The Callaway County Humane Society has been trying to do more with less.
Last year, the Humane Society became a state-licensed rescue organization, bringing in a steadily-increasing number of animals into their care, all of which must be spayed, neutered or given other sorts of medical care, resulting in a steep monthly vet bill.
But the Humane Society is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dependent upon donations, which have been down. In an effort to find additional funds, CCHS president Sandy Corbet said that she went to the county commissioners to request financial assistance - a plea she said was met with promises that weren't kept.
"It's not just about saving those animals, it's about helping people in the county," said Corbet. "I've had a call from someone in Holts Summit saying she had a pit bull in her yard for three days barking at her family. She called the police there who told her she had a right to protect her family. Do we really want people in this county shooting dogs? This is a problem with our citizens, and the county is supposed to be helping them with these stray dogs."