Dent County Animal Welfare Society
Our Mission
We moved into our new shetler July of 2014.
DCAWS was founded in 1990.
We are a small shelter serving a rural area. We do have a wide base of support and many volunteers in the St. Louis area. We are a no-kill shelter (euthanasia limited to the vicious or terminally illl), with an annual rate of .04%.Â
We are almost always overly full.. We try very hard, working endlessly at trying to place pets in good homes.  We have a shoestring budget and are pretty much a no-frills operation, but we do have a heart and the pets with us are loved and well cared for until time of placement. Please don't be unhappy for those at the shelter a long time because, for many of them, this is the best they have ever had it: Food, water, protection from the elements, veterinary care and people who treat them kindly.
Adoption Policy
We have many beautiful pets to choose from, both dogs and cats. Most of these are featured on PetFinder.Â
All DCAWS pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped prior to adoption.Â
Adoption fees vary, depending on many factors, as low as $60 on dogs that have been there a while and $40 for cats with same situation, more for those recently in and extra for cats combo tested, but very rarely are fees over $250.  Special rates are generally given to those adopting more than one pet.  The military also get discounts if they let us know.  Base adoption for dogs is $150, puppies six months and under $175, and cats are $125.  There are some variations on a case by case basis if there are special needs.
We are located in Salem, Missouri, 5358 S. Hwy 19 (please do not use GPS directions; they don't send you the right place) Â Adoption hours are 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment.
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day hours Monday 1-5pm Tuesday 1-5pm Wednesday 1-5pm Thursday 1-5pm Friday 1-5pm Saturday 1-5pm Appointment Only Sunday Closed
