On June 6, the Humane Society of Missouri’s (HSMO)Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) moved into town with a fleet of vehicles. They converged on City Park in anticipation of launching a rescue mission south of Gerald. Some vehicles were left at the park as the rescue was conducted.

Around 60 dogs, mostly Yorkshire Terriers, yorkie mixes and other small breeds were voluntarily surrendered by their owners. This is ACT’s largest rescue of the year so far.

According to HSMO, the home had serious structural decay with a sloping and sagging floor and unsanitary amounts of animal waste, posing great risk to the safety and health of the animals housed within. All dogs were frightened, filthy and show signs of being infested with parasites.

The dogs varied in age, condition and medical challenges with many appearing unsocialized and appear to have never seen a vet.

Upon their arrival at the shelter, necessary medications, dental work, diet and other lifesaving treatment plans were immediately begun.

As each dog recovers, medically and behaviorally, they will be made available for adoption on a case-by-case basis. No time line is currently available for when these dogs will be ready for their forever home, but interested adopters will be able to keep any eye on our website, hsmo.org/adopt to see when they become available.

  To help support the care of these dogs please visit hsmo.org/Yorkies. To report an animal who may be in danger, or is suffering from neglect or abuse, please call your local police and the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Hotline at (314) 647-4400.

The HSMO’s ACT is one of the largest animal rescue/disaster response teams in the United States. For more than 40 years, ACT has worked side by side with state, local and city law enforcement officials to investigate and help prosecute animal abusers.

Annually, Humane Society of Missouri’s 15 field-tested, professional animal cruelty investigators and staff:

Travel more than 350,000 miles

Make more than 10,000 responses to reports of abuse/neglect

Aid more than 20,000 animals

Humane Society of Missouri’s animal cruelty investigators understand the nuances of animal abuse law and the criminal justice process for documenting and filing evidence and work directly with sheriff’s offices, police departments and prosecuting attorneys to help ensure animal cases are handled in an expedient and professional manner. Humane Society of Missouri investigators also provide expert testimony in legal cases and before legislative bodies and provide consultation and training workshops for law enforcement, state agencies and local animal care and control workers.

Together, they work to hold people accountable for the abuse and neglect of animals in the St. Louis Metropolitan region and all of Missouri.