Results: Last year we adopted out 1,051 cats and dogs into loving, forever homes.
Target demographics: Our Vision is a loving, safe, and forever home for every dog and cat.
Direct beneficiaries per year: Over 1,200 dogs and cats.
Geographic areas served: We mainly serve St. Charles, St. Louis, Lincoln, Jefferson, Franklin Counties.
Programs: Five Acres Animal Shelter is the only no-kill animal shelter in St. Charles County and one of the largest in the greater St. Louis region. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we rely on community support and private donors, as we do not receive any government funding.
The emphasis of Five Acres Animal Shelter centers around four main programs that work to benefit animals and educate the public.
1. Animal Adoption Services: We offer adoption programs that unite pets with individuals and families wanting to bring companion animals into their lives.
a) The Pet Adoption Program placed 1,051 cats and dogs in forever homes in 2017.
b) All of our adoptable animals are spayed or neutered. The importance of spaying and neutering cannot be overstated, as we continue to see the rise in animals taken to shelter sites. Five Acres requires that each animal be evaluated by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine prior to being made available for adoption. Dogs are tested for heartworms and placed on a preventative treatment, and cats are tested for FeLV and FIV. Additionally, each animal is micro-chipped, vaccinated, and dewormed prior to adoption to a qualified family.
c) Our organization has developed a Mobile Adoption Program, operated largely by community volunteers, which involves showcasing shelter animals at different locations throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. This is an opportunity to increase awareness of our shelter and help available shelter animals find homes. We have seen an increase in adoptions since beginning this program.
2. Community Assistance: The AniMeals Pet Food Pantry offers support to individuals and families living on limited incomes due to loss of employment, age, or illness by providing supplemental pet food, which may prevent pet abandonment. In 2017, this program distributed over 24,000 pounds of food and helped more than 1,300 cats and dogs stay in their homes. This safety net program helps keep animals united with their families and in loving homes despite financial challenges.
3. Shadow's Fund: Also referred to as our special needs program, Shadow's Fund is a lifeline for companion animals in life-threatening health situations that need emergency veterinary care. We are conscious of our responsibility to make the best health decision for each animal in the shelter and not to prolong needless suffering. In many cases, however, corrective surgery or medication for things such as heartworms or parvovirus will make the difference between life and death for our animals, which given time can provide years of companionship to individuals and families. With the completion of our new Feline Building and more animals in our care, we expect to see more Special Needs cases, especially since we are uniquely one of the only shelters in the area that cares for FIV and FeLV positive felines.
4. Education Programming: Our organization offers educational programs to interested groups on a range of animal topics. We visit schools, community centers and offer on-site tours to educate the community about our work and how they can help. The topics covered include basic animal care, the benefits of animal adoption and what it means to be a responsible pet owner. In 2017, we presented to more than 500 youth in our community. While our work helps to save lives, we know that a great deal of education and outreach is needed to help solve the long term problem of pet overpopulation and the mistreatment of animals. We also offer monthly educational opportunities to Five Acres volunteers. Those training sessions include topics such as pet photography, bathing and grooming, using agility equipment, canine and feline enrichment, and basic obedience training. Subjects are chosen based on the interests of the volunteers and the needs of the shelter pets. Many of the skills taught in these training sessions can be used outside of the shelter environment and within our adoption program.
