More than a Shelter

Think all animal shelters are depressing places full of damaged animals? A stroll through Wayside Waifs will change your mind

The first thing you notice is the smell. Or rather, the lack of smell. As you walk through the brightly colored kennel area at the Wayside Waifs animal shelter in Kansas City, Mo., it’s almost hard to believe it’s a temporary home to so many dogs and cats. Shouldn’t the place look dingy? Shouldn’t the pets look sad and bored? Shouldn’t the building smell like, well, dogs and cats?

It’s time to rethink any negative ideas you might have about animal shelters. Gone are the days of dark, cramped facilities with miserable, lonely animals jammed into cages. Wayside Waifs is one of many rescue facilities across the country on the cutting edge of shelter design and animal treatment—and it shows. “People are impressed with our facility,” says Communications Relations Manager Ashlee Parker. “We’re proud of it, and we’re always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for the animals.”

A Temporary Oasis
Wayside Waifs, a no-kill shelter, began operations in 1944 and has been a vital part of the Kansas City animal community ever since. In 1999, the organization constructed a new state-of-the-art building on a 44-acre campus that attracts potential pet adopters from all over Missouri and even nearby Kansas. Featuring two off-leash dog parks, a pet cemetery, a two-doctor veterinary clinic, and enough space to comfortably house upwards of 400 cats and dogs at a time, the shelter is a safe haven for some of the pets that need it most.

“This isn’t a pound,” Parker says. “We want to break that stigma. It’s a pet adoption center. It’s a bright, happy place where the animals get the second chance they desperately need.”

Providing that second chance is not all Wayside Waifs does for the Kansas City pet community. The shelter offers a variety of humane educational programs for children and adults, an anti-violence education campaign for students in grades three through five, a half-price adoption program for seniors, a safe haven for pets of abused women, and much more.

Wayside Waifs’ campus also contains the Pet Memorial Park, which features three pet burial grounds: the Serenity Garden, Peaceful Meadow, and Top of the World Cemetery. From end-of-life care to burial and cremation to memorial services, the shelter goes to great lengths to help pet owners say goodbye to their beloved friends.

Creating Lasting Bonds
From puppyhood (or kittenhood) to the golden years, Wayside Waifs ensures that all of its animals are treated with dignity and respect. For that reason, potential adopters can be sure they’re bringing home a loving, happy pet—one that just needed a second chance at life and a new home.

The interactive adoption process also helps ensure people are paired with the perfect pets for their lifestyles. After checking in at the front desk, visitors to the shelter are welcome to wander through the dog and cat areas in search of their ideal pet, or they can go on a guided tour of sorts led by an adoption counselor or volunteer.

After choosing a potential pet—or two or three—visitors are paired with an adoption counselor, who sets up a meet-and-greet with the requested dogs and cats. Once the visitors make a final selection of a cat or dog, they undergo a brief lifestyle interview by a Wayside adoption counselor to make sure the family and home is the right fit for the pet—and vice versa.

A Team Effort
It’s this kind of thorough care that makes Wayside Waifs one of the most progressive and successful rescue facilities in the country. And none of it would be possible without the shelter’s 67 employees and more than 700 volunteers who make sure the animals get the exercise, attention, and loving care they deserve.
“There’s nothing wrong with these animals—they’re just here based on unfortunate circumstances,” Parker says. “Our adopters love us, they appreciate our services, and they’re impressed with our facility. It’s a positive experience for everyone.”