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Michigan No Kill Event: Lost Pet Workshop
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 Michigan Pet Fund Alliance's 2013 No Kill event is quickly approaching. Registration deadline is September 23. Join pet advocates from across the state for either or both of the following:
- Thursday September 26: Shelter Awards Banquet will recognize Michigan shelters with the best save rates in the state. Kat Albrecht, founder of Missing Pet Partnership, will be the keynote speaker. Award categories are: Small Shelter, Medium Shelter, Large Shelter, Most Improved, and Most Adopted from a Limited Admission Shelter.
- Friday September 27: Lost Pet Workshop will feature Kat Albrecht conducting a full day seminar with state of the art techniques and effective strategies for reuniting lost cats and dogs with their owners.
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| Macomb County |
Macomb County Animal Shelter is one of the the highest volume animal shelters in the state, taking more than 2,200 dogs and 3,400 cats last year. Reducing the number of animals coming to the shelter is the goal of nearly $230, 000 in grants that will provide free spay and neutering services for the dogs and cats of Mt. Clemens and northeastern Clinton Township. Residents can take their pets to All About Animals Rescue's surgery center, visit a mobile surgery center, or have pets shuttled by van for surgery. Appointment information is here.
A new SNR (shelter, neuter, return) policy is in effect for the communities served by Macomb County Animal Control. In the next few months, the shelter will stop taking in feral cats, except for those that are sick or suffering. All ferals brought to the shelter will be neutered and returned to the area where they were found.
This policy is supported by innovative new research done by Kate Hurley D.V.M. Maddie's Fund website has additional information about SNR here.
Jeff Randazzo, chief animal control officer for Macomb County, is committed to making a difference in the communities served by animal control. He will be hosting monthly meetings with local rescues. By increasing collaboration, Officer Randazzo hopes to be able to focus more on animal control issues, like inspecting pet shops, dog kennels and horse farms.
More information on the grants can be viewed here.
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| Saginaw County |
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| Lapeer County |
This summer, volunteers from the Lapeer County Animal Shelter and members of the community began reaching out to the Lapeer Board of Commissioners for help in addressing issues with the new Shelter Director and Chief Animal Control Officer. Problems range from lack of care on the weekends, rules changing on a whim, inadequate response to calls for animals in need and overall lack of compassion. The euthanization of five adoptable animals with plenty of shelter space sent crowds to July Board of Commissioners' meeting.
At the same time, Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan exposed the Chief Animal Control Officer's breeding operation in a nearby county. The meeting minutes of a township meeting outlined that she had approached them for information
on how to set up a hobby dog breeding kennel. She was selling wholesale and bringing animals home from the shelter on occasion. The group launched an online petition asking the board to develop a conflict of interest policy and asked the chief to resign. The board hired an attorney to investigate
all allegations. Last week the board stated that the report is complete but was not ready to release it. This week, PMA delivered 296 Lapeer County resident signatures.
View the petition, the Board's response, and other updates to the story here and at Puppy Mill Awareness' site here.
A group of volunteers take photos of the shelter's adoptable animals for a facebook page called Lapeer's Adoptable Animals. Find out who is waiting to be adopted from the Lapeer shelter here.
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Webinar: Ending the Rescue-Puppy Mill Cycle
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Many of the pets that rescue groups are trying to place are originally from puppy mills, pet stores, or auctions. Get tips and assistance in filing complaints, and learn ways to form relationships with local shelters.
Join a free webinar
hosted by Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan and Paws for Life Rescue on Tuesday, September 10th, 6:30 - 8:30 PM.
More event information and details for signing in to the webinar are here. The event Facebook page is here. The webinar will reference the Michigan Certified Rescue Code of Ethics, available here.
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| Ways You Can Help with TNR |
Have you ever thought about getting involved with feral cat TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) and aren't sure where to start? Training classes are available on the 2nd Sunday of every month through All About Animals Rescue in Warren You'll learn how and why to trap, meet others in the area who may need your help, and have access to trap rentals. The next class will be held on Sunday, September 8 from 11:30 am - 2 pm. View details here.  Maybe you've already been trained and are willing to help others in the area. If so, signup for updates from Metro Detroit Feral Cat Network vie their Meeetup page here. You'll see postings from people throughout the Metro Detroit area asking for help with feral colonies. The group's information is as follows:
This group is a great way to share resources, report on spay/neuter clinics and simply -be- with others who respect the lives of all cats, alley cats included! Metro Detroit Feral Cat Network would love to meet others who are active in managing Feral Cat colonies and conducting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) of feral cats. Don't do either of those things but have a love for alley cats? Join and say hello! Interested in fostering cats for a few days after they've been sterilized or want to help care for a local colony? Sign up and volunteer! We'd love to meet you! PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT a rescue group and cannot pick up, relocate, place OR adopt out kittens or cats. The best thing to do for feral cats is to trap, neuter and return them to their home and feline family. |
| Kroger Community Rewards
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Thank you to all of our supporters who have linked their Kroger Community Rewards account to MPFA. It's not too late to enroll and earn donations whenever you swipe your Kroger card. Forget to carry your card? Use your phone number! Linking your card doesn't affect your gas points, and doesn't require that you shop at a specific store: all spending at any Kroger counts!
Enter 90335 for Michigan Pet Fund Alliance.
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| Genesee County |
Genesee County Animal Control is actively seeking applicants to fill the position of Chief Animal Control Officer for their municipal shelter.
Please encourage compassionate, hard working people with great management skills who are committed to the no kill philosophy to apply for this position. The posting can be viewed here, and anyone with questions about the position can contact GRACE trough their Facebook page here.
This comes at a crucial time for the shelter. The county commissioners had banned euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals, yet did not have a committed compassionate director in place to implement other programs of the No Kill Equation. On September 4, after less than 2 months, the commissioners voted to reverse the ban. See details here.
Michigan Pet Fund Alliance has issued the following statement on Genesee County:
"The Board of Directors of the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance was deeply disturbed to read of plans to resume the killing of healthy and treatable pets at Genesee County Animal Control, as well as attempts to frame the moratorium on such killing as 'the failure of no-kill.'
No-kill involves the implementation of 11 proven programs to reduce shelter intake, increase adoptions, improve the veterinary and behavior care of sheltered pets, and build relationships within the community. None of these programs - including the hiring of a compassionate director - was implemented in Genesee County subsequent to the moratorium.
We have received reports from the community describing unsanitary conditions in the facility, which serve to increase animal suffering and disease and drive away adopters, donors, and volunteers.
Despite the proffered expertise of knowledgeable and experienced animal advocates in the county, there is no sign that Genesee officials are taking advantage of thisresource to develop such programs, which have led hundreds of communities across the U.S. and Canada to save more than 90 percent of their pets without an increase in budget.
We strongly encourage Genesee County to continue their moratorium on the killing of healthy and treatable pets in their animal control organization while immediately engaging advocates in the community to clean the shelter, develop rescue transfer, behavior, and veterinary care programs, and solicit donations and volunteers.
Additionally, we urge County Commissioners to hire a strong, compassionate shelter director committed to making Genesee County Michigan's next no-kill community by immediately implementing the cost- and life-saving programs of the No Kill Equation."
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| Michigan Animal Protection Bills |
ASPCA has put together an easy way to compose an email to your Senator in support of five critical animal protection bills in our state. The bills that need your support are:
S.B. 117/118-Puppy Mills
S.B. 285/286-Cruelty Penalties
S.B. 348-Puppy Lemon Law
S.B. 354-Gas Chamber Ban
S.B. 386-Restrictions on Pet Ownership for Convicted Abusers
ASPCA & MPFA Position: Support all Action Needed:Email your state senator in Lansing now and urge him or her to support these humane bills.
Learn more about the bills and access a form to easily email your Senator requesting his or her support here.
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| Out the Front Door |
Would you like an ongoing stream of ideas and success stories from communities that are saving 90% or more of their shelter animals? Take a look at the blog Out the Front Door. It is packed with information, definitions, statistics, collaboration ideas, and links to other blogs and sites.
A recent post shows that the p opulation size of a community does not have an influence on a shelter's success of becoming No Kill. See the explanation here.
The same post identifies Otsego County, MI, as the first shelter in the country to report a 90%+ save rate, in 1999. Otsego appears to have a streak going with over 90% since 2007, possibly further back, although statistics were not available for prior years.
Which states are leading the nation with the most 90%+ communities? Take a look at the Categories section of the blog, with state breakdowns, to see that Michigan is one of the leading contenders! 
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| Michigan Pet Fund Alliance Mission
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The single mission of the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance is to stop the killing of healthy and treatable homeless cats and dogs in Michigan shelters.
We are an all-volunteer organization collaborating with shelter and rescue organizations to achieve No Kill through training, technical assistance, education and advocacy.
For more information,
call 877-FUR-PALS
The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization as defined by the IRS. Contributions are tax deductible. |
| Help Spread the Word!
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Do you have an idea for an article for our newsletter? Help spread the word by forwarding this email to someone you know who is interested in saving the lives of cats and dogs in Michigan!
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