Who We Are
Peoria Humane Society is dedicated to creating a humane environment for animals and humans. We are focused on ending pet overpopulation, cruelty and neglect to animals, and promoting respect and kindness to all through education and public awareness.
The Peoria Humane Society incorporated more than 70 years ago to help the animals in Peoria. After years of struggling to conduct cruelty investigations and house homeless animals with little funding, the Board of Directors collaborated with the City of Peoria in 1980 to professionalize the animal control program and improve the welfare of animals in Peoria.
The PHS partners with the City of Peoria and Peoria County to offer comprehensive animal welfare and animal control services to all of Peoria county. Freed from the responsibility of funding a shelter, the PHS can devote its time, effort, and funds to increasing the adoption of shelter animals and creating a humane community. And, since the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter remains the only shelter in Peoria County, citizens need only visit one place to find a lost pet or adopt a new pet. No duplication of services exists, nor do the organizations clash.
In this unique arrangement, the PHS can offer programs to further their mission of ending animal cruelty and neglect. Not only does the PHS fund programs including low-cost spay/neuter services, humane education, volunteer programs, veterinary care to sick, injured, and abused animals, and community awareness, the organization also provides equipment, supplies, and volunteers to PAWS to benefit the thousands of homeless and unwanted animals in the community. The Peoria Humane Society is a non-profit corporation operating totally on donated funds from caring people like you!
BOARD OF DIRECTORSLise Mundwiller, President |
STAFFKitty Yanko, Education Coordinator |
DNR PAWS and PHS Staff Respond to Disasters
Three employees at the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter and one Peoria Humane Society employee have been approved as responders for the National Disaster Animal Response Team (NDART) for Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Pat Monckton, Bill Motteler, Lauren Malmberg, and Kitty Yanko can be deployed to assist with animals in national disasters. As volunteer responders, these individuals may be contacted at any time to go to emergency shelters to care for animals or to affected areas to rescue pets.
In June, HSUS called for help, and Pat and Bill responded to Cedar Rapids. For a week, they rescued and cared for hundreds of animals displaced by the flooding. Last month, a call came for help with Hurricane Gustav. The need passed before Peoria volunteers could respond, and thus far we have not been asked to help with Hurricane Ike although there still is a possibility that we could help with Ike cleanup efforts.
The Peoria Humane Society and PAWS remain concerned over the fate of animals throughout the country during disasters and support the volunteer efforts of those committed to responding. Hopefully, the Peoria area will never be in need of a national call for volunteer relief, but we know we can count on HSUS and the hundreds of animal welfare workers poised to help.