Pet Service Review

I just read this description of the rescue shelter in St. Louis and was amazed by the scope of its rescue/rehabilitation services. I am glad that it was a finalist in the Zootoo contest and wish it the best of luck in the final judging.I worked very hard for a tiny shelter in West Plains, MO, which finished 17th in the nation and was disqualified at the last minute (two days before the judges' visit) because of a frivolous lawsuit by a person on an adjoining property, charging the shelter with noise and odor and for devaluing his property. The charges were not true.Zootoo judges flew to our small community anyway and commended us for such a valiant effort to improve our shelter and promised that next year the language of the contest regulations will be changed to ensure that this kind of thing doesn't happen again.Despite the terrible disappointment of being disqualified at the last minute, the shelter and the community went ahead with the celebration and a hamburger/hotdog/potato salad/cake reward for the volunteers and all the people who worked so hard for the shelter in our Ozarks community of around 12,000 people. And Zootoo's CEO awarded us with plaques and a check from his own personal account for $3,000.We are proud that in an area where stray animals would have been shot a few years ago, there is this kind of awareness and support for our no-kill shelter. And I want to congratulate and offer best wishes to the St. Louis shelter for its vision and compassionate progress.West Plains will be back next year, so watch out, St. Louis!