The Community Foundation of Steelville has selected a local pet rescue organization for its 2025 financial gift of $2000. Rusty's Rescue Pets was established four years ago by Mary Young in memory of her late husband Rusty Young.

Under the umbrella of the nonprofit Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Rusty's Rescue Pets raises money for veterinary care of dogs in the Steelville City Pound.

For safety reasons, the state of Missouri requires city pounds to have all stray dogs receive a rabies shot upon intake. However; with generous donations, Rusty's Rescue Pets is able to take the veterinary care much further. Every dog that goes through Steelville City Pound receives a complete wellness check at Quick Fix in Rolla MO. The dogs not only get their rabies shot, but two other important vaccinations, DHLPP and Bordetella.

In addition, the pound pups are spayed or neutered, heartworm tested and given a three month supply of heart-worm preventive medication. Finally, each dog is microchipped to ensure if lost they will be reunited with their owners.

The $2,000 grant will cover the cost of veterinary care for 10 dogs. Therefore, when a dog is adopted from the Steelville City Pound, the new owner will not need to make an initial vet appointment for several months.

Finding forever homes for rescue dogs in the Steelville community can be quite challenging. Most residents who want a dog already have two or three pets under their roof. Rusty's Rescue Pets' mission is to provide veterinary care to help reduce the number of stray dogs roaming the streets within Steelville city limits. Sometimes when a dog remains in the city pound for too many months it may become necessary to relocate the dog to a rescue shelter in the St. Louis area. Likewise, if a dog's needs are too severe for the care they are able to receive in the city pound, the dog will be tagged by another rescue pet facility.

When a needy dog is removed from the city pound prior to its wellness check, a grant is submitted through Rusty's Rescue Pets to send a donation to the receiving location. This is a win-win situation; the new location will be guaranteed a minimum $200 donation with each dog they tag from Steelville and the possibility of a forever home is much easier to obtain in a larger population such as St. Louis. One such needy dog was brought to Steelville pound a week before Christmas. Coincidentally, the dog was named Rusty by the person who found him wandering on the highway. Rusty was so malnourished from neglect that he needed much more care than the staff at the city pound could offer him. After a required five day hold, Rusty was transported directly to a loving foster home by a rescue called Home 2 Home Canine Orphanage. He is sure to have several veterinary appointments to help him reach a healthy weight and it will take weeks for him to be strong enough to endure neutering surgery.

The entire process of rescuing stray dogs off the streets of Steelville, providing veterinary care and finding forever homes takes team networking and communicating what is needed for each individual dog. Rusty's Rescue Pets has assisted in saving the lives of dozens of dogs through various rescue shelters throughout Missouri. From a homeless dog to a family pet each pup started its rescue journey at the Steelville City Pound. It's all made possible with donations and the work of caring people who do what they can to help.

For anyone interested in volunteering at the Steelville City Pound, please contact Chief Mike Sherman at city hall for an application.

For more information on Rusty's Rescue Pets, email RustysRescuePets@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page.

Donations to Rusty's Rescue Pets can be made in doggy banks on the counters of several businesses on Main Street or online at www.cfozarks.org/rusty