P.A.W. Fund - Promoting Animal Welfare

Each donor at the Community Foundation has their own reason “why.” For Quincy resident Deborah Hutter, her reason for starting the P.A.W. Fund – Promoting Animal Welfare dates back to 1971 and her attempt to right a terrible wrong that plagued her family for years. 

Deborah and her older brother, Mike, were raised by both parents, Frank and Grace Hampel, on a farm outside of Moscow Mills, Missouri. The family crop farmed, raised cattle and hogs, and always had cats and dogs running around. In the late 60’s, the family decided to add in horses and within a couple of years, they were raising Quarter Horses and Appaloosas; showing, breeding, and training.

Shortly after, Deborah’s family built Shenandoah Stables and Arena along Highway 61 as a way to expand the new family business.

“The indoor arena had a dirt floor, and all the pounding of the horse’s hooves created such a problem with dust,” said Deborah Hutter. “It was hard to keep the building clean and it became a choking hazard for humans and horses.”

In May 1971, the Hampel's decided to use a waste oil hauler to spray clean waste oil on the arena. However, the oil had such a strong chemical smell that Deborah’s parents decided to fill up some mayonnaise jars with soil samples.

“They just had a bad feeling and decided to keep the jars in our basement,” said Deborah. “This was the beginning of the darkest period for my family and was the actual start of my need to do something to promote the welfare of innocent animals.”

Within just days of spreading the oil, birds in the arena died, small rodents were found dead in the stall aisles. Then, the cats and dogs died. It was a slow, painful death for the animals. And before long, Deborah’s beloved horses and ponies sickened and slowly passed away.

“The veterinarians and doctors were stumped. Nothing helped the pain and suffering of our animals,” explained Deborah. “We lost 62 horses during this period which went on for years. Finally, we determined it had to have started with the waste oil. “

The Hampel's and their barn manager confronted the waste hauler owner who denied any accusations that something dangerous was in the waste oil.

“He challenged my father saying he would never be able to prove anything,” said Deborah. “You did not challenge my hard-working father, who was now watching his business and horses die.”

Deborah's father, Frank, and the barn manager began tracking the waste hauler's drivers, following the loads being picked-up and delivered. They took pictures and kept detailed records.

Remember those mayonnaise jars of soil samples? Those samples, along with additional records and information, were looked at and tested by the Centers for Disease Control and on August 10, 1974, the Hampel's were informed that their arena had been sprayed with a deadly chemical cocktail known as Agent Orange.

“In the back of my mind, I decided that even though I was a young teenager at the time and couldn’t do anything to relieve the suffering those animals endured, someday, I would,” said Deborah. “This is why I decided to start the P.A.W. Fund – Promoting Animal Welfare with the Community Foundation.”

Deborah’s family’s determination and the CDC’s findings led to the discovery of 32 other sites across the State of Missouri that were sprayed with the same chemical cocktail by the same company Deborah’s family used, including Times Beach – which, to this day, is still recognized as one of the worst environmental disasters in our nation’s history.