Go! Club at Open Doors

I've mentioned before the kids love doing philanthropic activities when we are together.  In November we checked out Open Door Animal Sanctuary with a small donation.  They passed with flying colors (you know it's true...some people running charities are just jerks).

 The kids asked if we could go back, so in December we did just that!

But first we made a stop at the local grocery store.  Their 'want' list in hand, we shopped and explained to the kids why each item was important.  Little Bird pulled out the bags of cat litter and got them stuffed under the shopping buggy.

Little Hoss checked things off his list.

Two buggies later and it was load-the-car time.

They wanted to do the work themselves, so of course we let them.  Ownership is a huge thing and they were both owning it!

Hoss getting some help from his Unca.

A short time later we were backed up to the front door with all our stuff.  This area is the offices and "Cat City".

In the other direction are where the dogs are housed.

"Ownership" continued as bags were toted inside.

Once done we were invited to hang out in "Cat City".

Wow.

Couches for cats and people.

And beds for everyone.

Little Bird found a friend...

...who followed her all over the room.  She SO wanted to take him home.  We explained that her Mom would kill me if she took him.  And that he was safe right there with all his kitty friends until someone came to take him to his very own forever home... just like we took Persia.  She liked that.

In the doghouse?  Not this time! 

We also had a chance to talk about protecting animals when they saw this guy who was recovering from an injury.  He's out in one of the nice exercise pens they have.

http://odas.org/

Open Door Animal Sanctuary (ODAS) was founded in 1975 by Mrs. Joan Costello-Oetting and Mrs. Carol (Marlin) Perkins, wife of the late Marlin Perkins (OK...they had me there.  Anything attached to the Perkins has a "go" in my book), former host of Wild Kingdom and Director of the St. Louis Zoo. Had it not been for their compassion, vision and hard work, Open Door Animal Sanctuary would not exist today; and if not for Open Door, thousands of injured, abandoned and unwanted cats and dogs would have been unnecessarily euthanized.

Open Door Animal Sanctuary is the largest no-kill sanctuary in the greater St. Louis area and State of Missouri. We serve the community by taking in stray, abused, neglected and otherwise unwanted cats and dogs and placing them up for adoption. Each day we provide shelter, food, medical care and LOVE to over 400 animals. Every animal that comes to us has a home and a second chance at life. If you are looking to adopt a dog or cat, we have the most animals to choose from in the area!