Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter

The Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter (SMAS) is a small animal shelter situated in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Established in 1991, the original purpose of the facility was to act as a "pound" for stray animals in Mahaska County, where unclaimed or unadopted animals were euthanized after a seven-day holding period. Over the years, the SMAS has transformed its approach beyond the traditional pound model. The mission of the Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter is to serve as a community resource for pets and people, with a commitment to enhancing the welfare of all companion animals. In 2011, the SMAS made a pivotal decision to cease euthanizing animals for space and began exploring alternatives to euthanasia. Through collaborations with other shelters and breed rescues, along with initiatives designed to boost adoption rates, the SMAS improved its live release rate from 40% to 93%. In May 2014, the shelter proudly celebrated its first month with a 100% live release rate. While the SMAS is not classified as a no-kill shelter, it successfully maintains a euthanasia rate of less than 8%. In addition to rescuing and re-homing stray, abandoned, and abused animals, the SMAS, in collaboration with the Mahaska Humane Society, has launched programs to educate the community and promote responsible pet ownership. These initiatives include dog bite prevention education in local elementary schools, providing therapy dogs in nursing homes and retirement facilities, offering stress relief with dogs at the local university during finals week, and assisting low-income residents of Mahaska County with spay/neuter services through the "Spay the County" program.