ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The Animal Protection Association of Missouri (APA) has helped more than 230 pets become adopted since taking over operations at the St. Louis County Pet Adoption Center in Olivette in December, a 200% increase over the same time last year.

What You Need To Know
 

  • The APA has helped more than 230 pets become adopted since taking over operations at the St. Louis County Pet Adoption Center in Olivette in December

  •  The APA says it is a 200% increase over the same time last year when St. Louis County was operating the facility

  • Some of the updates over the past six weeks have been deep-cleaning, painting, branding, and adding enrichment for pets to thrive

  • The Olivette location primarily has big dogs where the organization is in need of volunteers to foster them

That’s according to CEO Sarah Javier who said the organization also has matched more than 100 pets with area rescues and helped more than 100 pets be reunited with their owners.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, an open house took place for the community to see the updated adoption center, in addition to a ribbon cutting as the APA recently joined the Creve Coeur-Olivette Chamber of Commerce.

“We want to get to know the businesses in this community because they support so much of what we do,” Javier said. “It was also an opportunity to invite the community in, which is why we wanted to host the open house.”

Some of the updates over the past six weeks have been deep-cleaning, painting, branding, and adding enrichment for pets to thrive, according to Javier.

“We’re really looking forward to animals finding wonderful homes. When you see a person come in and connect with a pet and that magic that occurs between them, it’s really a beautiful thing,” Javier said. “And getting to see animals who have been here a really long time go home is really one of the most beautiful parts of this work.”

The APA, which has a flagship location in Brentwood, was well-suited to take on the Olivette location, according to Javier.

“Our mission is focused on relationships, and bringing people and pets together,” she said. “We already do a lot of outreach work in St. Louis County, work with a lot of people to help them get vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and other things for their pets, so it seemed like a good fit and a good way to expand our mission.”

According to data from the APA, as of Dec. 2, 2022, it had completed more than 4,750 adoptions since the beginning of the year. The nonprofit says St. Louis County Pet Adoption Center coordinated 357 pet adoptions in the same time period.

Last year, the nonprofit completed more than 5,000 adoptions out of its Brentwood location and will expand the same services and programs into the Olivette location to help meet the needs of thousands of other pets, Javier said.

The Olivette location primarily has big dogs where the organization is in need of volunteers to foster them.

“We have many animals coming into this location because animal control also brings in animals that they find wandering the streets or maybe who have been part of a situation where they weren’t cared for. So, we have many animals coming in all of the time and foster volunteers are a great need at this location,” she said.

Fostering and having animals spayed and neutered are ways to reduce overcrowding in shelters and rescues that continue in the area and nationwide, according to Javier.

People also can become an APA volunteer to walk dogs, engage with cats, do laundry and dishes, as well as become a foster parent.

For more information about the APA of Missouri, click here.