About Us
Fort Scott Paws and Claws Animal Shelter is operated by the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation. We are committed to providing temporary homes to area animals in need.
Our organization started off as a grassroots effort to help the local city impound adopt out more animals. Ann Gillmore Hoffman organized volunteers each week to open the pound on Saturdays for adoptions. Over the next couple of years, the group was able to adopt out hundreds of local homeless dogs. Ann wanted to expand the program and the group raised money to help with spay/neuter expenses and emergency vet services for low income and elderly pet owners.
Shirley Yeager liked the work Ann and the small group of volunteers was doing and decide to donate money to begin an endowment. The group organized themselves as the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation and placed Shirley's estate gist in a permanent endowment with the Southeast Kansas Community Foundation. Interest from Shirley's gift was meant to continue the efforts of the volunteers.
Lee Weast shared a passion for animals as well and sought out opportunities to help local homeless pets. Lee initially donated money to improve and expand the city pound. Her donation doubled the number of dogs the shelter could hold and included new heating and air, storage space, and new roofing. Her hope was that the expansion would allow stray dogs more time to find new homes. She also donated a new truck for the animal control officer. Lee wanted to do more, so she sponsored the construction of the shelter at 721 240th street. Lee decided to name the building "Paws and Claws."
Upon Lee's death, she donated additional money to the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation. The money allowed for improvements to the facility at 240th street and the remainder was placed in an endowment.
Both Shirley and Lee provided generous gifts to help local animals in need. Currently, interest from the money is used to pay for operating expenses for the shelter, per the request of Lee. Because operational expenses were far exceeding the interest available each year, the board, after over a year of deliberation and research, decided to downsize to a smaller location, more convenient to town.
Our organization started off as a grassroots effort to help the local city impound adopt out more animals. Ann Gillmore Hoffman organized volunteers each week to open the pound on Saturdays for adoptions. Over the next couple of years, the group was able to adopt out hundreds of local homeless dogs. Ann wanted to expand the program and the group raised money to help with spay/neuter expenses and emergency vet services for low income and elderly pet owners.
Shirley Yeager liked the work Ann and the small group of volunteers was doing and decide to donate money to begin an endowment. The group organized themselves as the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation and placed Shirley's estate gist in a permanent endowment with the Southeast Kansas Community Foundation. Interest from Shirley's gift was meant to continue the efforts of the volunteers.
Lee Weast shared a passion for animals as well and sought out opportunities to help local homeless pets. Lee initially donated money to improve and expand the city pound. Her donation doubled the number of dogs the shelter could hold and included new heating and air, storage space, and new roofing. Her hope was that the expansion would allow stray dogs more time to find new homes. She also donated a new truck for the animal control officer. Lee wanted to do more, so she sponsored the construction of the shelter at 721 240th street. Lee decided to name the building "Paws and Claws."
Upon Lee's death, she donated additional money to the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation. The money allowed for improvements to the facility at 240th street and the remainder was placed in an endowment.
Both Shirley and Lee provided generous gifts to help local animals in need. Currently, interest from the money is used to pay for operating expenses for the shelter, per the request of Lee. Because operational expenses were far exceeding the interest available each year, the board, after over a year of deliberation and research, decided to downsize to a smaller location, more convenient to town.
Our Building
Our Board of Directors
Chair: Kathy Dancer
Vice-Chair: Mike Cheney Treasurer/Secretary: Vacant |
Board Members:
Tracy Dancer Judy Earp |
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Our Staff
Manager: Kelly S
Staff: Grace and Victoria
Staff: Grace and Victoria