Lysa Boston
Shelter Manager, Joplin Humane Society
Lysa Boston is the Shelter Manager at the Joplin Humane Society (JHS). She has worked in animal welfare for more than 25 years as a shelter professional, animal control officer, animal cruelty investigator and veterinary technician. At 10 p.m. on May 22, 2011, Lysa was at the shelter preparing crates and supplies for what she initially thought might be an influx of 100-300 animals. Over the next few weeks, Lysa and her team at JHS, along with the ASPCA, HSMO and American Humane provided care, medical treatment and shelter for the more than 1,300 pets displaced by the tornado. Less than 1 percent of the pets received in the aftermath had any type of identification; this was a valuable lesson learned. JHS now implants a microchip in every pet that is adopted, offers affordable micro-chipping to the public through spay/neuter clinics and specialized free and low cost microchip clinics.
