Wayside Waifs provides a wide range of services to adopters and pet owners. We have been helping families for generations by providing pet memorial aftercare, training and humane education, animal surrender, and much more.
In the event of your pet’s passing away, Wayside Waifs provides a Pet Memorial Service. Our pet burial grounds include the Companion Fields, Cedar Shadows, Serenity Garden, Peaceful Meadow and the Top of the World Cemetery. Unlike most pet cemeteries, all revenue from Wayside Waifs’ Pet Memorial Services goes to help the shelter provide loving care for its current residents until permanent homes can be found.
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In 2003, Wayside was thrilled to open the Wayside Waifs Bark Park, given and dedicated by the Harold and Marilyn Melcher family. This 5-acre park features lush green space, large trees, benches and covered rest areas. It's tail waggin' fun for an off-leash romp with your canine friends! We hope you and your dog find the park to be a great outlet for fun, socialization and bonding.
Learn MoreWayside Waifs treats every animal’s life as precious and will not resort to euthanasia to control the number of pets in our shelter. Therefore, we will accept the surrender of animals by appointment only as space allows. Please also view our suggested alternatives to surrendering your pet.
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Wayside Waifs is proud of the high level of veterinary care we can provide to our shelter animals. Our medical team is comprised of full-time certified veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Not only do we offer routine and basic care such as vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries for our pets, we provide a wide array of medical services to enhance the future and quality of life for our animals.
Learn MoreDo you wish you could get your pet to listen and obey? Wayside Waifs has many solutions to help you.
Learn MoreOur Article Library has lots of downloadable resources about dogs and cats. View article library ›
Wayside Waifs offers a variety of training classes, open to the public, from puppy classes to basic dog classes to recall. View our classes today.
Each season and the various holidays can bring some dangerous situations for pets. View seasonal tips to help keep pets healthy.
The Wayside Waifs Animal Rescue and Response team is comprised of 12 FEMA Certified members. They respond to natural diasters and hoarding situations with a state-of-the-art 28-foot trailer that allows them to transport up to 50 animals. The team regularly deploys to assist other national animal welfare organizations in times of natural disasters like the Joplin tornadoes, St. Louis flooding, Hurricane Sandy and animal hoarding situations like Caboodle Ranch in Florida.
Learn MoreA certified companion animal will accompany volunteers or staff to each program.
Studies show there is a strong relationship between a child’s awareness of the proper way to treat animals and that child’s ability as an adult to relate humanely not only to animals, but to society as a whole. The Circle of Friends Humane Education Program incorporates the expertise of professional educators, psychologists and animal behaviorists. These programs challenge children and adults through innovative and thought-provoking curricula.
If you would like to arrange for a Humane Educator to visit your school or organization, please contact Jo Dean Hearn, Humane Education Manager, at 816-761-8151 ext. 4430, or email jdhearn@waysidewaifs.org. If you prefer, you may fill out the Request a Humane Educator Form online.
