Animal shelter begging to find homes for 135 dogs ahead of urgent building repairs

ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – An animal shelter in St. Louis is in desperate need of fosters and adopters for more than 135 dogs ahead of a temporary closure.

CARE STL is well over capacity and in need of emergency flooring repairs.

Dr. Abbie Knudsen Attenberry, CARE STL’s executive director, said they are operating at 200% capacity for dogs.

She said the shelter’s flooring is chipping away, which not only is hazardous but it cannot be properly sanitized.

For the Missouri Department of Agriculture to renew the shelter’s license, the flooring must be repaired before the end of the year.

However, the dogs at the shelter cannot be in the building at the time of the repairs, so CARE STL is hoping to find fosters or adopters for all 135 dogs immediately.

The repairs start Dec. 18, which means the shelter needs to be cleared by then.

Knudsen Attenberry is asking people to open their hearts and their homes to a dog this holiday season.

The repairs are expected to be completed by New Year’s Day, meaning fosters would only need to open their homes to a dog for two weeks.

CARE STL will provide everything needed for fosters, including medical CARE, dog crates, and food.

“All you have to do is get them out of the building and let them sleep in a home for the holidays,” she said.

Adopters, of course, are always welcome, too.

To apply to foster or adopt a dog, visit CARE STL’s website here.

Copyright 2023 KMOV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.