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Getting to the Goal Conference
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Michigan's 2016 Getting to the Goal No-kill conference was held September 15-16 in Flint.
The event had close to 300 attendees, 38 speakers, 28 exhibitors, 12 sponsors, more than 20 session topics to choose from.... a whirlwind of learning, sharing, and networking.
2015 Shelter Award winners were recognized at a banquet on Thursday evening.
The Award Winner list is
here
based on Save Rate report results
here
.
When Michigan
Pet Fund
Alliance
chose the Flint location months ago, in part to support the hard-hit area, we did not know that two of the award winners would be right in Genesee County.
Congratulations to the home-town winners:
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Adopt-a Pet in Fenton, which received the
Most Adoptions for a Limited Admission shelter with > 90% Save Rate
for a phenomenal 1,243 adoptions in 2015!
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Genesee County Animal Control,
which received the
Most Improved Open/Managed Admissions, Animal Control
Large Shelter
(>1200 annual intake) for their 2015 live release rate of 86%, a 20% improvement.
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(L-R): Lisa Kowalski, Board Member, Adopt-a-Pet; Ronald Morey, President, Adopt-a-Pet; Cheryl Gault, Michigan Pet Fund Alliance; Jody Maddock, Director, Adopt-a-Pet
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(L-R): Doreen Scanlon, Genesee County Animal Control Volunteer; Richard Angelo, GRACE and Best Friends; Roberta Angela, GRACE; Danielle Gardner, GCAC Volunteer; Paul Wallace, Director, GCAC; Amy Warner, Volunteer/Event Coordinator, GCAC; Renea Kennedy, Deputy Director, GCAC; Cheryl Gault, Michigan Pet Fund Alliance
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The Humane Society of Macomb, which received the Most Improved Limited Admission Shelter
for their 2015 73% live-release rate, a 40% improvement, has a noteworthy story. Board president and interim shelter director Ken Kempkens acknowledged the influence of protesters and activists demanding shelter change and recognized the influence and commitment of Lori Stephens, spokesperson for the protestors. Read more about the unfolding of events at Humane Society of Macomb here.
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(L-R) Angel Vasquez, Humane Society of Macomb County
Adoption
Coordinator;
Lori Stephens, successful advocate and former protestor; Ken Kempkens,
Board President/Interim Shelter Director, Humane Society of Macomb
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See more photos from the event here.
Michigan Pet Fund Alliance would like to thank everyone who had a hand in producing this year's conference, as well as thanking our generous sponsors!
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Pet Foster Programs in Michigan: Don't Believe Everything You Hear!
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At our recent
Getting to the Goal conference, there was a lot of buzz about different approaches to pet fostering. Several times participants in these discussions said they were hampered in utilizing foster homes, particularly for foster-to-surrender or other short-notice or one-time situations, because Michigan laws or regulations require a formal foster process including elements such as home inspections, registration, and/or paperwork.
We contacted the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which oversees animal shelters in the state, and they responded as follows:
Currently, the companion animal/pet laws in Michigan address animal housing facilities that have dedicated space/areas/rooms/buildings for homeless companion animals such as animal shelters and pet shops.
If a person is fostering a pet for a shelter or rescue and that pet lives among the foster much as their own pet does, there is no additional State regulation for that person's home as part of the shelter/rescue other than the pet's ownership.
So if you want to implement progressive programs that will save lives by using flexible, innovative approaches to foster care, no state laws stand in your way!
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Out the Front Door recognizes Michigan's progress
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Out the Front Door, a national watchdog website of sheltering activity around the country, recently featured Michigan in a post recognizing our state's dropping shelter euthanasia from 118,369 in 2007 to 27,250 in 2015.
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About Michigan Pet Fund Alliance
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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.
MPFA is an all-volunteer
organization collaborating with shelter and rescue organizations to achieve No Kill through training, technical
assistance,
education and advocacy.
For more information:
877-FUR-PALS
(877-387-7257)
Contributions are tax deductible.
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