The 14th Annual Howling at the Moon banquet raised approximately $24,500 for shelter animals thanks to sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions and the community’s generosity.
“We have some fantastic sponsors. If it hadn’t been for them, then of course we wouldn’t have been able to put this on.... The overall generosity of the community was really amazing,” said Animal Welfare Alliance director Corretta Bishop.
The event drew around 225 people to the Westwood Center on Nov. 3, which Bishop noted was greater than last year’s turnout. Guests enjoyed a catered dinner, live music, raffles and silent auction items donated by area businesses and individuals, and a howling contest.
“What drew me to the event is that it’s such a great cause for all the paws,” said attendee Anita Maize.
The AWA opened the region’s first no-kill shelter in 2022.
“They’ve adopted out over 400 animals up to this point and besides that...they do 50-60 spay-neuter vouchers every month,” explained announcer Mark Panagos. Each voucher is worth $50, and since beginning operations in 2009, the organization has spent more than $120,000 helping to spay or neuter area cats and dogs.
The AWA has previously stated running the shelter costs approximately $20,000 per month. Additionally, the cost of food, cleaning supplies and veterinary care has risen this year, Bishop explained, “so that created a little bit more of a bottleneck.”
Any new business or nonprofit is almost guaranteed to operate at a loss in the first year, she added, which has been the case for the No-Kill Shelter.
“Hopefully this year we’ll see, if not gain, hopefully, some kind of a level or at least less of a loss.”
The best ways people can help are by donating supplies or money, and volunteering.
“(Pet) food bank items and things of that nature, you can always bring them to the shelter. There’s always someone here from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays,” Bishop explained. Even though visiting hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m., “they can still bring donations, they just have to ring the doorbell.”
The AWA accepts online donations as well as cash and checks in person or by mail. Volunteers can do anything from socializing animals to building maintenance. More information about donating and volunteering — as well as adoptable cats and dogs — can be found at awasemo.org or the group’s Facebook page.
“We have plenty of lovable, adoptable pets. We have a slew of puppies available right now that need homes,” Bishop said. “So they (people) can always come in. We’re open 11 a.m.-3 p.m., but if they contact the shelter or leave a message, we can schedule appointments for them to come in outside of those hours. We’d be more than happy to let them do a meet-and-greet.”
The AWA No-Kill Shelter is located at 1904 S. Westwood Blvd. in Poplar Bluff.