Gateway Pet Guardians was founded in 2004 through the combined efforts of
five extraordinary women with a passion for rescuing animals, but our story
really begins about ten years earlier. One fateful day in 1995 while driving
through East St. Louis, P.J. Hightower-an avid animal lover-took notice of
the numerous stray dogs running through the streets. But instead of shaking
her head in disappointment, muttering a, "If only I could." and simply
continuing her journey like so many before her, P.J. did something about it.
On that day and nearly every day thereafter - and every single consecutive
day over the last ten years - P.J. has made the trip across the river from
her home in St. Louis, bags of dog food in tow, and fed the dogs she saw on
the streets. When she had the chance, she'd rescue them, take them to the
vet, and try to find a good home for them all the while paying for it out of
her own pocket. And so it continued for nine years.
PJ and stray pitbull in east st louis 300x203 About Us
Still on the street, this dog needs a foster home before he can be rescued.
In 2004, four ladies who had become acquainted with and contributed to P.J.
and her efforts, fellow animal lovers themselves, decided to form a
fundraising organization to take donations that would help rescue many more
stray dogs and cats from the horrors of street life as well as allow their
own dollars stretch that much further, and Gateway Pet Guardians was born.
Over the last six years the organization has blossomed into much more than
its meager beginnings. With the help of volunteers and an administrator, we
at Gateway Pet Guardians began raising enough money each year to begin
filing a tax return. P.J. now goes through approximately 1,000 pounds of dog
food per month and Gateway Pet Guardians currently rescues over 100 dogs and
cats per year. We continue to evolve from a small organization to today's
virtual animal shelter with expert management by our very first Executive
Director and dozens of dedicated volunteers, an award winning documentary,
and beyond to our future goal of building a physical animal shelter complete
with a low cost spay/neuter clinic and education center in East St. Louis.
