Marquette, Mich. – March 26, 2018- Through Animal Welfare Fund grants, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Animal Industry Division distributes thousands of donated dollars to animal shelters in Michigan. This year, the fund will provide almost $125,000 to 21 registered animal shelters throughout the state.
Since 2010, the Animal Welfare Fund, provided for by tax check-off monies from generous Michigan taxpayers, has distributed more than $1,092,000 to 152 facilities. The funds go directly to registered shelters to increase the number of adoptions through spay and neuter programs, improve staff knowledge of proper animal care through educational programs and training, and assist shelters with unreimbursed costs of care for animals housed for legal investigations.
“Thanks to the generous support of Michiganders, local shelters across Michigan have more opportunities to make a positive impact in their community,” said State Veterinarian James Averill, DVM. “For example, one shelter used these funds to decrease euthanasia rates from 80 percent to zero by increasing animal adoptability by having them sterilized, which also decreased the numbers of unwanted litters in the community.”
This year, MDARD received 46 applications totaling more than $372,500 in requests. Some of the innovative projects chosen this year included:
- Educational outreach to schools, Chamber of Commerce, and the local library to bring awareness to the importance of spaying/neutering pets and the benefits of adopting shelter animals. Creation of marketing tools, posters, advertising and social media outreach.
- To provide topic-specific experts at two statewide conferences to train animal control officers, shelter personnel, and volunteers on animal care, protection, laws, evidence collection, hoarding situations, and animal abuse.
- Update surgical equipment and supplies to enhance the care of animals, increase sterilizations, and better utilize veterinarians’ time.
The following shelters were awarded 2018 Animal Welfare Fund grants, totaling $124,999:
- Alcona Humane Society – $1,127
- Alpena County Animal Control – $10,000
- Arenac County Animal Control – $6,900
- Calhoun County Animal Shelter $10,000
- Cheboygan County Humane Society – $9,990
- Clare County Animal Shelter – $9,885
- Genesee County Animal Control – $10,000
- Gratiot County Animal Shelter – $1,500
- Hazel Park Animal Control – $5,000
- Humane Society of Genesee County – $4,952
- Ingham County Animal Control – $5,000
- Livingston County Animal Control – $2,791
- Mackinac County Animal Shelter – $4,000
- Macomb County Animal Control – $5,360
- Newaygo County Animal Shelter – $720
- Roscommon County Animal Control Shelter – $8,000
- Sanilac County Animal Control Shelter – $310
- Sanilac County Humane Society, Inc. – $9,000
- Taylor Animal Shelter – $464
- Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, Inc. – $10,000
- Van Buren County Animal Control – $10,000
For more information on the animal shelter program or how to apply for a grant, visit http://www.michigan.gov/animalshelters.
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