Open Door Animal Sanctuary

10/14/2026

Well, the dog I had scheduled to post today got adopted! So, given that I'm in a time crunch, it's time once again to shamelessly plug my incredible foster, Rugby.
I can't believe Rugby has spent three years in rescue, waiting for a home. People are SERIOUSLY missing out.
Rugby is the best boy. He's cuddly. He's housebroken. He can be left home alone while I'm at work and he just chills out and plays with his toys. He's four years old and athletic enough to be a fantastic walking buddy, but mellow enough that he doesn't need tons of exercise to be happy and well-behaved.
Rugby will greet you at the door with a toy and a wagging tail. He loves taking his toys on walks, much to the delight of everyone he meets (who wouldn't want a dog who carries his own scimitar?). He's super sweet, lots of fun, and an "easy keeper."
Rugby gets along well with other dogs (with the exception of males bigger than 50ish lb) and has lived successfully with cats. He's the best boy in so many ways!
The reason Rugby has waited so long for a home? Quite simply, he's scared of strangers and other scary people (like little kids and men with ungentle vibes). He warms up within a few days and becomes the sweetest best friend, but that initial meeting is never going to be the love-at-first-sight fireworks that most people want. He's one thousand percent worth the truly minimal amount of patience it takes to earn his trust.
Rugby is available for adoption through St. Louis Senior Dog Project (it's a bit of a collaborative situation) and you can find an application at stlsdp.com . He is neutered and up to date on shots.

10/13/2026

October is month! We're celebrating with a Trunk or Treat at Dean Team Automotive later on this month, plus... stuff!
We've got two of these sweet swag bags, and they're actually really nice. I'm jealous. It includes:
- This canvas bag (with pockets!)
- Two-part backpack squeaky toy (open it up for a second toy)
- P**p bag holder
- Tennis ball caddy with a carabiner so you can clip it to your bag or belt or whatever
- Treat dispensing tough toy
- Waterproof leash
- Dog towel
Since there are only two of them, anyone who adopts a dog this month will be entered into a drawing to win one!

10/13/2026

Two cats. One goal. And all they need is one person to make it happen. Meet Gwen (the standard tuxedo cat) and Shio (the tuxedo with extra accessories and sweet full sleeve tats)- a bonded pair of sisters in need of a change of scenery.
They're young (a year old), they're friendly, they're good with other cats and have lived with and done well with dogs, and they're full of personality! Gwen is more adventurous and sometimes opinionated. She loves to play and explore and can sometimes get sassy with other cats who get in her bubble, but gets over it fast. She's petite, adorable, and lots of fun.
Shio is a little more of a homebody, although she loves people and loves attention. You can usually find her hanging out close to "home"- that is, her condo in the adult cat area. She's not overly worried about the other cats in the area. She's a big, chunky, chatty sweetheart who flops when she's happy.
The girls can often be found snuggling together in their cat condo. They've grown up together, so we'd like to keep them together. And really, the only thing better than one cat is a pair of cats!
Gwen and Shio are a year old, they're spayed, up to date on shots, and fully vetted. They're available for adoption together through
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
House Springs, MO
(636)671-3643

10/12/2026

The name on everybody's lips is gonna be... ROXI. The lady rakin' in the chips is gonna be.... Roxi. I'm gonna be a celebri- wait.
Realistically, I'm probably not gonna be a celebrity. And I don't really want to be! I'd rather be your jolly favorite auntie who is the life of every family gathering (in a good, wholesome way) and makes everyone feel happy and loved.
I'm eight years old and 91 lb. A lot of that poundage is, shall we say, extra insulation, but I'm still a big dog underneath it all. I'm well-mannered, I know commands, and I'm the kind of girl who could make friends with a saguaro cactus. I could make a desert rain frog smile.
I'm just a big-hearted lady, ya know? I like everybody. I've lived with cats and done well with them. I've met dogs at the shelter and, even though we were total strangers, we were peaceful and chill together. I haven't had enough recorded experience with kids to make and promises about what I think of them, but I'd be happy to meet yours and see how we do together.
Being the cool auntie means that I'm willing to relax some rules, but not the important ones. My previous humans said I was housebroken and good in a crate. I'm good on leash and, overall, a well-behaved girl!
So come hang out with me! I can't wait to meet you.
My name is Roxi, I'm eight years old, and I'm spayed, up to date on shots, and fully vetted. I'm available for adoption through
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
House Springs, MO
(636)671-3643

10/10/2026

We've said it before and we'll say it again: an animal in need doesn't have to be the most popular. They don't need everyone in the world to want them. They just need that one right person. And, today, that person came for the Three Blind Mice!
Icarus, Taca, and Momo are a bonded trio of eight-year-old brothers and all three are blind. You may have seen them posted on our page before. If you've visited our adult cat area in the past nine months, you've definitely met them.
Despite being super sweet and outgoing, we knew it wasn't going to be easy to find a home for these boys. But today, all three "mice" got adopted together! They were so ready to go that they walked right into the carrier on their own! We hope the boys and their new human have an amazing life together and can't wait to see them settle into a new home.

10/10/2026

We are at The Incredible Dog Challenge at Purina Farms today until 3:30pm selling our merch! Come stop by and say hi!🐾

10/10/2026

Weekend Roundup! We've had extensive discussions with Dameena this week: we keep telling her that this is going to be her weekend. We're manifesting it. We love this little weirdo so much, and we know the right person is out there for her. She's such a character- very much her own person. She's often very affectionate and loves to be around people, but if you tell her to do something, she's going to do the opposite. She loves to play, both by herself (she has us rolling with her catnip zoomies) and sometimes with other cats (although she can be socially awkward, so she'd need her cat friends to be either confident or kind of oblivious). She doesn't come when she's called or perform when asked, which makes it harder to get her adopted, but is just another thing we love about her. She doesn't bite or scratch, even when you do things like put costumes on her or chase her around going "Dameena, let me love you!"- but she does judge you. She didn't like dogs much the first few times she met them, but we had an office dog for a few weeks, and she definitely came around with time. She might need a slow introduction, but we think she could live with a cat-friendly dog.

July 4th has come and gone, and my fellow dark souls know what that means: Happy Halloween! Let's get sPOOKY!
I know, I know- you're gonna be like, "but Dameena, black cats aren't spooky! That's just a stereotype!" And I'm here to tell you: black cats are individuals. And if we want to cultivate an air of spectral intrigue, shouldn't we be allowed?
I, for one, believe fully in self-expression. I'll accept you for who you are and love every one of your weird quirks. I know all about how, if you step outside your cookie cutter expectations, you'll get the chance to know some of the best kinds of cats or people.
For example, I'm a bit of an introvert. I'm the kind of lady who loves being around my close friends, but has a hard time letting my guard down in crowds. With new people, I tend to come off as rather aloof at first, but just wait til you get to know me! My wild side is worth the wait.
I'm the kind of cat who will be like your little familiar. I love to be nearby, whether in your lap, hogging your chair, or sitting politely at your feet like the perfect henchlady. Don't be fooled by my stoic exterior: I love to play with toys and with other cats. I'm cat-friendly, but flexible. As for dogs, I regard them with caution and a bit of horror. Could I get used to being around a gentle one, given some time? Probably, but I think I'd prefer a dog-free home.
So whether you're a fellow spooky girl or just a spooky girl ally, come check me out. We could be the best of friends.
My name is Dameena, I'm a year old, and I'm spayed, up to date on shots, and fully vetted. I'm available for adoption through
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
House Springs, MO
(636)671-3643
(p.s. no AI in this photo, but, obviously, plenty of good old fashioned photoshop. Original in the comments!)

10/10/2026

Weekend Roundup! French Pea is still waiting for her home! Despite being super friendly and absolutely delightful, French Pea is the last one left in her litter. She's hoping to change her luck this weekend!

Bonjour! Je m'appelle French Pea. That's just about all the French I actually know, though! I'm an all-American puppy, so I speak mostly dog and just enough English to get by.
You know what, though? Young brains like mine are malleable. I'm only five months old, so I bet if I tried, I could learn to speak lots of languages! Danish, Poodle, Esperanto, C++, Whale... the sky's the limit, really.
I'm a sweet, friendly, outgoing girl. I don't know my breed mix for sure, but I do expect to be medium-to-large when I grow up. I do well with other dogs in general, although I can sometimes be a little too rambunctious for some other puppies. I'd love to have a confident, patient dog friend who can teach me some dog manners. As for cats... uh... what's a cat? I've never actually met one before, so I'm not sure what I'll think of them. It's just another thing I have to learn!
The next thing I really want to learn about, though, is what it's like to have a family. So, whether you say it in English, in Klingon, or in the universal language of love, come out and say hi to me!
My name is French Pea, I'm five months old, and I'm spayed, up to date on shots, and fully vetted. I'm available for adoption through
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
House Springs, MO
(636)671-3643

10/10/2026

Weekend Roundup! Key Lime is still waiting! And- good news! We were wrong! (it happens sometimes when you're dealing with living animals who have their own thoughts and personalities)- we originally thought she wasn't a big fan of other cats. But, now that she's spayed, settled in, and done with her kittens, it turns out she actually loves them! She'd still like a fairly quiet home, but she doesn't need to be a single cat. She's adorable and super sweet- a real prize!

You can keep your frat parties and street festivals. Does it involve bad music played loudly and people screaming "Woo!" for no reason at all in a public setting? Yeah... maybe don't invite me. Go ahead and cross "Key Lime" off your guest list for that one.
Now, it's not that I don't know how to be social. If you want to spend the evening working on a crochet project in front of the latest episode of Widow's Bay? Honey, I'm in. If you just want some company while you write your novel or prepare your taxes or whatever it is that humans do with their free time? Count me in!
I love a bit of quiet companionship. I'm actually a total sweetheart and very affectionate. I'm just not a party girl. At two and a half years old, I would say I've outgrown that lifestyle, but actually... I think I probably came out of the womb an introvert.
When I came to the shelter, I had six children. And you know what? I think that's enough. Between that and living (as I do currently) in a room with 40 other cats, I've hit my lifetime quota for feline companionship. I would love to get out of here and live a peaceful solo-cat life. (edit: Turns out, we were wrong- now that she's spayed and settled in, Key Lime really seems to like other cats. She could definitely enjoy living with a cat friend!)
So if your idea of the perfect day is one where you don't have to talk to anyone, you and I might be kindred spirits. Come and meet me!
My name is Key Lime, I'm two years old, and I'm spayed, up to date on shots, and fully vetted. I'm available for adoption through
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
House Springs, MO
(636)671-3643

10/09/2026

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