Precious was one year old when she was abandoned in a Moser Foods parking lot on June 30, 2020. It was one of the worst neglect cases the Central Missouri Humane Society had seen. Her fur was dirty and matted, her front legs were paralyzed, and she had a broken tail and back leg. Looking at the photos, it’s hard to tell Precious was even a dog.
Five years later, Precious is a symbol of resilience for CMHS and a certified therapy dog. She and her owner, Steve DeVries—a dedicated volunteer with CMHS for over 10 years—visit Columbia Public Schools through the Be Kind program. The program lets students interact with Precious and hear her story. DeVries uses her situation to discuss the value of life, how we treat others, and bullying.
DeVries always sits at eye level with the students. During one visit as he told Precious’ story, a sixth grader raised his hand and asked what grocery store she was found at.
“I said it was Moser’s on Keene Street, and he looks at me, and I look at him and he goes, ‘I live on Keene Street.’ First I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got his dog!’” DeVries says. “But he looked at me, and I looked at him, and he said, ‘What kind of person would do something like that?’ I said, ‘That’s a good question. What do you think?’”
DeVries believes listening to students helps them grow kinder. “Remember, if you want to show a child they have value, let them tell you what they think.”
Michelle Casey, assistant director and campaign manager of CMHS, occasionally joins DeVries and Precious in classrooms and sees firsthand the power of these conversations.
“It really starts some really interesting conversations with the kids, and gets them thinking,” Casey says. “And really, the younger that we can start to instill kindness, empathy, and compassion into kids, I think the better off we are in the future—creating people that are going to be animal welfare advocates in this community.”
DeVries is one of 400 volunteers who assist CMHS. He and his wife, Beth, have fostered between 100-200 dogs, taking in older, smaller dogs needing extra care and attention. He has been nipped a few times, but understands why.
“The vast majority of the time, they’re just scared. They’re terrified. They don’t know. And when you’re little, they don’t know if you’re going to kill them. I always tell them, ‘We’re not going to kill you. We’re friends, not food.’”
CMHS has operated for 80 years as an open shelter, taking in all animals, including surrendered pets, strays—and even an alligator. It is a no-kill shelter with a 90% placement rate. The organization also runs the Animal Safety Net program, placing pets of domestic violence survivors in undisclosed foster homes so owners can leave unsafe situations without abandoning their pets.
With so many animals, CMHS volunteers help by walking dogs, transporting pets, working events, and fostering.
Casey says the Columbia community always comes through when CMHS needs help. One day this past June, the facility’s washing machine broke, and dirty laundry piled up until staff couldn’t even hook up the backup. After a plea for help, the response was immediate: within hours, everything from soiled blankets to pet beds was picked up, cleaned, and returned.
“From the big to the little this community steps up,” Casey says. “It’s reassuring, and it really motivates our staff because working here at the shelter—especially during the summer—we are busy, it’s hot, there are animals everywhere, and we’re constantly dealing with space. Having volunteers come in and help us just empowers us to keep working. It’s really great.”
Another time, CMHS put out a plea for fosters when they ran out of space. Within 24 hours, 50 new people had signed up to foster.
Casey began volunteering with CMHS her first semester of college in 2007 and has been with the humane society ever since. The community’s compassion still amazes her.
Currently, CMHS is raising funds for a new facility. The current building—constructed in 1976 on 2.88 acres in north Columbia—is showing its age. The roof is falling in, and staff contends with black mold and asbestos. With the influx of animals, there’s simply no space.
The new facility will cost $25 million, with $5 million raised so far. It will sit on 17.5 acres already purchased by the nonprofit. As Casey says, the facility will be a “one-stop-shop, animal care campus.” Plans include a veterinary hospital, adoption area, enrichment and behavior rooms, training zones, dog-walking trails, modern and energy-efficient systems for disease control, sound-proof areas to reduce stress, and more.
“There’s an internal desire to get this done,” Casey says. “Because I want to do this not only for our community, but for my family here at the humane society—and for the animals that deserve it.”