Updated 78 Days ago
Thanks to the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), approximately 360 animals lives were saved last month in the southwest Missouri town of Polk County. The rescue, which took place on August 12, was the largest animal rescue in the history of HSMO. A judge in Polk County officially awarded custody to HSMO on Tuesday, September 2, 2008.
Various animals were liberated from a private residence including 53 dogs, 43 rabbits, 11 cats, 26 ducks, 25 chickens, 21 guinea pigs, 10 goats, 1 pig and 170 koi fish and goldfish. The Humane Society reported that the animals had little or no access to sufficient food, water or shelter and many suffer from malnutrition.
Many of the domestic animals will be taken to the Humane Society's headquarters in St. Louis in hopes of being nourished back to health. The farm animals will be taken to HSMO's Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, and a hatchery is assisting Polk County in the care of the fish.
In addition to the largest rescue in their history, the Humane Society of Missouri Disaster Response Team has also been deployed to New Orleans to help with the animal relief effort in the midst of Hurricane Gustav. They are one of the few animal rescue groups in the country that have been officially requested to help in the animal evacuations and rescues.
If you love animals like I do and want to learn how you can help, click here.
If the animals could thank you, they would.