In this issue:

• Action Alert: Queenie's Law
• 2025 Better Together Award Winners
• Upcoming Fall Regional Workshops
• Workshop Sponsorship Opportunities
• Welcome New Members
• November Member Events

Dogs in Michigan need your voice now.

Queenie’s Law, HB 4254, is headed to a hearing on Thursday, October 23 in the House Regulatory Reform Committee. The opposition is very powerful and is fighting very hard to prevent Queenie's Law from passing.

HB 4254 will prohibit canine experiments at publicly funded Michigan institutions. Outlawing painful dog experiments, funded by Michigan taxpayers, has been a key animal welfare issue in our state for a long time. 

We need every organization and every voter in Michigan to show strong support.

How to Help

Please contact the members of the Regulatory Reform Committee and ask them to vote Yes on Queenie’s Law:

• Joe Aragona, chair, JosephAragona@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1785
• Parker Fairbairn, majority vice chair, ParkerFairbairn@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-2629
• Doug Wozniak, DouglasWozniak@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-0832
• Pauline Wendzel, PaulineWendzel@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1799
• Mark Tisdel, MarkTisdel@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1792
• Mike Hoadley, MikeHoadley@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1789
• Jerry Neyer, JerryNeyer@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-2646
• Angela Rigas, AngelaRigas@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1403
• Jamie Thompson, JamieThompson@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1772
• Rylee Linting, RyleeLinting@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-0478
• Tullio Liberati Jr, minority vice chair, tullioliberati@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1776
• Tyrone Carter, tyronecarter@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-0154
• Karen Whitsett, karenwhitsett@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1008
• Angela Witwer, angelawitwer@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-0822
• Cynthia Neeley, cynthianeeley@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-0834
• Emily Dievendorf, EmilyDievendorf@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-2277
• Kristian Grant, KristianGrant@house.mi.gov, (517) 373-1800

We are also asking every shelter, rescue, organization and group to submit a card of support. Please ask others to do the same.

Email the committee clerk with your name and organization, and ask her to please submit a card of support for Queenie’s Law, HB 4254. It will be read into the record. If you plan to attend the hearing, you can submit a card of support in person and on behalf of other organizations who request it.

Committee Clerk Melissa Sweet

517-373-5176

msweet@house.mi.gov

Thank you. When we speak with One Voice, we accomplish more.

Congratulations to the winners of MPA's 2025 Better Together Grants and Awards program.

Better Together Creative Programs Award of $2,000 is awarded to Tyson's Place Rescue in Holland for its People and Their Pets Together program, helping terminally ill people care for and find new families for their pets.

Better Together Saving and Raising Funds Award of $2,000 is awarded to Little Traverse Bay Humane Society in Harbor Springs for its Resource Room / Community Pet Pantry program.

Better Together Removing Barriers Award of $3,000 is awarded to Capital Area Humane Society in Lansing for its Test Drive Adoptions program, which is designed to improve adoption outcomes and to reduce animal returns by giving potential adopters the chance to welcome a pet into their home on a trial basis.

Officer Ashley Sanchez of Eastpointe earns the Animal Control Officer of the Year Award for her innovative, proactive initiative and tireless hard work to save lives.

Thais Teixeira, who donated 859 volunteer hours to Ingham County Animal Control, earns the Joel Penny Volunteer of the Year Award.

Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue in Belleville earned the Scentwork in a Shelter training grant as they seek cost-effective ways to train staff and to provide enrichment activities to dogs.

Alpena County Animal Control in Alpena earned the On-site Cat Training grant to improve the lives and adoptability for cats in its care.

Berrien County Animal Services in Benton Harbor earned the On-site Dog Training grant to improve the lives and adoptability for dogs in its care.

Thank you to everyone who applied and nominated animal welfare organizations and advocates for this year's awards and grants. We look forward to your submissions in 2026.

Our next regional, one-day workshop is this Monday, October 27 in Oakland County.

We have entered the home stretch of the 2025 MPA Regional Workshops. All participants qualify for continuing education credits from NACA and CAWA.

Raffle prizes are available at each workshop, as well as one-year memberships to Michigan Pet Alliance. Email conference@michiganpet.org for scholarship information.

Register for an upcoming workshop today.

Oakland County: Monday, October 27, 2025

• "Dog Behavior and Body Language with Fear Free Shelter Tips"
  Instructor: Namiko Ota-Noveskey, Kent County Animal Shelter
• "Cat Body Language & Behavior"
  Instructor: Jess Vankoningsveld, Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Guest Speaker: Mary Bart Houston, Adopt a Pet Shelter Plus 

Sponsored by ADOPTAPET SHELTER PLUS

Roscommon County: Thursday, November 6, 2025

• "Dog Behavior and Body Language with Fear Free Shelter Tips"
  Instructor: Namiko Ota-Noveskey, Kent County Animal Shelter
• "Cat Body Language & Behavior"
  Instructor: Jess Vankoningsveld, Humane Society of Huron Valley

St. Clair County: Monday, November 10, 2025

• "Cat Body Language & Behavior
• "Creating a Successful Barn Cat Program"
  Instructor: Jess Vankoningsveld, Humane Society of Huron Valley

Macomb County: Sunday, November 16, 2025

• "Dog Behavior and Body Language with Fear Free Shelter Tips"
  Instructor: Namiko Ota-Noveskey, Kent County Animal Shelter
• "Cat Body Language & Behavior"
  Instructor: Jess Vankoningsveld, Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Guest Speaker: Amanda Foster, Human Animal Support Services

Michigan Pet Alliance is offering sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 One Voice Conference & Expo.

Hundreds of animal welfare advocates, shelter staff, volunteers, outreach groups and rescues will convene in Clinton Township next year, October 2-3, 2026, to network, sharpen their skills and take their passion to the Next Level.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for any budget, and sponsorship packages can be customized to ensure that MPA's members and animal welfare audience engage with your message. At the same time, your sponsorship dollars support the mission of Michigan Pet Alliance and its members.

If your target audience includes animal welfare advocates, rescuers and pet lovers, sponsoring the conference can help you build business relationships, gain valuable insights, increase awareness, generate sales and so much more.

Michigan Pet Alliance welcomes our newest members. Thank you for joining us. With One Voice, we accomplish more.

• I Heart Dogs Rescue and Animal Haven
• Northwoods Animal Shelter
• Paradise Animal Rescue
• Tail Waggers 1990
• Jim Andonoff, The Karen’s
• Logan Austin, Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Justin Bailey, Clinton County Animal Control
• Geri Benson, Harbor Humane Society
• Abbiegail Burghduff, Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter
• Michelle Clements, Northwoods Animal Shelter
• Larraine Edwards, Paradise Animal Rescue
• Bailee Holtz, Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office
• Catherine Huitema, Iosco County Sheriff's Office
• Kelly Jackson
• Keri Kehoe, MAACO
• Greg Klauka, Southfield Police Department
• Fred Knauf
• Patsy Koppy, Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society
• Raelyn Korcal
• Laura Kuchinski, Tail Waggers 1990
• Joslynn Larsen, Macomb County Animal Control
• Joe Lee, Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center
• Casey McClorey, Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit
• Deshaun Mills, City of Inkster
• Shakyrra Motter, The Karen’s
• Lance Norman, Monroe County Sheriff's Office
• Nicole Pawlaczyk, Iosco County Sheriff's Office
• Maria Pawlowski
• Lisa Polidori, A ReJoyceful Animal Rescue
• Shannon Raby, Southfield Police Department
• Dianne Reeves, I Heart Dogs Rescue and Animal Haven
• Colleen Rice
• Cathy Ruprecht
• Dorri Russell, Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center
• Ashley Sanchez, Eastpointe Police Department
• Jacob Schang, Macomb County Animal Control
• Nicole Slater, Garden City Police Department
• Dawn Smith
• Selena Smith, Monroe County Sheriff's Office
• JoDee Stipp
• Elizabeth Summerfield, Bloomfield Township Animal Welfare
• Ashley Tester, Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center
• Kaitlyn Tree
• Shelby Weber, Kent County Animal Control
• Amanda Wilkinson, Humane Society of Huron Valley
• Chris Wilson, Sterling Heights Police Department
• Monica Wright, Clinton County Animal Control
• Donna Zeppiero, Al-Van Humane Society Inc.

Encourage your partners and network to join MPA and become a member. Share the benefits of membership in Michigan Pet Alliance.

A benefit of MPA membership is free promotion for the upcoming events and fundraisers of member organizations. Here are a few opportunities to support animal welfare organizations next month:

• November 2025: Big Ticket Raffle 2025, Charlevoix, Charlevoix Area Humane Society
• November 1: Adoptions Meet-n-Greet, Grand Rapids, Fig and Friends Pet Rescue
• November 2: Grand Rapids Griffins Dog Game, Grand Rapids, Pleasant Hearts Pet Food Pantry
• November 6: Dog & Cat Behavior and Body Language Workshop, Roscommon, MPA
• November 8: Tail Waggers Bowl, Livonia, Tail Waggers 1990
• November 8: Mobile Pet Food Pantry, Lansing, Ingham County Animal Control & Shelter
• November 8: The Great Catsby, Bay City, Humane Society of Bay County
• November 9: How to Care for Outdoor Cats TNR Training, Warren, All About Animals
• November 10: Barn Cats & Cat Behavior and Body Language Workshop, Port Huron, MPA
• November 13: Creative Kids & Cats, Harbor Springs, Little Traverse Bay Humane Society
• November 15: Low Cost Vaccine Clinic,, Ann Arbor, Humane Society of Huron Valley
• November 15: Holiday Sip & Shop Craft Show, Muskegon, Noah Project
• November 16: Dog & Cat Behavior and Body Language Workshop, Utica, MPA
• November 17: Community Cats Spay/Neuter Day, Taylor, Feline Fund
• November 19: Stained Glass Highland Cow Class, Lansing, Happy Feet Pet Rescue
• November 20: Read to Your Shelter Pet, Gwinn, UPAWS
• November 22: Warren Woods Tower Craft Show, Warren, I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven
• November 22: Nail Trim Day, Adrian, Lenawee Humane Society
• November 22: Holiday Yard Sale, Northville, Shelter to Home
• November 23: Pictures with Santa 2025, Belleville, Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue
• November 30: TNR Best Practices Training, online, All About Animals

Lend your voice and enjoy the benefits of being a member of Michigan Pet Alliance. 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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