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St. Louis County outlines tornado response; animal shelter reopens after parvo quarantine
Summary
County Executive updated the St. Louis County Council on tornado cleanup and mutual aid, urged caution against scammers, and reported that the county Animal Care and Control Adoption Center reopened after a parvo quarantine and is expanding a foster program.
St. Louis County Executive gave the council an update on the county's storm response and animal shelter operations Tuesday night after a tornado struck parts of the region last Friday.
The executive said county Transportation and Public Works and Parks crews were deployed immediately and worked with municipal partners in Clayton, Richmond Heights and University City to clear roads and restore access for emergency services. "Time matters in a disaster, and their swift response helped to protect lives," the County Executive said.
The update said debris removal would begin tomorrow in Clayton and that two parks, Jefferson Barracks and Tillis, had sustained significant damage but have reopened with cleanup ongoing. The executive urged residents to treat intersections with darked traffic signals as four-way stops and warned that scammers frequently target disaster-affected residents: "Do not pay for any work until it's completed," the County Executive said, and advised verifying contractors with the Better Business Bureau and checking licensing and bonding.
On animal services, the County Executive reported the county's Animal Care and Control Adoption Center reopened after a quarantine and isolation period following parvovirus concerns. Veterinary and shelter staff conducted evaluations, vaccinations, treatment and contamination cleaning, and the executive said "no new cases of parvo virus have occurred since May 1." The shelter launched a pilot foster program that began with staff and has expanded to include volunteers, with plans to open the program to the public soon.
The County Executive also noted the shelter is now a certified "fear-free" facility; staff and volunteers have completed training intended to improve animals' experience in a shelter environment. Dr. Cunningham was named as someone who will present more details at the council's Committee of the Whole meeting next week about hires, training and how the council can support adoption efforts.
The executive closed by thanking first responders, utility crews, city and county staff, volunteers, Gov. Mike Kehoe and the county's two U.S. senators for their roles in recovery and mentioned invitations for a ribbon-cutting at the new U.S. Handball Center in Hazelwood.
Council members did not take separate action on the report; the update was delivered as part of the county executive's report to the council.
