“Prevent a Litter” Month Brings Low Cost Spay and Neuter Opportunities to Northern Lower Michigan

Photo credit: AC PAW

Along with spring comes an influx of puppies and kittens. Litters show up all over the place and often there are no homes available. The pregnant moms and later their kittens often end up staying at the shelter for long periods of time or are euthanized because enough homes aren’t available. Spaying and neutering our pets is an easy way to reduce the number of puppies and kittens that are born and later killed. Spaying and neutering also has health and behavioral benefits including the reduction of certain cancers, stopping the urine marking, less dog aggression and roaming. The following counties and organizations offer low cost spaying & neutering programs…

Leelanau County Receives New K9 Through Grant

Leelanau County has a new K9 officer on staff. His name is Nico an and he’s partnered up with handler Deputy Greg Hornkohl. Thanks to a grant from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Leelanau County was able to purchase a dual purpose narcotic detection and tracking/patrol dog. Once the county grant was received, they made contact with Mike Morgan at Mid-Michigan Kennels in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Leelanau County was able to request the kind of dog they wanted, which was selected by Morgan from a Kennel in Poland.

Hornkohl and Nico graduated from the Mid-Michigan Kennels K9 handler school on Dec. 6 2013 and Nico was immediately put into service for the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office.

UPDATE – MAY 3, 2014: 

Nico is not the first police dog in Leelanau County. Actually, prior to the late 1970’s, the Sheriff’s Office had three police dogs that worked with various deputies, the last being teamed with Deputy Ed Eckerle. Before that, Deputy George Bumgardner and Deputy Bob Russell had dogs. Their current K9 “Nico” is the first European bred and trained K9 owned by the County that they know of.

AC PAW Receives Impressive Donations from the Community

Subaru Dealership Donates $3,374 to AC Paw

Cherry Capital Subaru recently donated $3,374.90 to local animal shelter AC PAW. Dealership General Manager Mike McFarlan said the donation came amid Subaru’s Share the Love event. Customers who purchased or leased a new Subaru from November 2013 to January were eligible to select from a list of charities to receive a donation of $250 from Subaru of America. Click here for the rest of the story.

Michigan Puppy Mill Breeder Surrenders 100 Dogs and Puppies to Local Rescue in Newaygo

Photo credit: http://www.mifox32.com

A Montcalm County woman‬ ‪surrendered 100 dogs and puppies on Friday in an alleged puppy mill business, operating from her home after failing numerous times to be approved for a kennel license reported wzzm 13.com. Renee Suchil, the owner of Pixie Puppies, gave all of the dogs to Lake Haven Animal Rescue where the puppies and dogs are being fostered and receiving vet care. According to Montcalm County Animal Control, township zoning regulations only allow three dogs in a home; any more than that the owner of the pets is required to obtain a kennel license which requires a number of specific instructions.‬ Click here for the rest of the story.

Preacher Risks Life to Save Dog from Icy Pond in Leelanau County

On March 21, 2014, Reverend Wayne DeVrou, Senior Pastor for the First Reformed Church in Oostburg, Wisconsin, risked his life by attempting a pet rescue on an icy pond. His heroic actions saved the life of a 100 lbs. Mastiff that fell through the thin ice. The rescue happened by chance. DeVrou was visiting his mother and needed to make a cell phone call, but due to poor cell phone reception in the home, the pastor stepped outside and crossed the road to get a better connection. Click here for the rest of the story.

Keep The Worms Out Of Your Pet’s Heart! The Facts About Heartworm Disease

Photo credit: dogs.lovetoknow.com

Heartworm Disease – What Is It And What Causes It?

Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease, heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and ferrets. It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis.The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito. The dog is the definitive host, meaning that the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while living inside a dog. The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a mosquito for a short transition period in order to become infective (able to cause heartworm disease). The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal. Click here for more info.

Bay City Man Faces Possible Jail Time for Animal Cruelty

A Bay City man told authorities he did not know what to do after spilling hot water on his pet Schnauzer. So he took the dog outside and ran it over twice, killing it, authorities said. Aaron Bellor, 22, has been charged with animal cruelty, which carries a possible four-year prison sentence for a conviction, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Bellor’s case is one of two bizarre animal cruelty cases the sheriff’s office has been investigating. UPDATE: Bellor was not offered a plea deal. He is set for a preliminary examination on April 22nd. To read more about the case, click here.

Dead Dog Number Inflated at 28 But Still a Problem at Detroit’s River Rouge Park, Rescue says

Discarded hypodermic needles, condoms, empty liquor containers, three dead dogs and five strays were among the findings made by more than 50 animal rescue workers, volunteers, neighbors and two off-duty Detroit police while scouring River Rouge Park Saturday on what they called a “rescue mission.” And it was just a small section of the 1,200-acre park, said Nicole Litzelman, a board member for Detroit Animal Welfare Group. Click here for the rest of the story.

Family Speaks out After Dying Dog Refused Treatment at Animal Hospital in Kalamazoo

A west Michigan family is grieving and looking for answers after their beloved pet suddenly died. Marley, a one year old German Shepherd, got spayed Friday. But something went wrong with the operation. The dog’s family took Marley to an animal emergency room, but they say the E.R. refused to treat the dog.  The family reached out to Newschannel 3 hoping other pet owners don’t have to go through the heartbreak they’ve experienced. For more on the story, click here.

State Inquiry Into Conditions at Saginaw County Animal Shelter Still Ongoing

Photo credit: Mlive.com

Saginaw County officials traveled to Lansing on Tuesday, March 25, for a formal hearing on allegations of wrongdoing a state agency has levied against the county’s animal control department. In a Feb. 18 letter, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development accused the Saginaw County Animal Care Center of violating several state laws and policies, ranging from disposal of dead animals to sanitation and adoption procedures. Click here for more info.

Michigan Legislation Update and Humane Lobby Day Information

SB 354, “Grant’s Bill” to end the use of gas chambers in Michigan shelters, passed the Senate last fall by a vote of 37 to 0 and now awaits a hearing in the House Committee on Local Government. The House is on spring break until April 17, but when they return please call the committee’s chair, Rep. Amanda Price, at (517) 373-0838 to politely request that she schedule a hearing for SB 354 as soon as possible. Learn more at http://michigandersforshelterpets.org/grants-bill/.