Animals

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Join Mercy Children's Hospital for the 27th Annual Teddy Bear Rally 9am - 2pm, Saturday, April 28 at Dickerson Park Zoo located at 1401 W. Norton Rd. Kids of all ages can enjoy the Teddy Bear Rally which will include games, entertainment, and their favorite zoo animals.  Children are encouraged to bring their own teddy bear for a "check-up" at the Bear Care Clinic.  Kids could walk away with a prize; there will...

Supporters of Missouri's Puppy Milll Cruelty Prevention Act plan to stage a protest at the state capital Wednesday morning. Prop B narrowly passed in the Show-Me State last year, but now lawmakers are discussing some major changes to the measure. Supporters of the new law say that the changes will hurt animals and go against the will of the voters.  

To see even more lost animals in the Ozarks or to post your own lost pet, visit and 'like' Leigh's Lost and Found Facebook page. Very sweet, gentle and big. That's how Springfield Animal Shelter Director Heather Ferrier describes our first featured lost dog, a 110 pound Great Dane. The intact male is distinctively marked with white fur and black spots and has been at the shelter for over a week, where he's made a lot friends. "He likes everyone that he's met out here and when I opened the van door to bring him here he jumped right in like he's traveled before.

A nonprofit animal protection group has upped the ante in a search for hundreds of missing birds. United Animal Nations (UAN), based in California, is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of approximately 1,500 birds and other animals that disappeared from a Greene County home back in August. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office expected to find about 1,600 pigeons, chickens, parrots, ducks and other birds who were living in extremely overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without water or adequate food.

In today's Leigh's Lost and Found report, we have another great reunion to tell you about. Plus, we're focusing on what you need to do if you lose your pet. The Springfield/Greene county animal control is the first place you should contact if your pet goes missing. The shelter's website has galleries of pictures of all the animals being held there, both cats and dogs. The pictures include important information, like breed, weight, and when and where they were found. The shelter picks up lost and stray animals every day and usually has dozens of them at any given time, so you should check back with them every day. Stormy Cruse knows it works.

Usually Mother's Day involves brunch, flowers, and maybe even candy, but this Mother's Day went to the animals. Well, sort of. Moms strolled through the Dickerson Park Zoo for free Sunday. Moms weren't the only ones enjoying the nature and wildlife. It was a day for the whole family to see the monkeys, lions, giraffes, and so many other critters. In all, nearly 1,900 people visited the zoo on Mother's Day. About 600 of those were moms.

 To see even more lost and found animals in the Ozarks, visit Leigh's Lost and Found Facebook page.   Today's Lost and Found report features a very special lost animal with several disabilities. The female Dachshund was found spinning in circles in the 1900 block of South Waller last Tuesday. When Animal Control first got the call about the dog, shelter Director Heather Ferrier thought she may have distemper or was injured. It turns out her condition was much more serious than that.

Doing more with less -- it's a pretty common motto these days for cities and counties, especially across the Ozarks.  It's what the Bolivar Police Department is doing. In April, the budget city-wide was slashed by 20 percent and each department took a hit, including police.  But police had just assumed control of the city pound and this summer for the pound has proven almost unprecedented. Like so many others in the Ozarks, the Bolivar pound is crowded. "It's just it's hot and lot of loose animals," said supervisor Amanda Evans.

The Kroger Co. is recalling select pet food packages from stores in 19 states fearing some of these products may contain aflatoxin, a toxic chemical byproduct that could be harmful to animals. The recall involves certain bags of Pet Pride Cat Food, Pet Pride Kitten Food, Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food, Kroger Value Cat Food and Kroger Value Chunk Food, the company said Saturday. The Kroger Co. urged customers to immediately consult with their veterinarian if their animals show any signs of sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat. The company has set up a Customer Recall Notification system to help customers determine if they have purchased any of the contaminated products at (800)

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Humane Society of Missouri says it has rescued 15 dogs in southwest Missouri that may have been used in dogfighting. The raid on Wednesday occurred in Stone County near Blue Eye. The Humane Society says it rescued seven adult pit bulls and eight puppies from property owned by someone allegedly involved in dogfighting. The organization says many of the dogs had wounds, and most were attached to heavy log chains and thick collars. The owner of the animals voluntarily surrendered them to the Humane Society.