Financial shortfalls have forced The Animal Shelter of Texas County to close.
The last day of normal operation for the facility was last Wednesday. A sign was posted on the door and an announcement on the TASTC Facebook page that animals will no longer be taken in.
“It’s a sad day here,” said TASTC board member Shayla Black.
“There’s no money,” said TASTC board treasurer Debbie Lemon. “We would meet or call each other every day to try and figure out what to do tomorrow.”
Of the animals remaining at the shelter, 15 dogs were transported Friday to a shelter in St. Louis, where TASTC has taken animals over the years. Black said Security Bank of the Ozarks officials are allowing the shelter time to find homes for another six cats and one dog.
The organization’s treasurer said Thursday that the group continues to receive support from its lender, Security Bank of the Ozarks, which has lowered its payment amount and reduced the interest rate on the loan.
Black said if a foreclosure action did commence, the organization will have plenty of time to disperse any remaining animals. Lemon remained hopeful Thursday that if funds continued to be received that it would work with the bank.
Well-documented financial problems for TASTC included debt approaching a half-million dollars accrued over recent years, including monies owed to the bank, IRS and other sources.
“Past debt killed us,” Black said. “Without all of that, we could have found ways to raise enough funds to keep going.”
Black and Lemon both said board members and other workers plan to stay in the animal shelter realm.
“A lot of us will still help animals one way or another,” Black said.
Founded in 2006, TASTC through the years was an extremely active facility, providing dogs to the Missouri Department of Corrections’ Puppies for Parole dog training program and being involved in numerous other activities and programs.
“I think we did as much as we could possibly do,” Black said.
Black said at the moment, only unforeseen circumstances could reopen the shelter.
“The bank said if some miracle were to happen that they would work with us,” Black said. “But it would take a huge miracle.”
PAST DEBT
In early December 2016, board members with The Animal Shelter of Texas County reported that debts included:
• A $320,000 real estate loan with Security Bank of the Ozarks.
• A personal loan of $100,000 that board members shared.
• A $52,000 bill with the IRS.
• $40,000 in credit card balances.
• A veterinarian bill of $20,000.
• Leftover construction costs (from the Bark Plaza Pet Hotel) in the range of $20,000.
• Vaccine bills of about $15,000.
• $4,000 owed to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
“Thousands of dogs in southern Missouri now have very few bridges to forever homes.”
AMANDA SHEFFIELD, FORMER BOARD PRESIDENT FOR DIANA’S GROVE DOG RESCUE