EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — A local animal shelter has emptied all its kennels thanks to the outpouring of support from the community.
Gateway Pet Guardians put out a plea for emergency foster homes last week and within days – there were hundreds of people who wanted to help.
“I am so relieved and happy to say that we moved all of our shelter pets into foster homes. We haven’t closed our doors, we’ve simply turned our community into a remote pet shelter,” said Jamie Case, Executive Director at Gateway Pet Guardians.
The shelter currently has a waiting list of people who want to welcome a foster pet into their home.
“It is incredible and humbling to see how quickly the community responded to our plea for help. I can’t think of a better way to be quarantined than to snuggle up with a shelter pet,” said Case.
Gateway Pet Guards said it is managing over 100 pets in foster homes and plans to take more dogs from St. Clair Animal County Services.
It’ll limit its pet intake to sick, injured and pregnant and nursing pets.
The nonprofit said it is also encouraging the public to consider adopting a pet now. It is offering social distancing friendly adoptions, so adopters do not have to come to the shelter.
“As fundraising events are being canceled, we are in need of donations to continue our lifesaving work,” said Case.
Anyone interested in donating can visit https://www.gatewaypets.org/why or mail donations to
Gateway Pet Guardians
725 N. 15th Street
East St. Louis, IL 62205
Gateway Pet Guardians said it is also in need of supplies to support all of the pets in foster homes. The items most needed are medium/large wire dog crates, medium martingale collars and pet food for our pet food pantry. Items can be purchased on its Amazon wishlist
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