This is a plea for assistance in defending the lives of the cats and dogs housed in the Mackinac County Animal Shelter. It goes beyond the under funded and under staffed problems.  This is what is being proposed by our County Board of Commissioners, in a cost saving effort. Refusal to take ownership or responsibility for the care and adoption of these pets for longer than 10 days. They are also claiming the shelter can be closed for two days just like the court house- no food, no water, and no care. They want to only house them for ten days and then euthanize them whether they are adoptable or not. That would take our current population of about 15 dogs and 20 cats down to 1 dog and 3 cats. They want to pay a contracted person to clean and feed these pets based on how many are at the shelter for the 10 day time frame (about two hours a day). There are sixteen kennels, four isolation kennels, twelve cat cages, and four isolation cat cages. This is a new shelter (5 years old) and in immaculate condition. Our non profit group has worked with the shelter staff about 3 years and has got the adoption rate from about 25% to over 90%. Our current turn around rate for most animals is around 40 days.

Can anyone help us with a statement to be read to these people who remain in the dark ages with no respect for animals’ rights or value for their lives? Our group has taken this disaster of a shelter where most pets were euthanized and has made it a successful adoption center. We have asked them to increase the manager’s salary from $17,000 to $22,000 and add a line item in her budget for extra hire allowing her time off and vacation time. She currently is expected to work 365/24/7 with no vacation time, extra help or benefits. This county can afford it. It operates in the black. They just do not see the value in it. The community totally supports our efforts and shares our vision, but cannot get the commissioners on the same track. We have a meeting planned for this Thursday to go before them again and plea for a change of heart. If you could send us a comment, an argument, a fact, or statistic that would help us turn on the lights please do so.

Thank you, George and Jo Ford for Mackinac Animal Aid

Please feel free to contact via e mail or call us at 906.292.5532