Home

Adoption information
Adoptable dogs
Adoptable cats
Adoption forms

How we began
Facts about HTAS
FAQs

Educational program

Sponsorship/donations
Sponsor a buddy
Give a donation
Buy a t-shirt
Contribute to the wishlist
Sponsors

Foster program

Happy Tails photos

Happy Tails tips

Contact us

Q: What are your shelter hours and where are you located?

A: We do not operate a permanent facility at this time. All of our animals are living with wonderful foster families and are shown by appointment only. If you are interested in one of our wonderful animals please e-mail us and we would be happy to provide you with any additional information on that particular animal. You may also call us at (573) 445-1680 but our budget does not allow us to return many long distance calls. Please call only if you consider it an emergency situation. You must also remember that a lot of our work takes place in the evenings and on weekends.

Q: What is the adoption donation?

A: The adoption donation is $175 for dogs and $75 for cats adopted through HTAS. This includes all shots, spay/neuter surgery, heartworm test for dogs/FeLeuk test for cats, microchipping and de-worming. All animals are thoroughly checked by our veterinarian. This donation helps defray the monumental expenses we have with our animals. Usually training has begun also. Our foster families work on housebreaking if needed, sit, down and walking on a leash. (Our animals are so lucky to have such wonderful people taking care of them!)

Your adoption donation includes the following:

• All animals are spayed/neutered prior to adoption. Average cost $75.
• All animals will have updated shots. This includes rabies - $15; DHLPP - $15; Bordetella $15; FVRCP - $24; wormed $10.
• All dogs are tested for heartworms and placed on preventative - $15; cats are tested for FeLeuk - $22.
• All animals are microchipped - $45.
• DewClaws are removed on dogs if necessary - $45 per limb plus sedative.
• All animals receive a physical - $22

if you price out the above, the range would be $212 for dogs (not including dewclaw removal) and $228 for cats.

Our adoption donation of $175 for dogs and $75 for cats is very reasonable. The above range does not include food or emergency medical care which would increase the initial cost.

Q: I contacted you via e-mail or phone and have not heard back from you.

A: We receive numerous calls and e-mails daily. All of our volunteers have jobs elsewhere and give unselfishly of their time to help the animals in our care. Each of your inquiries is important to us and we take your questions, comments and suggestions very seriously. Please give us as much information as you can when contacting us with a question. Our budget does not allow us to return many long distance phone calls so please use that option only in an emergency. E-mail is less expensive. Once we have a building we hope to have full-time volunteers staffing the phones and e-mails, so send in those tax-deductible donations!

Q: There are so many animal rescue groups. What makes your organization different?

A: Each group has a different approach toward the problem of abandoned and unwanted animals. Some just take purebreds, some have size restrictions, some only take cats and some only take the "easy to place animals." It is true that our sanctuary cannot take aggressive animals in for safety reasons as our foster families have children and we cannot put them in any type of danger. Although we primarily take in dogs and cats, we have also taken in birds, rabbits, goats, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, potbellied pigs and even an iguana. We take in animals that are injured, ill, abused and discarded and nurse them back to health with love, medical assistance and trust. That's what makes us so special and we hope that this devotion merits your financial support.

Q: If I donate to your sanctuary how will the money be spent?

A: Donations are used for many expenses including, but not limited to:

• Veterinary expenses. Some animals require more care than others. All of our animals are spayed/neutered before placement, heartworm and Feleuk negative, all shots (including bordetella), wormed and provided antibiotics if necessary.
  
• $20 guarantees a lifesaving vaccination for a dog or cat;
• $50 guarantees comprehensive medical care for one dog or cat;
• $100 supplies medical care and food for one animal and
• $200 helps rescue, rehabilitate and find homes for a litter of puppies.
• Pet food and cat litter if needed.
• Assists in helping defray the costs of printing brochures, adoption contracts, flyers, etc.
• Although we do try and get local businesses to help sponsor our newspaper ads, there are times when we need to place an emergency ad and must pay for that ourselves. We place the animals picture in the paper with a description.
• All donations can be sent to our mailing address at 5900 South Rangeline Road, Columbia, MO 65201.