News Archives - Lenawee Humane Society

AARP showcases our new pioneering shelter on healthcare campus

swilkerson — Tue, 28 May 2024 20:35:22 +0000

“The future is ripe with possibility. ProMedica has donated 10 acres of its campus for the humane society to begin building a new shelter, which will extend a collaboration that has already brought immense benefits to people suffering mental health challenges.”

Click here to read AARP’s article below which showcases the incredible journey of our new pioneering shelter – a national first on a healthcare campus!

Read AARP Article >>

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Introducing the Dave Pearcy Pet Food Bank

swilkerson — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 21:21:12 +0000

When pet owners are struggling, financially or otherwise, we hope they know they can turn to Lenawee Humane Society. Not to surrender their pet, as most would think, but for assistance so their pet can stay exactly where he or she belongs – in their loving home.

This wasn’t always the case. Years ago, our tiny organization barely had enough resources to help the homeless pets in our care. In 2012, an animal lover by the name of Dave Pearcy changed all that and set Lenawee Humane Society on a pro-active path to help keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter.

Dave discovered that regulations at a local business required them to throw away damaged bags of pet food because they couldn’t be sold. Discouraged by this fact and knowing there were homeless pets in need of that food, he contacted our humane society with an offer.

If we could find a place to store weekly truckloads of pet food, Dave offered to not only make the deliveries himself, but he also offered to purchase storage containers in order to keep the newly acquired kibble moisture-free and safe from rodents, both at our shelter and at the local business. It was a win-win for everyone.

As the weekly truckloads of life-saving morsels from Dave began to roll in, we soon realized we had a new problem on our hands. We were accumulating more pet food than we were using and we needed to come up with a solution that made sense.

Dave inspired us to think outside the box, thus helping launch Lenawee County’s first and only community pet food bank. When families contacted us, broken-hearted because they couldn’t afford to feed their pets, we could give them hope in the form of a taped-up bag of food, keeping their pet out of our shelter and at home where they belong.

Dave Pearcy sadly passed away on November 29, 2020, leaving behind an incredible legacy of life-saving that is still thriving today. Dave’s passion for animals, especially his dog Maggie, and his drive to make the world a better place, has kept more than 400 families together so far, saving countless lives in the process.

According to Dave’s daughter, Debbie Case, their entire family has been passionate about animals for as long as she can remember. From rescuing stray dogs, to helping lost ducklings and abandoned baby raccoons, Debbie said her father would always jump to the rescue. “He would never say, ‘I hope someone else can help them,’” she told us. Her father would think of a solution, make sure it was the right solution, then make it happen.

Today, our entire community is benefiting from Dave’s dedication to animals. To honor his wonderful legacy, we are proud to announce that our pet food bank has officially been named the Dave Pearcy Food Bank and will continue to be a life-saving resource for pet owners in need.

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Tribute To Leo

swilkerson — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 12:00:40 +0000

Every animal that enters our shelter holds its own unique place in our hearts. But sometimes, an animal comes along that has an effect on our entire community; that was the case with Leo.

When Leo was born in our shelter on January 11, 2013, this little puppy had no idea how he would change the mindset and direction of Lenawee Humane Society. His journey inspired us to think outside the box and come together as a community to not only save his life, but also the life of a college student who was desperate for a miracle.

You see, thanks to Danielle Ward, who was working at Adrian College at the time; Ted Aranda from Aranda Dog Training; Lenawee Humane Society and the entire community at large, Leo went on to be a diabetic alert dog for Clay Paul, a college student who found himself struggling to sleep at night in fear that he may not wake up.

Over the past 9 years, Leo has alerted Clay to his low blood sugar countless times. He has also been Clay’s rock through the most difficult times in his life while also being at his side to celebrate some of his best moments so far. Leo has been Clay’s life saver, his secret keeper, a shoulder to lean on and all-around best friend ever!

Sadly, Leo was recently diagnosed with bone cancer and he crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday, loved and cherished beyond measure. There is an emptiness in the Paul house today and in the hearts of all who were touched by Clay and Leo’s story.

Leo showed us the miracles that are made possible when we come together as a community, partnering with the local college, local organizations and small local businesses. Our executive director, who was fairly new to the organization at the time, realized how we could impact human lives through animals. She knew she had finally found her calling. After we saved Leo’s life, he went on to save Clay. Not only could we save animal’s lives, but we could save people’s lives too; and thus, our new mission was born: “Saving the lives of animals while enriching the lives of humans.”

So to the dog who saved his human multiple times and revolutionized the way we now serve our community, rest easy Leo. You definitely earned your wings and will be missed by many.

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Paying It Forward

swilkerson — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 22:30:14 +0000

When Virginia and her siblings were diagnosed with deadly parvovirus we feared the worst. She had recently been found under an old couch abandoned on the street, struggling to survive with her mother and littermates. Luckily, Virginia’s entire family had a strong will to live and when we reached out to you, you were determined to help save their lives too.

Your financial support allowed us to provide necessary life-saving care to these little fighters around the clock. While most of the litter responded well to fluids and treatment, Virginia did not. Her protein levels dropped to terrifying low levels and our veterinarian estimated that she had less than 24 hours to live. We knew she desperately needed a miracle.

While Virginia’s situation was turning critical, another recent rescue named Stitch was celebrating his new found freedom. Stitch had been found abandoned in an empty home with his brother, where they had been stuffed into a tiny crate and left alone together. Although Stitch was in poor condition when he first arrived, he never lost his zest for life and he recovered quickly from his terrible ordeal.

After his life was saved, Stitch then did something extraordinary.
He saved Virginia’s life.

Stitch donated his blood, from which we separated the plasma, and infused it into Virginia’s tiny body. This protein infusion was exactly the miracle this sick puppy needed. Virginia survived through the night and within a few days, she had enough strength to eat and walk on her own.

Less than two weeks after Stitch saved her life, Virginia was healthy enough to travel to her forever home, where she’s finally living the life she fought so hard to achieve. Stitch, her hero, also found a loving family to call his own.

We can’t thank you enough for following Stitch’s lead and never giving up. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and when one life has been saved, you never know how they’ll choose to pay it forward.

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Fostering = Saving Lives

swilkerson — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 15:03:12 +0000

Fostering animals is an integral part of our success. Because of foster families, we saved and adopted out 1,009 animals last year, more than any other year.

In December I too had the opportunity to foster a dog named Noelle, transferred to us through one of our rescue partners. The poor girl was so matted when they found her, you couldn’t even tell she was a dog.

It was, however, evident that Noelle had most likely been hit by a car. They rushed her to the emergency vet, raised money to cover the cost of her care and surgery needed for her broken pelvis and dislocated hip. Despite all this, they could not find an available orthopedic surgeon to perform her life-saving surgery.

I called Heritage Animal Hospital who was able to perform the necessary surgery the very next day. I drove to pick her up from the rescue and headed straight to Heritage. The surgery was successful but Noelle had to stay in the hospital for several days followed by six weeks of cage rest. She would definitely need a foster where she could recover in peace.

I agreed to foster her though I was a bit nervous; nervous whether I could properly care for her; nervous of the thought of hurting her; and nervous of getting bit (a real possibility). There were so many things I would need to learn, but I had tons of support from our very own Hope Clinic.

It was more than surgery Noelle would have to recover from. She would still have to recover from whatever trauma caused her to end up in such terrible condition. Eventually, Noelle would need to be spayed, receive a dental, and have multiple mammary tumors removed, all while giving her as much time as she needed to recover in between each surgery and procedure. Finally, Noelle would need a forever home.

Throughout the first six weeks of recovery, we also discovered that Noelle struggled with a condition called Sundowners, much like the human version of Alzheimer’s. It was not going to be an easy road and the foster commitment would not be a short one. Luckily, because of wonderful supporters like you, once we commit to an animal, we can remain committed.

While Noelle has had many obstacles to overcome, she remained a happy dog. The meds for the Sundowners and the special food were helping, allowing her to relax and begin to trust me. Enrichment tools such as a food puzzle, a Kong and a snuffle mat helped keep Noelle from becoming bored and restless. She even began to bond with my other animals.

Noelle recovered well from her pelvic and hip surgery. She did great through her dental and spay. Her first mammary surgery was a bit
challenging but again she recovered well, with only one more surgery to go.

When I picked her up from the shelter after her mammary surgery, I was told Noelle had tried to bite everyone so they requested I get her out of her kennel. She laid with her back to the door facing the corner. As I approached the cage, I called her name. She looked and then looked again, getting up and moving toward the cage door. When I opened the door, she put her paws up on my chest as if to say, “I want to go home!” At that moment, I realized I had failed once again as a foster! I had no intentions of adopting another dog, but Noelle clearly had a different plan.

Sometimes we pick them. Sometimes they pick us. One thing for certain, Noelle has found her forever home!

– Marcie Cornell
Executive Director

Click here to help save lives through fostering.

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Do you have a plan for your pets?

swilkerson — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 14:48:51 +0000

Often people create a will or estate plan for their belongings and their finances, but they do not always consider what will happen to their pet(s). Rarely do they consider what happens before they pass.

Who will take care of your pet should you end up in the hospital? Who will care for your pet after you are gone?

One of our longtime supporters was proactive and even helped us to understand the need for a plan. After speaking with her a few years back, we knew there were other people who may need these types of services as well, which inspired us to create our Guardianship Program. Because this supporter made a plan ahead of time, when she ended up in the hospital, our staff was able to go to her home to get her two cats and her dog.

During her time in the hospital, she was relieved to know her animals were being well cared for. Unfortunately, she never made it home from the hospital.

We are honored that she trusted us with her beloved pets and grateful to be able to fulfill her final wish of helping them find another loving home.

Click here to learn more about making a plan for your pets.

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Women’s History Month

swilkerson — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 19:28:46 +0000

Last month, we celebrated Women’s History Month by featuring some of the incredible women who have played a key role in the history of our organization.

As a young child, Hope Lowry was known for taking in stray animals off the street. She was passionate about helping animals that had little hope of finding a home. She would push her mother’s wheelchair door to door asking for donations to help nurse animals back to health before finding their forever homes. She was a trailblazer and a force to be reckoned with when she founded the Lenawee Humane Society in 1921.

She went on to serve as executive director and board president before handing over the reins. She also became a mentor and role model for her young friend Hildreth Spencer who carried on her legacy and dedication to the welfare of homeless animals; their vision is still alive today. We like to think we share Hope’s same zeal and commitment, more than 100 years later. We think Hope and Hildreth would be proud of all that we have accomplished and all we hope to do in the future.

Carol Greenwald began serving on our Board of Directors in 1965 where she worked closely with Hope Lowry, volunteering to help raise funds for homeless pets. Some of Carol’s fondest memories include going door to door with Hope to sell candy bars, and participating in fundraising walks to collect donations.

One of Carol’s favorite aspects of being a part of LHS is meeting people who are like her, who genuinely care for our organization and are passionate about it.

According to Carol, watching LHS grow and change over the years has been a “beautiful transition.” She has memories of “being so sad when having to put animals to sleep and she’s happy our shelter has changed from that.”

Carol remembers when that change first began with Cathy Nystrom, another incredible woman who impacted our organization’s history, as they navigated through troubling times together.

Carol still remains an active Emeritus board member today. We appreciate her 56 years of dedication to Lenawee Humane Society!

Edith Holmes was a great supporter of Lenawee Humane Society, serving on the board of directors for a period of time, participating in our many fundraisers, with the Howl-O-Ween Ball being her favorite.
She even made it her mission to win the bid on our van wrap in the live auction so she could spotlight her best friend Morley, her beloved pitbull, on the side of our van.
Edith volunteered her time and talents at Lenawee Humane Society right up until she passed in 2017. She was a very caring and giving person to many people and causes. Her passion for dogs and LHS led her to include us in her estate hoping her donation could make a significant difference in the future of LHS. We are in fact honoring her wishes.

Cathy Nystrom became involved, as a volunteer at the Lenawee Humane Society in the early 80’s when the facility was out on Academy Road, our first physical shelter. It was clear to her at that time that both Lenawee Humane Society and Animal Welfare in general had outgrown that dark dismal space and the common practices that had been used in animal welfare. Cathy joined the board and vowed to make a difference in the lives of animals.
Cathy was instrumental in helping LHS secure support to purchase the current facility on Beecher Street. Kennels had to be installed and a few other modifications had to be done but it was a vast improvement over the previous facility, allowing more space and the ability to save more animals. When the opportunity became available for Cathy to become certified in humane euthanasia, she took it. While it was a task no one ever wanted to do, sometimes it had to be done and learning a more humane and efficient way of helping animals was always at the top of Cathy’s mind.
In the early 90’s the shelter was in turmoil and had to close for a few months. Cathy worked hard alongside other board members to work through the problems and open the doors once again. She helped with fundraising to secure funding, mopped floors to help the staff and helped with adoptions. There was no job that Cathy wouldn’t do to help the animals and the staff.
Over the years Cathy has seen the best of times and the worst of times at LHS but one thing that has always remained the same is her support and dedication to the mission of Saving the lives of animals while enriching the lives of humans.

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Can pets spread coronavirus?

swilkerson — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 18:16:05 +0000

Can my pet spread coronavirus?

Infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people.
If you are not ill with COVID-19, you can interact with your pet as you normally would, including walking, feeding, and playing. You should continue to practice good hygiene during those interactions (e.g., wash hands before and after interacting with your pet; ensure your pet is kept well-groomed; regularly clean your pet’s food and water bowls, bedding material, and toys).
Out of an abundance of caution, it is recommended that those ill with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet. If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.

For responsible pet owners, preparing in advance is key. Make sure you have an emergency kit prepared, with at least two weeks’ worth of your pet’s food and any needed medications. Usually we think about emergency kits like this in terms of what might be needed for an evacuation, but it’s also good to have one prepared in the case of quarantine or self-isolation when you cannot leave your home.

While we are recommending these as good practices, it is important to remember there is currently no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 to other animals, including people.

Information provided by American Veterinary Medical Association.

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How to help shelter pets during COVID-19

swilkerson — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 17:23:41 +0000

The Coronavirus outbreak is impacting everyone – including shelter pets. They need your help now, more than ever. Worried there isn’t much you can do? Have no fear – we’ve put together a list of ways you can still help!

ADOPT • It’s never been a better time to adopt. Your new pet comes home spayed/neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations, all set to hunker down and get cozy at home with you. Don’t forget – adoption doesn’t just save the life of your new family member, it saves the life of the next pet you’ve just made room for.

FOSTER • Not sure you’re ready to make the commitment to adopt? If you’re spending a little extra time at home, borrow a roommate for a week or two and we’ll provide the supplies. You just supply the love and care at home! Our team will help you find the perfect match for your lifestyle.

VOLUNTEER • We’re working with a smaller crew than usual to limit exposure but we still have just as many dogs and cats needing fed, cleaned, walked and spoiled with attention. Contact us to join one of our teams! (Bonus: Disease control has always been one of our specialities.)

ENGAGE • Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share, share, share! We’ll be restricting all services to appointment only so we’ll be using social media as our main channel to promote our adoptable pets during this time. Help us spread the word and you just might be the missing link a pet needs!

DONATE • Our shelter is 100% private and receives no outside funding, not from the government and not from other shelters. We’re able to save homeless pets because your donations make it happen.
• Please, please donate cash if you can so we can keep our doors open to provide second chances to those in need right now. With our country in a state of emergency, we may see intake numbers rise quickly. Please help us be prepared to save them too.
• Supplies from our wishlist are always needed, such as bleach and cat litter. Please shop with local stores like Pet Supplies Plus if possible or through our Amazon Wishlist if not. Donations can be mailed directly or dropped off in our foyer between 9am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday. We’ll still be able to take those donation pictures we all love – just a little more safely!

Thank you for helping. We can’t do this without you.

View our official statement on COVID-19 and the steps we’re taking to keep you safe while still saving the lives of the homeless pets who depend on all of us.

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Preventing heartworms from turning into heartbreak

swilkerson — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 23:18:06 +0000

Zeke

With his shiny black coat, happy smile and outgoing personality, you’d never know ten-year old Zeke was hiding a secret. A simple blood test quickly revealed what a physical exam couldn’t – his heart had been overtaken by heartworms, a deadly parasite transmitted through the bite of just one tiny mosquito. Without treatment, this disease eventually leads to heart failure and death.

Although Zeke’s heartworm test came back positive, he’s still optimistic. He’s already watched you save Ivan, another senior pooch who tested positive for the same disease.

Ivan going home!

Ivan’s life was in danger too, but because of your support, he received the life-saving treatment he desperately needed. With your help, Ivan landed his forever home as soon as you saved his life. He’s thankful every single day because you gave him a future he only dreamed of before, and his new adopter is grateful for being blessed with a dog who has changed their life for the better.

Heartworm disease is already hitting our tiny shelter hard this year. Along with Zeke, two more dogs are currently in jeopardy of losing their lives to this awful disease. Royalty and Mateo, both found as strays in different areas of Lenawee County, dream of a day when they can run in a backyard at full speed before curling up on the couch with their new families.

To prevent heartworm disease from claiming even more lives, all dogs at Lenawee Humane Society are given monthly heartworm preventative during their stay. This monthly dose only costs about as much as a fast food value meal, while the cost of treating the active disease costs hundreds of dollars and can take several months to complete. Your donation today not only provides life-saving treatment for those already infected, it also prevents this parasite from claiming victims in the first place.

With your help, we know there is still hope for Zeke, Royalty, and Mateo to have a chance to live long, healthy lives with loving families, just like Ivan. Can you please help us save them too?

Royalty

Matteo

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