St. Louis County is Right to Be Concerned about Volunteers at the Animal Shelter
There are major changes coming to the St. Louis County animal control operation. The Animal Protective Association (APA) of Missouri has been operating the county government’s shelter since 2022. The organization has decided to terminate its contract and return operations to the county so that it can focus on other aspects of its mission. St. Louis County has wavered on whether or not it will allow volunteers to work at the shelter once it retakes control of operations. As strange as it may seem, the county’s concerns are legitimate. If there is one thing as certain as death and taxes at an animal shelter, it is complaints.
Animal control services are one of the prime municipal services ripe for privatization. The animal shelter in Chillicothe has long been successfully operated by the county Humane Society. There are numerous other examples in Missouri, but suffice it to say not every example has been a success.
Complaints about animal abuse in animal shelters are common. The St. Louis County animal shelter was subjected to a series of complaints and lawsuits from its own volunteers in 2018 and 2019. Eventually, in late 2022, the animal shelter operations were privatized, with the APA running the shelter. Stray Rescue, a non-profit animal welfare agency that previously managed the City of St. Louis’s shelter, was the subject of multiple lawsuits around the same time from volunteers over a variety of issues, including a claim that it was violating its “no-kill” pledge. Stray Rescue soon after (in 2019) lost its contract to operate the city’s animal shelter to another non-profit, Care STL.
Jails are hard places to operate, whether they are for people or animals. The author suspects there is a core group of animal rights “volunteers” who are going to file complaints about any shelter that isn’t entirely a “no-kill” shelter. It doesn’t seem to matter if the shelter is operated by the government or by a non-profit. I don’t claim to have proof, but it is a consistent pattern going back to when Kansas City first privatized its shelter in 2009.
With that in mind, accepting volunteers at a shelter, particularly one that still euthanizes animals, should not be a haphazard process where just anyone can come help. Dedicated volunteers are an important part of any shelter operations, but euthanizing strays may still be a necessity at times. If St. Louis County wants to be more careful in choosing volunteers than most organizations usually are, I think that is understandable.
As is often the case, transparency is key. If you are going to be a “kill” shelter, as I believe is unfortunately necessary at times, just admit it and be clear about the criteria used to make such determinations. Don’t say you won’t and have someone draw up a plan to do it quietly.
As of February 21, St. Louis County is just starting to accept applications for volunteers. I wish them luck. Animal-loving volunteers are wonderful. Animal-rights activists posing as volunteers are quite another thing.
