displays new, stainless steel puppy cages and allows for 40 puppies. Two new community cat areas debut. The size of the cages in the stray holding section is reduced, thereby permitting fewer dogs to be put in the same cage.

1965

To help curb the pet over population, the Humane Society of Missouri begins spaying all female dogs and cats adopted through the shelter.

1966

Dr. Suzanne Saueressig is promoted to Chief of Staff and is forever affectionately known by Humane Society of Missouri staff as "Chief". Two additional hospital wards are added to relieve the crowded conditions in the nearly 40-year-old building. Improved surgical and preparation facilities are another feature of this department. Also added are a self-contained laundry and sterilization room; improved laboratory facilities; a 120-seat humane education auditorium for use by employees, school children, civic groups and animal-related organizations; and a fleet of 10 vehicles, including two animal ambulances, an investigation unit and an education vehicle called "Know Us Ark".

1968

The first dog obedience class graduates at the Humane Society of Missouri. A baby jaguar is in custody of the Humane Society of Missouri. The baby jaguar had been found locked in a closet at the nearby Chase Park Plaza Hotel, guarding what remained of a $47,000 bank robbery.

1970

The 70 employees of the Humane Society of Missouri celebrate 100 years of service to people and animals. The Humane Society of Missouri appears each week on episodes of KTVI-TV's Romper Room with various animals.

1974

The resident veterinarians quarters built in 1940 are converted to administration offices. To help relieve the overcrowding problem at the Macklind Avenue location, Elizabeth N. Parrish donates funds for a branch facility located in Maryland Heights.

1975

The Humane Society of Missouri Auxiliary is formed by a group of dedicated women with the hope of raising funds to subsidize different needs of the Humane Society of Missouri. Their first exciting endeavor is to organize a pet supply shop, "Adopt n' Shop," located within the Macklind Avenue headquarters. It is the first shop of its kind in the country within a humane society, and is so successful that another shop is opened at the Maryland Heights branch. The Branch is also soon equipped with a clinic and laboratory thanks to the Auxiliary, which provides funds for the additions.

1976

Neutering of male cats becomes mandatory at the Humane Society of Missouri.

1979

The Visiting Pets program is established, a program in which volunteers with their own pets visit area nursing homes and hospitals, bringing joy and delight to individuals who can no longer have pets of their own.

1980

The Auxiliary opens a spay/neuter clinic at the Maryland Heights Branch.

1981

The Auxiliary contributes $80,000 for a wing expansion at Maryland Heights Branch.

1983

A pioneering idea by Sue Gassner, director of education, and KMOX radio personality Jack Carney pairs older pets with senior citizens through the Golden Friendship program. (This program was taken to a nationwide level through the Ralston Purina "Pets for People" program, directed by Kathryn Wright.)

Governor Kit Bond signs into law the revised statute allowing, for the first time in Missouri history, search and seizure warrants to be obtained to aid in the rescue of abused or neglected animals. This historical signing takes place in the Humane Society of Missouri auditorium.

1984

The importance of teaching humane education is recognized with the first Humane Educator of the Year award.

July, 1984

The Humane Society of Missouri is featured in a live broadcast of the NBC TODAY show with hosts Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumbel and Williard Scott in downtown St. Louis.

1985

Volunteers from the St. Louis community, animal control and other rescue groups join Humane Society of Missouri employees in a daring rescue of more than 55 horses at Creve Coeur Stables, saving these horses from drowning after the Missouri River levy surrenders to flood waters.

1988

The Humane Society of Missouri opens its Large-Animal Rehabilitation Center at the George H. Packwood Animal Sanctuary and Longmeadow Farm in Union, Missouri. Situated on 165 acres of land positioned in a valley surrounded by trees, the rehabilitation center is home to abused and neglected horses, cows, goats and other farm animals while they are rehabilitated and placed up for adoption.

1989

The Humane Society of Missouri debuts the Cinderella Program, a fund dedicated to giving animals a second chance at life by paying for the veterinary medical care of stray, injured animals with minor medical problems that might otherwise prevent them from being adopted.

1990

The Humane Society of Missouri celebrates 120 years of helping animals.
In spite of previous building additions and improvements, the 62-year-old headquarters on Macklind Avenue is code-deficient and inefficient to operate. To increase programs and services to better serve the animals and people of the St. Louis community, a new building is needed. Architects, building consultants and Humane Society of Missouri staff examine animal shelters and veterinary medical centers across the United States.

1990

Kids For Critters Camp is created, allowing St. Louis children an opportunity to spend one week during their summer vacation learning about the joys and responsibilities of caring for pets.

1993

The annual dog walk Bark in the Park debuts to promote awareness for Humane Society of Missouri programs.

The Humane Society of Missouri pulls together to work 24-hours-a-day to help thousands of pets displaced by the Great Flood of 1993. Animals are rescued from water-logged abandoned homes and dangerous environments. Pets find solace in temporary foster homes while their owners rebuild their lives. The Humane Society of Missouri reunites lost pets with their families after weeks of separation. Those animals not claimed after the flood are placed up for adoption and find new homes.

1994

The Humane Society of Missouri makes it mandatory for each animal adopted to receive a microchip implanted between its shoulder blades. The microchip, detected by a scanner found at all area animal shelters and veterinarian offices, enables the Humane Society of Missouri to increase reunions between lost pets with their owners by nearly 75 percent.

1995

The Foster Care Program debuts, allowing newborn animals a chance to mature prior to adoption. Puppies younger than 6-weeks-of-age and kittens not yet 8 weeks gain weight and are socialized through the efforts of dedicated foster parents.

1996

To encourage all pet owners to have their pets microchipped, the Humane Society of Missouri begins hosting annual Chip-a-thons, allowing pets to be fitted with a microchip for a nominal fee. The first Chip-a-thon draws a crowd of more than 2,000 people; nearly 700 pets are microchipped.

April, 1996

The new building's fundraising campaign kicks off with a press conference announcing the future new headquarters. A preexisting warehouse, located directly across the street on Macklind Avenue, will be renovated to serve as the new home for the Humane Society of Missouri. Renovating an existing building saves the Humane Society of Missouri millions of dollars. This fact, combined with the concept of having more space to help rehabilitate more animals appeals to the thousands of St. Louisans who donate to the fundraising campaign. October, 1996 Ground is broken for the new headquarters on Macklind Avenue.

Spring of 1997

Staff members Jan Chipperfield and Stan Flowers head north to Grand Forks, North Dakota to help rescue animals trapped by raging flood waters. After working with other animal rescue teams from the American Humane Association, the two staff members return with stories of the worst flooding ever seen in that state but tales of triumph in their endeavors.

January 4, 1998

The new headquarters opens to the public with a Parade of Pets from the old facility. Community representatives including St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon and St. Louis County Executive Buzz Westfall escort dogs, cats, puppies and kittens across the street into the new building.

In 1998

Pet Etc. classes are added to the Education Department's summer curriculum. The one-day seminars for children focus on specific animal-related issues such as caring for a puppy and the proper care of birds.

October, 1998

The Large-Animal Rehabilitation Center celebrates its 10th anniversary of helping rehabilitate abused and neglected farm animals by hosting an open house celebration enabling the public to tour the farm and visit the many resident animals awaiting adoption.

February, 1999

The former Humane Society of Missouri headquarters is demolished, having served the people and pets of St. Louis for nearly 70 years.

April, 1999

Ground is broken for Carol Gates Throop Memorial Park on the site of the former headquarters.

May, 1999

The Humane Society of Missouri sends a contingent of five employees to Oklahoma City to rescue animals displaced by the massive Category 5 tornado. While investigating an area strewn with cars and pieces of destroyed homes, a traumatized 2-week-old kitten was found hidden beneath the hood of a car. "Okie" was brought home to Missouri and placed into a foster home until she was healthy enough for adoption.

June, 1999

Carol Gates Throop Park officially opens to the public with Paws in the Park, a celebration with community representatives, including St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon, and St. Louis County Executive Buzz Westfall, immortalizing their handprints and their pets' pawprints in cement at the entrance of the park. Built on the site of our former headquarters as a tribute to the countless millions of people and pets who were helped during the nearly 70 years at that location, Carol Gates Throop Memorial Park contains a columbarium where pet lovers may inter their pet's ashes. Personalized bricks inscribed with donors' names are among the fundraising opportunities available from the park's creation.

September, 1999

The Humane Society of Missouri enters the electronic age with the debut of a website, www.hsmo.org. Internet users view Pets on the Net, read the newsletter, order merchandise from the Gift Shop, mark their event calendar and vote in an online pet photo contest.

June, 2000

Former employee Kathryn Wright Warnick returns to the Humane Society of Missouri, this time as President and Executive Director.

2000

Pre-adoption spay/neuter program established, ensuring that all pets are spayed or neutered prior to being available for adoption and will not contribute to pet overpopulation.

2001

Operation SNIP (Spay/Neuter Initiative Program) launched. Funded by donations, the surgeries are performed at the Macklind Avenue veterinary-medical center one day per week for just $9.95 per pet no matter what the owner's income status.

2002

Operation Pet Partners is formed, comprised of the region's four leading animal care organizations: Humane Society of Missouri, Animal Protective Association of MO, St. Louis City Animal Center, St. Louis County Animal Control

2003

Since behavior problems are the number one reason pets are relinquished to animal shelters, the Humane Society of Missouri tackles the issue:

• The type and quantity of obedience training classes offered are increased by 63 percent.
• The Pet Behavior Helpline is established, offering customized, person-to-person answers for more than 500 annual calls and e-mails.

2004

The non-profit watchdog group Charity Navigator deems the Humane Society of Missouri a top-rated charity, awarding four stars out of four. The goal of Charity Navigator is to provide objective, unbiased analytical information regarding whether charities are spending money wisely so donors can determine if giving to those charities is a sound decision. By receiving four stars, the Humane Society of Missouri ranked as high as the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis University and Washington University.

2005

In January, the Humane Society of Missouri assisted the Greene County Sheriff’s Office in rescuing 120 horses from a 180-acre property outside of Republic, Missouri. Many of the horses were starving and sick and several dead horses were found. The owner was charged with 39 misdemeanor counts of animal abuse, animal neglect and failure to dispose of animal carcasses. This was the largest horse rescue in Longmeadow Rescue Ranch's history.

In February, the Humane Society of Missouri reaches an amazing milestone – more 250,000 dogs and cats have been spayed or neutered by the organization. It is an amazing number of animals and a huge step in curbing the pet overpopulation problem in St. Louis.

In February, Dr. Suzanne Sauressig celebrates her 50th anniversary of service at the Humane Society of Missouri.

In May, accompanied by renowned animal ambassador, Joan Embery, a long-time supporter of the Humane Society of Missouri, Longmeadow Rescue Ranch Barn Buddies are featured on NBC’s Today Show.

On August 31, the Humane Society of Missouri sent a Disaster Response Team to assist national and local animal welfare and emergency management organizations in the rescue of pets affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

The team consisted of 10 staff members in six vehicles, including a disaster response trailer that can hold 50-100 animals; a livestock trailer equipped for large or small animals; a 14-ft. Jon boat; a support equipment trailer (with generators, chain saws, animal food and other supplies) and an RV to serve as living quarters. The team rescued hundreds of lost and injured pets from Jackson, Mississippi all the way into New Orleans, Louisiana under daunting and adverse conditions.

2006

May 13 -- Bark in the Park, the Humane Society of Missouri's largest fundraising event, returns to Forest Park. Nearly 2,000 people and dogs braved blustery weather to raise money for the animals and walk the red carpet into the Bark in the Park Goes Doggywood event.

November 9 -- Chesterfield Valley Center opens for business with a colorful, open and airy adoption and pet-themed boutique retail presence. The center boast a cageless environment using tempered glass animal enclosures for maximum human-to-pet interaction with minimum germ transmission. A veterinary clinic with three exam rooms also is housed in the center. The center fills a community need as the only animal welfare and shelter organization located in the Chesterfield area. The new center is the Humane Society of Missouri’s third location, joining the Headquarters in St. Louis City on Macklind Avenue and the Westport-area Branch in Maryland Heights.

September 27 -- 42 horses in an overcrowded, double-deck tractor-trailer were headed to a slaughter house in Illinois when the trailer swerved and overturned on Interstate 44 in Franklin County, Missouri. The horrific accident left 16 of the animals dead. Fortunately, a team of emergency rescuers and veterinarians led by Earlene Cole, director of the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, were able to rescue 25 horses and one hinny. They are now known as our Horse Heroes.

December 14 -- Longmeadow Rescue Ranch's Barn Buddies make a second appearance on NBC's Today Show.

2007

April 18 -- Twist of Fate, or "Twister", was born to Mama, a Thoroughbred mare that was pregnant and bound for the slaughterhouse when she was rescued from a horrific tractor trailer accident on Interstate 44 last September.

May 19 -- The 15th annual Bark in the Park, A Walk for Animals and Country Fair, lands a perfect day; offers Missouri vendors and Country Fair food and attractions and draws the largest crowd in the event's history.


June 5 -- Twenty-eight large-breed dogs were rescued from a substandard puppy mill in Morgan County while the remains of thirty other dogs were discovered in shallow graves on the property. One month later, sixty small-breed dogs were rescued from a substandard puppy mill in Bollinger County. Many of the dogs had hair that was so matted they were unable to see or move their legs freely. Missouri is estimated to have one of the highest number of substandard puppy mills in the United States.

June 8 -- Working in cooperation with the Howell County Sheriff’s Department, the Humane Society of Missouri rescues the largest number of animals in the history of its Longmeadow Rescue Ranch. Among the animals rescued from the property were: 5 horses, 61 goats, 53 ducks including numerous ducklings, 99 chickens including numerous chicks, 11 turkeys, 5 dogs, 1 cat, 8 exotic birds and 10 doves.

September 27 -- Humane Society Emergency Rescue Team was again called into action to rescue 62 cattle from a double-deck trailer that overturned on the exit ramp from the Poplar Street bridge to I-70 in downtown St. Louis. Forty-four yearling bulls survived the accident. One additional surviving bull escaped into the wooded area near the Arch grounds. Despite rescuers valiant efforts the following morning, the bull became entrapped in a rocky area on the riverfront, fell into a small ravine and died.