For twenty years, Gateway Pet Guardians has helped keep pets with the people who love them in the East Side Pet District (Cahokia Heights, East St. Louis, Fairmont City, and Washington Park). Gateway Pet Guardians has always believed that everyone deserves the love of a pet, regardless of their zip code or income.

In 2004, PJ Hightower and a small group of volunteers established Gateway Pet Guardians. What started as a feeding route for homeless dogs and cats in the Metro East has grown substantially in two decades. In 2010, Jamie Case was hired as the organization's first Executive Director. In 2012, Gateway Pet Guardians established a free spay/neuter program. In 2013, community outreach programming started. Eventually, the organization held popup vaccine clinics in the East Side Pet District at public parks. The organization always had a group of foster families throughout the St. Louis region with a small shelter located in St. Louis City.

In 2019, leadership boldly purchased the former Miles Davis elementary school in East St. Louis. The building stood empty for years. After renovations during the height of the COVID19 pandemic, Gateway Pet Guardians opened the largest Pet Resource Center in the St. Louis region.

There, pet guardians have access to lowcost veterinary care at a full service clinic. There are monthly drivethru clinics and a monthly Trap Neuter Return (TNR) program for community cats in the East Side Pet District. The Pet Resource Center has affordable grooming at a pet spa, a lowcost pet supply store, and a free pet food pantry. In addition to affordable pet care programs Gateway Pet Guardians provides lowbarrier intakes and community outreach support for families in the East Side Pet District and lowbarrier adoptions.

Join us as we provide equitable pet care programs to those who need it.

www.gatewaypets.org