Rural Animal Shelters: Where Fairy Tale Endings Come to Life

Discover the Remarkable Impact of Rural Animal Shelters and Their Pets

Rural animal shelters work tirelessly to save and find homes for homeless dogs and cats, often with minimal resources and limited support. The staff are everyday heroes, caring for vulnerable animals despite daunting challenges. Their dedication is nothing short of miraculous—they provide love, shelter, and compassion to those who need it most.

Overcoming the Daily Challenges of Rural Animal Shelters

While urban shelters often have access to larger networks and resources, rural shelters face unique challenges with fewer resources, lower adoption rates, and limited support networks. In rural America’s vast landscapes, this gap in resources is especially pronounced, with shelters frequently encountering:

  • Limited Resources: Many rural shelters operate on minimal budgets, covering only essentials. Basic supplies, from flea treatments to toys and bedding, are scarce, leaving shelters to work with the bare minimum.

  • Sparse Volunteer Networks: Unlike urban shelters, rural facilities often have few volunteers. Their focus is on fundamental care, with little capacity for enrichment or socialization programs that can improve animals' well-being and adoption chances.

  • Capacity Issues: Low adoption rates and overcrowding create ongoing space challenges. In some cases, these shelters face the heartbreaking necessity of euthanasia to manage space limitations.

Despite these hardships, the resilience and compassion of rural shelter staff make a profound difference in the lives of the animals they care for.

On A Mission KC is bringing hope to rural animal shelters and their homeless pets- shining a light on the dogs at the end of the row.

Since 2016, Scott Poore has championed nearly-forgotten shelter dogs through Mission Driven Goods. In 2023, his mission expanded with On A Mission KC, bringing a greater impact to rural communities and the long-term shelter pets who need it most.

On A Mission KC shines a light on rural animal shelters by promoting long-term shelter pets, providing critical support, and fostering sustainable community engagement—empowering shelters to enhance lives and strengthen communities.  

With focused dedication, we’re reshaping rural animal care by bringing attention to the dogs at the end of the row. Their challenges may be many, but each one still deserves a loving, forever home. Together, we can make sure they’re never overlooked again.

How We Achieve Our Mission

At On A Mission KC, we believe every shelter pet deserves a loving home, and every rural animal shelter deserves the resources to make that possible. Here’s how we’re making a difference:

  • On A Mission KC goes above and beyond to bring attention to long-term shelter pets. Through creative promotions like billboards, t-shirts, and postcards, we advocate for these often-forgotten dogs, working to make each homeless pet a household name. By connecting them with the public and media outlets, we open doors to new adoption possibilities, helping “the dogs at the end of the row” finally find loving homes.

  • On A Mission KC uses each visit to rural shelters not only to promote their longest-term pets but also to see how we can provide immediate help to the shelter itself. Essential support can range from emergency medical care to organizing Amazon wishlist drives, generating hundreds of donated items. We also promote urgent needs like new washing machines or play yards, bringing instant relief to both the shelters and the heroes who work there.

  • We empower rural shelter workers by teaching them how to build a network of support within their own communities. From guiding them on how to reach local businesses and volunteers to hosting events, we help rural shelters create sustainable support systems that foster long-term community involvement and assistance.

Through these efforts, we empower rural shelters to not only enhance the lives of the animals they care for but also strengthen the communities they serve. Together, we can create a future where no shelter pet is forgotten.

Come On A Mission
With Us

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

Your involvement makes a world of difference. Be a hero to rural shelters and the animals they care for by joining our mission today.