Shelters and Rescue Groups in Northern Michigan

The following is a list of shelters and rescue groups in Northern Michigan by county. The list contains groups within approximately 80 miles of Traverse City, Michigan. If you know of a group that isn't on the list, notice any broken links or have information on any disbanded organizations, please email us at info@petfriendsmagazine.com

ANTRIM COUNTY

Antrim Co. Animal Shelter
Bellaire
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI195.html

We opened our new facility in March 2004. We now have indoor, outdoor dog kennels, a seperate cat area, isolation kennels for dogs and cats, a grooming area for the strays that come in needing TLC, an extra large garage for animal control storage and vehicles, a laundry area, a meeting room for humane education and for staff and volunteers to brainstorm ideas, and a pre-adoption room, where interested adopters can take some time free of distractions to meet a potential pet. If we all work together as a team, we should be able to do great things for the homeless animals in Antrim County.

With a Little Help from My Friends
Bellaire
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI374.html

We are a 501c(3) public charity dealing with animal issues in Antrim County, Michigan. WaLHFMF has plans for a sanctuary soon. The sanctuary will offer emergency housing for pets whose owners may have died, gone into a nursing home, lost their home do to fire or perhaps running from spouse abuse. This sanctuary will be offered to Antrim County animals and will have an adoption program for those who can't reunite with their owners.

BENZIE COUNTY

Animal Welfare League of Benzie Co.
Beulah
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI466.html

We are a group of animal loving people in Benzie County. The League was founded in 1977. It is a partnership between the Benzie County Animal Control Office and the Animal Welfare League of Benzie County. The AWL has many fund raisers throughout the year to help fund the Spay and Neuter program that we fund for all Benzie County Residents.

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY

Charlevoix Co. Humane Society
Boyne City
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI209.html

We advocate the humane treatment of animals by initiating community awareness of pet care, owner responsibility, animal population control, and prevention of animal cruelty. We seek the return of lost animals to their owner, locate suitable homes for adoptable animals, and foster animals with special needs. We will set an example for all, providing humane education and special humane programs to reach and guide the community. We will efficiently use our animal shelter as a safe haven to provide care, treatment, and protection of lost, abused, injured, surrendered, and/or abandoned animals.

CRAWFORD COUNTY

AuSable Valley Animal Shelter
Grayling
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI85.html

We are people looking to find animals good homes and give them the best care we can provide. We work very hard to make sure every animal gets the love that it deserves. We started posting pets on the internet because we have wonderful animals at our facility and not just people in our community should know about them. Other people should, too. It gives them a better chance at finding new, loving forever homes! We do this for the sake of all our animals.

EMMET COUNTY

Emmet County Stray Center
Petoskey
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI472.html

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society
Petoskey and Harbor Springs
http://www.ltbhs.com/

The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society is a non-profit that offers a temporary home to companion animals that have lost theirs. We are a no-kill shelter. No animal will be euthanized for lack of space. Our mission is to offer a warm shelter, veterinary care, and personal attention to all our animals while they are in our care. We will promote proactive methods of controlling pet overpopulation. We have committed ourselves to educate the public on the humane treatment of companion animals. LTBHS takes in and places hundreds of dogs and cats every year!

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY

AC Paw
Traverse City and Mancelona
http://www.acpaw.org/
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI212.html

A.C. PAW is an all volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. AC PAW started as a vision of two people, Brian Manley and June McGrath to ensure a safe haven for animals from abuse, hunger, disease and death. As we all know to well, the over population problem happening at animal shelters, A.C. PAW was founded to give the animals a second chance at life. We are officially begining our 11th year of volunteer service, with a handful of dedicated volunteers and a small number of donors.

Cherryland Humane Society
Traverse City
http://cherrylandhumane.org/

Working to provide a bright and positive future for all pets.Our Vision: A responsible, loving, and permanent home for EVERY pet, and a heightened public awareness of the benefits of pets to mankind. Building to save lives; provide hope and establish a bright and positive future for all pets. A 501 C3 nonprofit organization, independent - not affiliated with any other organization or governmental agency and dependent upon donations, fund raising activities, estates, planned giving, memorials, and occasional grants for operation.

For Animals
Traverse City
http://www.foranimalstc.org/

FOR ANIMALS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of animals and the environment from abuse and exploitation through education and the promotion of compassionate lifestyles. We strive to end the abuse and exploitation of animals. We focus mainly on local, but also on national and world issues: Pet Overpopulation; Wildlife Protection; Animals in Entertainment; Fur. We also have a CHARITY SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM:Our free program is available to people who meet income requirements. If you do not meet our requirements, you may still be eligible to have your pet spayed or neutered at a reduced cost.

Horse North Inc.
Kingsley
http://www.horsenorthrescue.org

Rescue and Placement Program. Our organization is made up of many volunteers. We take in abused, abandoned, neglected, rescued and donated horses and ponies. We access the incoming horses, tend to their needs (physical, emotional and training), rehabilitate them if needed and the ultimate goal is to adopt/lease the horse to an appropriately matched home.

North Star Border Collie Rescue
Traverse City
www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI633.html

North Star Border Collie Rescue is established to rescue, rehabilitate and seek suitable homes for unwanted or abandoned Border Collies and Australian Shepherds. Our focus is in the State of MI. Our adoption fee is $250 that is required at the time of signing the adoption agreement contract. All of our pets are spayed or neutered, heartworm checked and up to date on shots before adoption. We require personal and vet references along with a home check. There is no regular office and all our dogs are in foster homes. Our volunteers have other jobs so please be have patience on return calls.

Petsafe Rescue Alliance
Traverse City
http://www.petsaferescue.com/

Petsafe Rescue Alliance Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. We are run by volunteers who are dedicated to providing domestic animal rescue. Petsafe was founded on April 24, 2002 by Doris Schenck and Michael Dickinson of Interlochen Michigan. Our main goal is to find permanent, loving homes for adoptable cats and dogs who are sick, injured, abandoned or unwanted and at risk of being euthanized. Nearly 90% of our dogs come to us from County Animal Control Shelters.

UN-Cat
Traverse City

This is a new group that will be started soon to address feral, FIP and leukemia cats in Northern Michigan. More info. to follow.

KALKASKA COUNTY

Kalkaska Citizens for Animals
Kalkaska
http://www.kcacares.org

We are a grass-roots (all volunteer), non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals.  We help in many ways including:  providing medical care and working to reduce over-population by funding spay/neuter services, helping to rescue and place homeless and mis-treated animals, assisting residents and animal control with these and other items, and working to provide humane education in our community.

Kalkaska Co. Animal Control
Kalkaska
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI160.html

We are a small shelter in Northern Michigan than takes in approximately 800 animals a year. Our shelter is always in need of donations. The most heavily needed item is cash donations to provide veterinary care and spaying and neutering of the shelter animals.

MANISTEE COUNTY

Manistee Co. Humane Society
Manistee
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI159.html

We are a small group in Manistee Michigan. We opened the first ever animal shelter in our county in April 2005. We named it Homeward Bound. We have the capacity for 25 dogs and 40 cats. We have a spay/neuter program which helps those that need it with the cost of this surgery. We are not funded by any state, local or federal funds. Our only source of income is through various fundraisers, donations, Oleson receipts, Spartan Upc Labels, membership dues and canisters placed around town. We have a good group of volunteers who help us out at our fundraisers.

MISSAUKEE COUNTY

Missaukee Humane Society
Lake City
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI97.html
http://www.mhs-pets.org/

The Humane Society’s mission is to benefit animals by providing education, guidance and shelter as needed in order to support a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for animals. Our commitment is to serve as a partner in creating and sustaining this environment for animals both in the shelter as well as in the community.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

Osceola Co. Animal Control
Reed City
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI468.html

We are a County Operated Governmental Animal Control facility. We enforce the MCL laws and investigate cruelty complaints serving the Osceola County Michigan area.

Second Noah Animal Welfare Org.
Reed City
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI306.html

Second Noah is a non profit organization founded by two lifelong friends in west central Michigan. We recognized the need for an alternative to "dog pounds" that euthanize or give animals to research. We are a no-kill organization promoting spaying and neutering as the only effective solution to pet over-population. Our efforts are supported entirely by adoption fees, fund raisers, annual memberships and donations. We gratefully accept donations of any size, as well as supplies for the animals, such as food,crates, carriers, toys, blankets etc. If you can donate any of these items, new or used, please contact us. We will arrange for pickup if necessary.

OTSEGO COUNTY

Otsego Co. Animal Control
Gaylord
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI217.html

Otsego County Animal Control is a NO-KILL of adoptable pets municapality (county operated) animal control department and animal shelter. We enforce state and local animal control ordinances, take in strays and owner surrendered animals, and adopt out animals. We do not euthanize animals unless they are considered unadoptable per our policy. The success of this no-kill policy is due in large to a great spay/neuter program in place within the county.

Friends for Life
http://www.otsego.org/fflinc/

Friends for Life of Otsego Coutny, Inc.(FFL) is a non-profit, 501-3(c) organization dedicated to helping save the lives of pets in Otsego County. Friends for Life, Inc. has contributed to the success of Otsego County's "No Kill of Adoptable Pets Policy" in which no animals are euthanized unless they are deemed aggressive or medically untreatable. This policy is successful due to a great spay/neuter effort in which FFL has played a key role. Beginning in 1999 with the implementation of the no-kill policy , FFL has helped raise funds to spay/neuter thousands of animals and significantly reduce the number of dog and cat litters brought to the shelter.

ROSCOMMON COUNTY

Roscommon Animal Shelter
Roscommon
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI257.html

We are a County Funded Animal Shelter serving the towns of Roscommon, Higgins Lake, St Helen, Houghton Lake, Prudenville and part of Gladwin. Most animals that come to our shelter are found as strays but we attempt to help people find homes for unwanted pets as room at the shelter allows. Our staff and volunteers are committed to the humane treatment of animals. We try to educate the public as best we can, when we can.

WEXFORD COUNTY

Wexford Co. Animal Shelter
Cadillac
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI96.html

Working hand-in-hand with Wonderland Humane Society to secure loving homes for homeless dogs and cats.

Wonderland Humane Society
Cadillac
http://www.wonderlandhs.org/

Wonderland Humane Society, Inc. is a non-profit organization made up of concerned citizens whose main purpose is the prevention of cruelty to animals, the relief of suffering among animals, and the extension of human education in the area of proper pet care and the benefits of spay/neuter.

OTHER MICHIGAN RESCUE GROUPS

English Springer Rescue America
http://www.springerrescue.org/

English Springer Rescue America, Inc. (ESRA) is a national referral and foster care purebred placement organization, and a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. ESRA's mission is to provide foster care and adoption referral services to humane societies, private shelters, and animal control facilities nationwide with English Springers they have impounded. Please contact Beth Miller, the Michigan ESRA Co-Doordinator at europamoon@hotmail.com

Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary
http://www.gratefulacres.org

Grateful Acres was established in Otsego, Michigan, for the purpose of providing lifetime care for animals with special needs. A secondary goal is to educate people about vegetarianism and a cruelty-free lifestyle. The sanctuary sits on thirteen acres in rural southwest Michigan, approximately 20 minutes from Kalamazoo. We care for over 100 permanent residents, and numerous other animals that are available for adoption to qualified homes. Our "lifers" include animals who are elderly or handicapped, others who have endured cruelty or neglect, and still others who were victims of factory farming. Grateful Acres is a care for life sanctuary, and is funded solely by tax-deductible donations made by people like you.

Midwest Schipperke Rescue
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI544.html

We try to concentrate our efforts to help dogs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. We do have a large network around the country and are thus able to help dogs from outside of our working area Midwest Schipperke Rescue was established in 2005 and is now a Non-Profit organization registered with the State of Michigan. Midwest Schipperke Rescue is a 501(c)(3) organization.