As we begin 2025, bursting with plans, goals and ideas for the new year, we want to take a look back and celebrate our 2024 accomplishments with you.

2024 One Voice: Michigan Pet Alliance Conference & Expo:

• 163 animal welfare advocates from across the state learned new strategies for improving quality of care and life-saving rates
• 38 speakers and 13 exhibitors shared their expertise and knowledge in nearly every area of our industry
• Three keynote presentations and 29 breakout sessions, plus countless raffle prizes and award presentations, sent the 2024 conference attendees home with tons of new ideas and a host of new contacts and friends

2024 Michigan Legislation:

• We successfully drafted and introduced SB 1184, a bill to create Michigan's first pet license plate to help fund spay/neuter initiatives and training programs for shelters across the state
• SB 1184 passed through the Senate with bipartisan support, but unfortunately died in the House when it adjourned early without a vote

MPA and its members will continue to fight for this bill and plan to reintroduce it this session. Watch your email for future action alerts.

Several examples of pet-funding license plates in other states.

2024 Better Together Awards:

• Two new awards were added to our annual program: Animal Control Officer of the Year and the Michigan Dogs and Cats Advancing Literacy Grant
• Nine animal welfare advocates and shelters were awarded free training or financial grants:
• Kent County Animal Shelter: Removing Barriers Award
• Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control: Advancing Literacy Grant and Creative Programs Award
• Feline Fund: Better Together Fundraising Award
• I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven: Scentwork Training Grant
• Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit: Onsite Dog Training Grant
• Abbe Balderstone, Saginaw County Animal Care & Control: ACO of the Year Award
• Vengu Lakshminarayanan, Humane Society of Huron Valley: Karen Brocklehurst Volunteer of the Year Award
• Cathy Bissell, BISSELL Pet Foundation: Best Friend to Animals Award
• Senator Dayna Polehanki: Legislative Leadership for Animals Award

MPA CEO Sarah Devaney and Heather Griffith of the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan present Cameron Cummings, Dana Eldred and Nena McCaskill of Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control with the Michigan Dogs and Cats Advancing Literacy Grant.

2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Debbie Schutt, immediate past chair and founder of Michigan Pet Alliance (MPA), is a remarkable figure in animal welfare who has dedicated her life to improving the lives of companion animals in Michigan. Her accomplishments make her a deserving recipient of MPA's 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.

2024 Outreach and Engagement:

• Our YouTube channel continues to grow, reaching 3,264 subscribers
• Our Facebook page has increased to 7,800 followers

One of our most viewed DIY videos is How to Make an Outdoor Feeding Station for Community Cats. Educating our communities with DIY options helps alleviate the burden on our shelters, rescues and outreach organizations.

Subscribe and follow us for training tips and stories from our members, as well as educational and event opportunities.

Stay tuned for the 2025 MPA Regional Workshops

While we begin to plan the 2026 One Voice Conference & Expo, we are in the throes of preparing the 2025 regional workshops.

Here's a sneak peek of where we plan to be later this year, September - November:

• Wayne County
• Oakland County
• Macomb County
• Kent County
• Ingham County
• Roscommon County
• Charlevoix County
• Marquette County



Become a member today to take advantage of training discounts and other benefits!

Happy New Year and Thank You to All of Our Members!

We appreciate your support and owe our accomplishments to your dedication to the welfare of animals. Thank you to our members - shelters, organizations, individuals and corporations - and to the animal welfare organizations you donate your time to:

• Advantasure
• All About Animals Rescue
• Al-Van Humane Society Inc.
• Animal Behavior Solutions
• AnimalKeepers by McNeil & Co.
• Anton, Sowerby & Associates
• Attorneys for Animals, Inc.
• AuSable Valley Animal Shelter
• Capital Area Humane Society
• CHAINED Inc
• Charlevoix Area Humane Society
• Cheboygan County Humane Society
• Copper Country Humane Society
• CSNIP
• Detroit Animal Care and Control
• Doobert
• Eaton County Humane Society
• Eva Burrell Animal Shelter
• Feline Fund
• Fig and Friends Pet Rescue
• Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit
• Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue
• Grand Rapids Pit Bull Alliance
• Gratiot Animals In Need
• Greater Hillsdale Humane Society
• Greg Polverento
• Happy Feet Pet Rescue
• Harbor Humane Society
• Hope Animal Shelter
• Humane Society of Bay County
• Humane Society of Genesee County
• Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Humane Society of Southwest Michigan
• I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven
• Indian Trail Cats
• Ingham County Animal Control
• Karma Kat Cafe & Rescue
• Kent County Animal Shelter
• Leuk's Landing, Inc.
• Little Traverse Bay Humane Society
• Luce County Animal Shelter
• Macomb County Animal Control
• Midwest Boston Terrier Rescue
• NBS Animal Rescue
• Newaygo County Animal Shelter
• Noah Project
• Otsego County Animal Control & Shelter
• PASPort Home
• Paws for Life Rescue
• Pet Angel Adoption & Rescue Inc
• Pleasant Hearts Pet Food Pantry
• Reflections Outcast Animal Rescue
• Romulus Animal Shelter
• Saginaw County Animal Care & Control
• Sanilac County Humane Society
• Saving Tails Animal Rescue & Outreach
• Shelter to Home
• Shiawassee Humane Society
• St Clair County Learn Educate Advocate Protect
• Sygnifi Networks LLC.
• The Cat Ambassador
• The Hope Squad
• Tyson's Place Animal Rescue
• Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter
• West Michigan Ferret Connection
• Women's Center



Join the fight and lend your voice to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Become a member today!

MPA Vision:

To achieve the best quality of life for Michigan’s companion animals. 

MPA Mission:

To work in collaboration and speak with a single voice to eliminate abuse and neglect of Michigan’s companion animals and to save all healthy and treatable homeless companion animals through training, technical assistance, education, and advocacy.

313-731-2244

info@michiganpet.org

 michiganpet.org 

Michigan Pet Alliance is a 501(c)3 charitable organization as defined by the IRS

(EIN 20-0399162) and is a GuideStar Exchange Platinum Participant.

Contributions are tax deductible.

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