Dog Owners Unite: Rally at State Capitol Demands End to Experiments in Public Universities

Dogs were at the state capitol on Thursday as part of a rally for a bill banning animal experiments. The bill is named after a dog who died after being part of a Wayne State University experiment.

Screenshot

Dezzy, a German Shepherd, was joined by his owner and a few other dogs in supporting House Bill 4849, also known as Queenie’s Law.

“This legislation would prohibit publicly funded institutions in our state from using dogs in experiments that cause them pain. Surely everyone can support that, and let me tell you, most people do,” said Rep. Matt Koleszar. Click here for the rest of the story.

Photo credit: WILX-TV video screenshot

133 Dogs Rescued from Dog Fighting Ring in Detroit

A joint venture between state and federal police as well as a non-profit organization has resulted in 133 dogs being rescued from a mass dog fighting ring in Michigan.

Bark Nation, the non-profit that works to end canine cruelty, called it “one of the largest operations to combat dogfighting in Michigan’s history.”

The charity’s Facebook page said earlier this week, through combined efforts, these 133 dogs were removed from multiple properties in Detroit, Michigan, under suspicion of being involved in dogfighting.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Michigan Pet Report – Season 1, Episode 1 – March 21, 2021

Hello Michigan Pet Friends. This is season 1 episode 1 of the Michigan Pet Report and it was recorded on Sunday March 21, 2021.

The focus of this weekly podcast is to highlight Michigan pet news and to put a spotlight on rescue organizations and special dogs and cats waiting to be adopted. We’ll also cover animal legislation and other important issues that are of interest to Michigan pet owners and animal advocates.

For now, until I get a little bit more versed in this podcasting software, you will hear the word dash which will signify that a story has ended and another has began.

For today’s episode, we’re going to start out spotlighting a dog who needs a home. His name is Chester and he is with a rescue organization in the Traverse City area called A C PAW. Chester is a beautiful 8-year-old Lab Pit Bull Terrier mix whose dad had terminal cancer so he contacted A C PAW to make sure that Chester would be taken care of. Chester is currently in a foster home where he loves to play and go on walks so he’s looking for a family that is home a lot and can spend time with him. Because he’s older, he has some arthritis and skin issues and takes some supplements. He’s been around cats his whole life and he loves kids. A home without other dogs would be best. Chester is already neutered, up to date on vaccines and is microchipped. You can go to the A C PAW Facebook page to see a video of Chester that was posted on March 12th. There is also a link to fill out a pre-adoption application. Their website is at A C PAW dot o r g.

Lansing’s Capital Area Humane Society Looking for Person Who Shot Clinton County Stray Dog in the Face

Big Busterson was recently found as a stray, and brought to CAHS when Clinton County Animal Control discovered he had been harmed.

Upon his physical examination at the shelter, we realized that he had severely injured his jaw. Once sedated, we took dental x-rays and found that he had been shot in the face. Despite having part of his jaw removed, he is eating, drinking, and doing well after a few weeks in the care of CAHS.

If you know this dog, or have any information as to what happened, please contact our Intake and Cruelty Manager, Liz Kowal at lkowal@AdoptLansing.org, or call the shelter at (517) 626-6060. Thank you.

You can see the video of the dog here.

Dog Sledding Through the Wilds of The Upper Peninsula

It’s mush hour! Dog sledding through the Upper Peninsula winter wilderness is an unforgettable Northern Michigan experience. Deep inside a pair of borrowed ice fishing boots, my toes curl up in apprehension. Or, more optimistically, it’s a fluttering kind of suspense. Ahead of me, five shaggy tails beat decisively back and forth. The dogs’ paws are covered in neon booties that dig and pad on a trail of packed snow in anticipation. It’s not even 9 a.m. and here I am, standing at the helm of a dog sled in the Michigan wilderness. Apart from the panting of the dogs, and my own thoughts, the world is muted in the particular silence of a deep, fresh snow. I tighten my grip on the sled handle—a thin rod I can barely feel through thick (also borrowed) mittens. I’m waiting for the “go” signal. Waiting to see if I can stay attached to the sled when these five dogs tear off into the woods. Click here for the rest of the story.

Alpena Ice Rescue: Video Captures Moment Firefighter, Dog Are Pulled to Safety

Firefighters are getting some much-deserved recognition after a dog that fell through the ice was saved in the nick of time. Alpena City Firefighters say the husky was on the brink of collapse when firefighter Morrison came to the rescue last week Friday. Morrison broke a path through the ice and grabbed the dog just before it went completely limp from exhaustion. Click here for the rest of the story.

Woman Who Owns Alleged U.P. Puppy Mill Charged with Animal Cruelty

The owner of an alleged puppy mill in the Upper Peninsula has been charged with animal cruelty, a 7-year felony, nearly three months after police seized over 100 dogs and 20 horses from her property.

Michigan State Police seized 134 dogs – malnourished, filthy and scared – in August from a residence in Maple Ridge Township, Delta County. Among them were 65 adult dogs and 69 puppies. Another 100 puppies have been born since the dogs were taken to Delta Animal Shelter for care. Twenty horses and miniature horses were also seized.

Click here for more on the story.

Man Charged with Attempting to Drown Cat

The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office is sharing more information on an animal abuse case from last month involving a cat. The cat, who has since been named River, suffered hypothermia and is currently being taken care of at Cherryland Humane Society in Traverse City.

Click here for more on the story.

Wings Of Wonder In Empire Closes Doors, Lessard Closes A Chapter

For the first time in more than three decades, the cages and flight pens are empty. All is quiet at Wings of Wonder, the raptor rehabilitation center outside Empire. Rebecca Lessard, the founder of and guiding force behind Wings of Wonder, has said goodbye to her birds of prey as she embarks on the next chapter of her life: retirement.

Of course, the birds never were really hers. That’s why she says she was never downcast about letting the birds fly free after they had been rehabilitated. “Was I sad to release them? Never. It’s their birthright,” says Lessard.

Click here for more on the story.

Dogs On The Loose: Grand Traverse County’s Animal Control’s Workload No Treat

Nationwide, pet adoption numbers have surged since COVID-19 first upended day-to-day life earlier this year. But while more dogs and cats finding homes is a positive shift, it’s also created unintended consequences for local animal control professionals. According to Jaime Croel, animal control supervisor with the Grand Traverse County Health Department, more pet adoptions has meant more loose dogs, more leash law violations, and higher intake rates for the department. Click here for more on the story.

Cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in 2020 are Outpacing Those from 2019

FROM MDARD…

Horse owners are urged to vaccinate their animals

With the recent discovery of five additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in equids over the holiday weekend, the number of confirmed cases for 2020 is more than double the number cases found by this time last year. This rise in cases intensifies the need for horse owners to vaccinate their animals and for Michigan residents to take precautions.

Veteran Raising Money to Get Service dog for Fellow Veteran in Need

It’s a companionship like no other. Many would probably describe it as unmatched loyalty, the bond between a dog and their human.

“Oh, he’s a gem, he’s the best, he really is, he’s got my back for sure,” United States Army Veteran John Daniels said. “He’s everything, he’s absolutely everything. I don’t even know how to find the right words, but he’s one of the most important things to me.

For many of us, getting a dog can be life changing, but for John Daniels, it was life-saving.

“I wouldn’t be here today if I wouldn’t have got him,” John said.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Silver Muzzle Cottage Sanctuary Closing, Foster Program Remains

After rescuing 275 senior dogs over the past five years, Silver Muzzle founder Kim Skarritt has decided to shut down the sanctuary part of her senior dog rescue organization in Rapid City.

She has been a tireless angel over the years to many senior dogs who were old, deaf, blind, sick, lame and just sad and depressed after being dumped in a shelter after a dozen or more years of having a family to depend on. The sad stories that Kim encountered would break your heart.

She has 275 stories that she will always hold in her heart.  But even with all that she has done, I know she still doesn’t think she has done enough because that is how all of my animal rescue friends think. They could save a million and still remember the ten that they couldn’t help.

Leelanau County’s K9 officer Nico Roars Back From Tumor, Eyes Retirement

Nico, the 9-year-old German Shepherd and Leelanau County’s K9 officer, has returned from sick leave after recovering from surgery to remove a benign tumor from his spleen. “They took a five-pound tumor [out],” says his handler, Deputy Greg Hornkohl.

Nico’s prognosis is good, much to Hornkohl’s relief. “You brace for the worst,” he says.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Grand Traverse County Bat Tests Positive for Rabies

A bat from Grand Traverse County that was sent to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services state laboratory has tested positive for rabies. The bat was received on Friday, August 7 and results were reported to the Grand Traverse County Health Department on Tuesday, August 11. This is the first confirmed specimen that has tested positive for the virus in Grand Traverse County since 2017 and only the third since 2012.

With the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order in place, many businesses were closed this past spring, including veterinarians.

With the closures, it is understandable that some family pets may have experienced a lapse in vaccinations. However, as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Traverse County Health Department wants to remind the public that it is important to make sure your pets are current on their vaccinations, including rabies.

Michigan Humane, Detroit Police Remove Nine Dogs, Dog Fighting Paraphernalia From Home

Investigators from Michigan Humane’s field services team and Detroit Police Department executed a search warrant on Thursday, recovering nine dogs and dog fighting paraphernalia.

The animals and items were found at a home on the 3000 block of Seyburn on Detroit’s east side. The dogs were transferred to a Michigan Humane animal care center for medical evaluation and treatment. It has not been confirmed if anyone was inside the home when the search was conducted.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Covid-19 Animal Care: Curbside Service, Pet Supply Delivery, Video Adoptions

Employees at Preuss Pets in Lansing wear masks and gloves and stand behind a plexiglass shield in the parking lot to test water and sell fish and pet supplies.

It’s a scene that could be mistaken for a set for the next apocalyptic blockbuster. Now it’s daily life for these essential workers in light of COVID-19.

Animal-related organizations across the Great Lakes region face new challenges in caring for their critters in the midst of a pandemic.

Click here for more on the story.

Michigan Boy Donates Truck Full of Pet Supplies to Romulus Animal Shelter

A 9-year-old boy raised enough money to purchase a truck full of pet supplies for the Romulus Animal Shelter.

Dylan Lowrey’s parents helped him collect cash donations from their community. The Romulus boy used the money to fill a truck with supplies, including materials for 30 hand-sewn dog beds. He also purchased pizza for the shelter’s staff.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Dog Bite Leads to Breeder, Shelter Complaints in Ongoing Abuse Case

Bellaire — The “German shepherd forfeit,” is how Inga Waldrep thinks of the animal cruelty case that has dominated her professional life for more than a year.

“The community, and even the court system, doesn’t understand how bad it can be with animals,” said Waldrep, an animal control officer for Antrim County. “These dogs? It’s like torture what they went through. And it was all just to make a dollar.”

Click here for more on the story.

Shelter Pets Getting Fostered During Pandemic

In these days of self-quarantine and Stay at Home government mandates, many are feeling restless and scared. But there is one demographic that seems to be thriving: pets.

Never have our pets had the pleasure of so much of our attention, with added walks and couch time, as we collectively Netflix and chill.

Across the country, people have answered these pleas emptying many of the shelters by providing both permanent and temporary homes for dogs and cats in need. Click here for more on the story.

Pet Care by Shelters and Rescue Groups During Pandemic

From new processes for adoptions and donation collections at the Cherryland Humane Society to increased calls to Animal Control to a switch to curbside and online veterinary services, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted not just humans but animals across northern Michigan.

The Cherryland Humane Society (CHS) has closed its doors to walk-in visitors and suspended its volunteer program in compliance with the state’s Stay Home Stay Safe executive order. Executive Director Heidi Yates says that while the pandemic has created “a lot of uncertainty of what’s going to happen for people and their pets,” the community has shown an “outpouring of love and compassion to try and help the shelter through the crisis.” CHS is still facilitating pet adoptions online and by phone, with scheduled appointments available to finalize paperwork and pick up animals from the shelter. The organization is also fostering out a significant number of animals. Yates says that in just two weeks, the shelter has placed 60 animals into foster or adoptive homes. Click here for the rest of the story.

Non-Essential Veterinary Visits Banned in Michigan During Coronavirus Pandemic

Add routine pet checkups to the list of things that will have to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

On Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order prohibiting in-person veterinary services that aren’t essential and encouraging a shift towards telemedicine through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

The order takes effect 5 p.m. March 31. Click here for the rest of the story.