Prior to December 2019, St. Louis County Animal Care and Control was a kill shelter, euthanizing up to 35% of the animals in its care every month.  Prior to December 2019 the shelter had approximately 400 animals in it's care, over working the staff and depriving the animals walks, enrichment and clean kennels. 

In December of 2019 Mandy Ryan was hired as the new Population Manager.  Her job was to reduce animal population, reduce euthanasia and to repair the relationship between the shelter, the general public and area rescues.  In that year, Mandy improved living conditions for the animals, reduced euthanasia rates to NO KILL STATUS, decreased the animal population to less than 135 animals, boosted morale with the staff and volunteers and repaired the damaged relationship between the shelter and rescues.  Mandy Ryan created a team between staff, volunteers, the general public and rescues to end the killing of animals at the shelter.  Mandy worked to protect the animals from euthanasia and protect staff and volunteers from workplace bullies. In December, 2020, Mandy filed a grievance with St. Louis County, reporting sexual harassment, hostility, corrupt politics, favoritism, racism and incompetence in the workplace. The same day that Spring Schmidt responded to Mandy’s grievance, she terminated Mandy.

Since her departure, staff has been reduced (they either resigned or were terminated when they spoke up about the current Director and leadership team) and the number of animals in the shelter are increasing. Things are going back to what they were before December 2019 and will only get worse without immediate action.

The current Director, Dr. Vanessa Duris, in her one year at the shelter has wrongfully euthanized an owned dog (lawsuit was filed against ACC and Dr. Duris for this action) and she returned a dog to an abusive owner before the investigation had been completed.  Staff has complained that she received a donation of unknown amount for the shelter directly into her personal account, made racist remarks in the workplace and has inappropriately touched personnel.  

Recently, Derry (a staff favorite dog that needed rescue) was the latest innocent animal killed by incompetent and unqualified people at St Louis County Animal Control. Derry did not like being around the other dogs at the shelter and never showed aggression to people.  The person that made the decision to kill him never took Derry out of his kennel to evaluate him.  Derry should have been properly evaluated and networked to local rescue organizations.  

It is time for the entire management staff to be replaced. A forward-thinking director could reduce the euthanasia rate and intake with the SAME budget (Mandy did it). It would not cost more taxpayer money to solve the problem.  We do not need to privatize the shelter as that would cost more to the taxpayers, we need competent leadership at ACC.  It was proven when Mandy was hired, the right leadership team will fix the problem.  They wrongfully fired the only person that was evaluating and networking dogs to rescue, the one person that brought the high kill shelter to a NO KILL status in her first two weeks.  Her replacement is not qualified to evaluate behavior in dogs, yet they are deciding who should live or die. The unqualified person that was put into that position “evaluated” Derry, yet they never took him out of his kennel, they didn't even try to network him to a rescue.

Enough!  It's time to get rid of the people that don't know what they are doing and that rarely show up for work.  Dr. Duris and her "leadership" team need to go. Their salaries are a waste of taxpayer money as they are not qualified for the positions they hold.

We are petitioning Sam Page and the St Louis County Council, asking that you terminate Vanessa Duris and her current leadership team at ACC. Don't let political deals continue to hurt the animals of St. Louis County.