ZooToo’s Happy Tail

Zootoo helped two local girls rally Columbia to raise money for CMHS

Amanda Huhman and Libby Burks, seniors at Rock Bridge High School, were only in seventh grade when they decided to raise funds for the Central Missouri Humane Society to make renovations. Volunteering at the shelter since third grade, Amanda and Libby knew they needed to step in when they heard rumblings that CMHS was shutting its doors. In 2009, the girls decided to enter the shelter into a contest on Zootoo.com, a social-networking site for pet-lovers.

To raise awareness for the contest, the girls made about 2,000 T-shirts; held parades; and were interviewed on local news stations, radio stations and magazines.

“We had to rally all of Columbia together,” Amanda says.

After accumulating enough points and 12,000 Zootoo members, Zootoo announced that the Central Missouri Humane Society had won the contest.

Repairs began in May 2010, and local vendors such as Mid-City Lumber and Peckham & Wright Architects provided blueprints and services that made the renovation possible. Now, four years after the shelter’s facelift, it still has the “happy vibe” that Amanda and Libby wanted.

Amanda’s heart still lies with CMHS but now in a different form — with her two dogs from the shelter, Wrigley and Polly.

“Wrigley is a mutt, but we think he is a terrier-poodle mix of some kind,” she says. “Polly is a Puggle: a pug and beagle mix.”

While Polly is the typical dog who plops down beside you and wants love all day, Wrigley is a different story.

“Wrigley has a lot of energy and is really smart,” Amanda says. “He can actually unlock and open car doors and our front door.”
Don’t believe her? Amanda says they’ve made sure to have video proof.

See Behind-the-Scenes  video of the photo shoot!