2013 Save Rate Report
Michigan Pet Fund Alliance used the 2013 annual shelter reports that each licensed shelter is required to submit to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and performed calculations to determine each shelter’s performance in saving lives.
Click for a copy of the 2013 Save Report. Page 6 contains definitions.
Based upon shelter performance, the following shelters were recognized with awards for 2013 at the 2014 Michigan Pet Fund Alliance Awards Banquet in Troy on September 4, 2014. See a full list of awards here.
Outstanding Open Admission Shelters with the Best Save Rate:
- Copper Country Humane Society, Small Shelter (< 1000 annual intake) Houghton County: 96% save rate in 2013.
- Humane Society of Midland County, Medium Shelter (> than 1000 but < 5000) Midland County: 100% save rate in 2013.
- Humane Society of Huron Valley, Large Shelter (> 5000) Washtenaw County: 86% save rate in 2013.
Most Improved Open Admission Shelter:
- Barry County Animal Shelter, Barry County: 70.11% in 2013, up from 34.11% in 2012.
Outstanding Limited Admission Shelter with the greatest number of adoptions:
- (Limited admission shelter with at least a 90% save rate and with the greatest number of adoptions)
- Cascades Humane Society, Jackson County: 96% save rate in 2013 with 798 adoptions.
Most Improved Limited Admission Shelter:
- Humane Society & Animal Rescue of Muskegon County, Muskegon County: 94.44% save rate in 2013, up from 46.51% in 2012.
Other awards given include:
Amber Sitko – All About Animals Rescue
The Best Friend Award recognizes a person, agency, organizations that has gone above and beyond to save, care for, home or advocate for Michigan’s homeless cats and dogs.
The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance recognizes Amber Sitko, President of All About Animals Rescue (AAAR) with the Best Friend Award.
Amber started her interest in homeless animal welfare managing a home- based foster rescue organization. She soon realized that “shutting off the faucet” was the key to the flood – otherwise the bailing was never ending. She rented surgical suites at Detroit Michigan Humane Society on Sundays and opened a low-cost M.A.S.H. style spay/neuter clinic fixing a hundred cats each clinic session. When MHS discontinued her lease, she found a storefront and opened southeast Michigan’s first low-cost high-volume spay/neuter clinic. Outgrowing space, the clinic moved and eventually landed in a 17,000 square foot facility with wellness services. All About Animals Rescue also has a facility in Auburn Hills and southwest
Detroit where they partner with HSUS operating the Pets for Life Program. AAAR has spayed/neutered 90,000 animals since they began. They operate a
mobile surgical unit which travels throughout the state, have instructed 3000 individuals on TNR with a free trap check-out and shelter building program, coordinate the SPAY Michigan program and offer a Pet Support Help Line. Did we mention that this is Amber’s volunteer job – – – she works full time in the computer technology field.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel
The Elected Official’s Homeless Animals Friend Award recognizes an elected official who has successfully, through their actions either introduced and shepherded legislation to benefit and improve the life of homeless cats and dogs in Michigan or made a transformational change for the homeless animals within their jurisdiction.
The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance recognizes Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel with the Elected Official’s Homeless Animals Friend Award.
Macomb County ran one of the worst county shelters in the state. In 2009, only one of four animals left the shelter alive and few were spayed/neutered in advance of adoption, unless they come in the door that way. The shelter literally smelled.
For years, animal advocates lobbied the County Board of Commissioners for change and improvement. Excuses were plentiful – over-population, lack of a budget, union rules, even “residents don’t value pets.”
Mark Hackel was elected to the new form of Macomb
government as County Executive in January 2011. The animal
advocates shifted their attention from the Commissioners to the new County Executive. He listened. He established an Advisory Committee and accepted the retirement of the Shelter Director. He asked for the Advisory Committee’s help writing a job description for a new shelter director and had them interview the top candidates. He committed to changing the shelter – in fact he set the goal: to have the BEST shelter in the state of Michigan.
In January 2013 animal welfare professional, Jeff Randazzo was hired as chief Animal Control Officer in charge of the shelter and Animal Control. Change and reform does not come without controversy and pain. Standards and credentials for Animal Control Officers were set high. Best Practice programs were introduced and collaborations with rescue groups established. Pushback came from a variety of areas: employees, misguided animal advocates not versed in new best practices as well was Animal Control Officers and Police Chiefs from local communities who were comfortable with the state quo and killing.
County Executive Hackel stood firm to the pushback – supported the change and continues to take a stand of life for homeless Macomb cats and dogs.
(L-R): Amber Sitko, All About Animals Rescue; Neil Wackerle, Humane Society of Midland County; Tanya Hilgendorf, Humane Society of Huron Valley; County Executive Mark Hackel, Macomb County; Carmela Lazarus, Cascades Humane Society; Sue Chambers, Cascades Humane Society; Dr. Diana Newman, Barry County Animal Shelter; Heidi Yates, Humane Society and Animal Rescue of Muskegon County
