Give Them Love
The campaign for the CMHS animal care & adoption centerOur Campaign
At CMHS, we’ve long dreamed of a new facility—a place built with both comfort and compassion in mind, a shelter that meets the needs of our community and our animals for years to come. That dream is finally coming to life with our “Give Them Love” Capital Campaign. We are excited to share that after a long journey filled with collaboration and determination, we have made significant progress toward reaching our multi-million dollar goal.
Our new property, spread over 17.5 acres of beautiful, open space, offers incredible potential. Surrounded by nature, it will provide a peaceful environment for our animals, staff, and visitors. The layout will allow for a spacious facility with dedicated areas for adoptions, medical care, and community outreach, plus abundant outdoor space for play areas, training zones, and dog walking trails. This setting, designed to be a “fear-free” environment, will create a calming atmosphere where animals and people can connect.
With the property secured, we are now collaborating with local firm, SOA, as well as Animal Arts, an architecture firm renowned for designing humane and innovative animal care facilities. Their vision for our new building includes modern, energy-efficient features like HVAC systems tailored for disease control, ample daylight, and sound-proofed areas to minimize stress for our animals. Our engineers are conducting a topographic survey and finalizing plans for construction. Together, these teams will bring our dream to life with a facility designed to provide high-quality care for animals and a welcoming, enriching space for the community.
The “Give Them Love” campaign has raised over $5 million, thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters. While we are making great progress, we still have work to do before we can break ground on this exciting new chapter. Every contribution—big or small—brings us closer to creating a state-of-the-art shelter and community campus that will make a lasting impact for generations. With your support, we can build more than just a shelter; we can create a home, a haven, and a fresh start for thousands of pets and people across mid-Missouri.
Our Need
The need for a new facility
Our shelter has deteriorated over time and can no longer meet the demands of our growing community. The aging infrastructure creates daily challenges that directly impact the health and well-being of the animals in our care. Some of our biggest challenges are:
Inadequate Animal Housing:
Current enclosures are improperly sized, difficult to sanitize, and lack sufficient airflow and filtration.
Health and Safety Concerns:
Structural failures, rusted enclosures, and inadequate isolation spaces put animals at risk.
Increased Stress Levels:
Poorly designed spaces expose animals to excessive noise and odors, leading to heightened anxiety and discomfort.
Our Vision
Building a Better Future for Animals and People
Enhanced Animal Spaces
- Increased capacity to help more animals in need.
- Modern cleaning, lighting, and HVAC systems for a safer, healthier environment.
- Properly designed isolation areas, a dedicated adoption space, and a specialized canine parvovirus suite.
- A fully equipped veterinary suite to enhance our partnership with the MU College of Veterinary Medicine's Shelter Medicine Program.
- Enrichment and behavior rooms to support the emotional and mental well-being of our animals.
Improved Spaces for People
- A dedicated retail area to support shelter programs.
- Separate entrances for stray intake, owner surrenders, adoptions, and veterinary services, improving organization and reducing stress.
- A conference room for educational programs, training sessions, behavior classes, and community outreach.
- Comfortable and functional staff and volunteer areas, including a break room, lockers, and accessible restroom facilities.
Ways to Give
There are so many ways to make a lasting impact on the lives of animals in our community. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to a brighter future for animals in need. Thank you for your support!
Monetary Gifts
Monthly Giving
Gifts of Stock
Naming Opportunities
Matching Gifts
Schedule a Personal Visit
FAQ
