When thoughts of what also might be happening to animal survivors of Joplin's tornado on Sunday crept into the mind of Wildwood resident Karen O'Very, she knew she wanted to do something to help them. She and her family have horses, cats and dogs.

So she first thought about cleaning out her horse trailer, loading it up and zooming to Joplin. But local emergency organizers, such as Deputy Fire Chief Randy Gabel for the Eureka Fire Protection District, encouraged a systematic approach. So plan B emerged.

You may recognize Karin's name. She is a contributor to Eureka-Wildwood Patch. We immediately put thoughts together and made some calls. Another Patch reader and contributor, Chris Curran, agreed to become a collection point for Wildwood. He and his wife own One Lucky Mutt in Wildwood Town Center.

O'Very also asked Pet Supplies Plus, located at 15311 Manchester Rd., to be a collection point. "They offered me a truck and driver to follow me down, if I have too much to fit in my horse trailer," she said.

O'Very's spouse is a firefighter for the Monarch Fire Protection District, so he established that three of the district's fire stations could be drop-off points this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those locations are:

• Monarch Fire House 1, 15700 Baxter Rd., just east of Clarkson Road on Baxter Road
• Monarch Fire House 4, 14898 Olive Blvd., just south of Ladue Road at White Road
• Monarch Fire House 5, 155 Long Rd.

'"I plan on leaving for Joplin on Monday," said O'Very.

She said when she spoke to the emergency relief spokesperson this week, she said it is crazy in Joplin and that the real help for these animals will be in the up and coming week. "She said a drop-off place was still not organized so that was another reason to wait to go until Monday," said O'Very.

The biggest pet-related needs are pet food, newspapers, towels and monetary donations. Checks can be made payable to the Humane Society of Missouri or the American Red Cross.