The Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
To mark the milestone, the organization has several events planned, including several fundraisers.
The sanctuary, at 6065 Duda Road, is Missouri’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary, said Tracie Quackenbush of Cedar Hill, the organization’s executive director.
Open Door officially began operation on Jan. 23, 1975. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.
Quackenbush has worked Open Door for 25 years, and before that, she volunteered at the sanctuary for five years.
She said the founders, Joan Costello-Oetting and Carol Perkins, recognized the urgent need for a shelter that would give every animal a second chance at life, regardless of how long it took to find them a home.
“At the time, many shelters operated with euthanasia policies for animals that were not quickly adopted. Joan and Carol were determined to change that reality by creating a sanctuary where animals would receive compassionate care, medical treatment and love until they found their forever homes.”
Perkins was the wife of Marlin Perkins, the renowned zoologist and host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. He worked at the St. Louis Zoo and shared his wife’s love for animals, and together, they played a crucial role in shaping the sanctuary’s mission, Quackenbush said.
She said Costello-Oetting, who had been rescuing animals since 1960, officially filed the articles of incorporation in 1975, establishing Open Door as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Originally, the sanctuary was housed on a 10-acre property in Chesterfield owned by Rita Shatwell. The property, run entirely by volunteers, included a 100-year-old house and a small kennel. As the number of rescued animals grew, the space quickly became too small, Quackenbush said.
She said a huge turning point for the Open Door Animal Sanctuary came when George Menos offered his 7.5-acre property on Duda Road, which included a house and several buildings. In 1990, Menos sold the property to Open Door for just $1, providing a permanent home for the sanctuary.
“Over the years, the sanctuary expanded to accommodate more animals. In 1991, a new cat kennel was built, and in 2000, a new dog kennel followed, increasing Open Door’s capacity to rescue 100 dogs and 250 cats at a time,” Quackenbush said.
Fifty years later, the sanctuary’s mission has remained the same: to provide a safe, no-kill refuge for homeless, abused and abandoned animals, all while providing every cat and dog that comes through the doors with the highest quality of life and a second chance.
Rescuing, rehoming, resources
Quackenbush said many of the animals at the sanctuary were placed there because their owners could no longer afford their care, passed away or were unable to keep them due to life circumstances.
“We also receive many calls from individuals who have litters of puppies or kittens and are seeking a safe place for them. When space allows, we take them in and provide the care they need,” Quackenbush said.
She said Open Door also promises a lifelong commitment to every animal adopted out.
“If an adopter is ever unable to keep their pet, we always welcome them back to ensure they have a safe and loving place to return to,” she said.
Beyond providing food, care and shelter, Open Door offers several programs to support pets and the community, such as its Pet Food Pantry, which offers pet food assistance to local residents in need, Quackenbush said.
“We have the Pet Food Pantry because we believe in keeping pets with their families. Depending on availability, we also offer pet toys, leashes and dog or cat beds to help ensure pets have the essentials they need,” she said.
In addition to the pantry, Open Door provides low-cost spay and neuter services to people with low incomes to help reduce the unwanted pet population, she said.
To get community members involved, Quackenbush said, volunteer opportunities are available, like walking dogs, socializing with kittens and cats and assisting at adoption and fundraising events to find animals homes and raise crucial funds. The sanctuary also provides high school students with opportunities to learn about responsible pet care for cats and dogs.
“We also give presentations to local organizations, such as Rotary clubs and chambers of commerce to promote animal welfare and educate the community about Open Door,” she said. “Our goal is to not only care for homeless animals but to strengthen the bond between pets and their owners while engaging and educating the community.”
Events for everyone
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Open Door is holding several fundraising events throughout the year, with proceeds going directly to the sanctuary. Those events include a spring trivia night at 7 p.m. Friday, March 28, at The Heights, 8001 Dale Ave., in Richmond Heights; a shelter slumber “pawty” where 15 people who raise $1,000 for the sanctuary will be invited to spend the night at the shelter from 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5, until 7 a.m. Sunday, April 6; a fundraiser from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Topgolf St. Louis-Chesterfield, 16851 N. Outer 40 Road; and a Kentucky Derby-themed fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at 2nd Shift Brewing, 1601 Sublette Ave., in St. Louis.
The sanctuary’s largest fundraiser of the year will be its Paws to Party 50th anniversary dinner and auction at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
The sanctuary also will hold other kinds of special events to commemorate its anniversary. From 2-5 p.m. Sunday, May 18, the community is invited to visit the sanctuary to enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of the shelter and light refreshments. The sanctuary will hold an adopt-a-thon throughout July when all adoption fees will be lowered to $75. The sanctuary’s cats and dogs are microchipped, vaccinated and spayed/neutered, which is all covered in the adoption fee.
Open Door also participates in community and adoption events throughout the year. To learn more, follow Open Door Animal Sanctuary on Facebook, Instagram or X. To register or view an entire list of events for the year, visit odas.org.
The organization has also launched its “$50 for 50 Years” donation program. As part of the campaign, donors who pledge $50 per month for one year will receive an exclusive 50th anniversary T-shirt as a token of appreciation. To sign up for the donation program visit odas.org/50.
Plans to move
In 2014 the sanctuary’s board of directors realized that the sanctuary needed to remodel and expand the shelter, Quackenbush said.
“We started a capital campaign and began planning for our future,” she said.
Renovations throughout the shelter began, including its “Pampurred Palace” and dog kennel. However, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled the sanctuary’s progress for about six months. In 2021, Open Door experienced another hiccup, and additional renovations came to a halt due to zoning issues, Quackenbush said.
“It was then that we decided since Open Door’s 50th Anniversary was in 2025 we needed to plan for the next 50 years, and it was obvious that we could not do it at our current location, so we started looking at other properties that were already zoned commercial,” she said.
In 2023, Open Door purchased an 11-acre property in Cedar Hill, just 10 minutes away from its current location, for $900,000. A house, a separate garage and a pole barn are located on the property, but the organization needs to build a new facility there to meet its needs, Quackenbush said.
She said Open Door got an estimate to build a facility for $15 million, so the sanctuary is working to scale that back. The sanctuary has hired architect Scott Learned with DLI Design Learned Inc., which specializes in the designing of animal shelters.
“We are now in the designing stage and are realizing this building will cost more than we had planned, but where there is a will there is a way! At this time, we plan to build the shelter where it can be added onto,” Quackenbush said. “We are reducing the original design from 41,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet for affordability. Our overall plan is to move everything at once, and we hope to be entirely moved by 2030.”
The sanctuary will announce updates about the new facility on its social media and website.
Cheers to 50 years
“From the very beginning, Open Door has remained dedicated to giving every animal a second chance, ensuring no adoptable pet is euthanized due to space or time constraints,” Quackenbush said.
As a nonprofit organization, Open Door relies entirely on community support to fund its lifesaving work, and for five decades, that support has only grown.
“With new programs like our $50 for 50 Years campaign and an upcoming capital campaign for our state-of-the-art sanctuary, we are committed to growth and improvement to save even more animals in the years ahead,” Quackenbush said. “Open Door’s success is a true community effort, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped make the past 50 years possible. Here’s to another 50 years of hope, rescue and second chances.”