Arts & Humanities, by Tracey Weber and Ann Brownell
MCHS looks to future, seeks donors

In 1974, a small group of people concerned about the animals of Marquette County created a not-for-profit organization called the Marquette County Humane Society (MCHS).
The organization’s mission is to create awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering of all domestic pets, and provide safety for animals who are strays, as a result of abuse and neglect and for pets whose owners can no longer keep them. MCHS is an open admission shelter, which means it will accept an animal at no charge. Adoption prices range, depending on sponsorship, from $10 to $115.
This charge includes spaying and neutering or a certificate with discounted spay or neuter charges, a general health exam, fecal exam, appropriate testing and vaccines on most animals.
As in any successful organization, things continually change for the better of the animals and the group as a whole. MCHS is going through a major facelift and continues to strive to provide the community with services for the good of animals.
Shelter manager Tracey Weber came on board with MCHS in November 2006. Weber was a veterinarian technician and dog trainer for twenty-three years and has a background in business management. In addition to being a pet owner—three dogs, a cat and a large bird—she has owned horses and worked on dairy and pig farms, as well as having been involved in wildlife rehabilitation. Weber also is involved in competition obedience, agility, rally, hunt tests and tracking.
There are many misconceptions about MCHS that the society feels need to be addressed. MCHS is not controlled by outside sources, nor do they receive funding from outside sources. Although the name is Marquette County Humane Society, the county does not provide financial support. MCHS does not hold any political agenda with national organizations such as PETA or the Humane Society of the United States, nor do they receive monetary donations from them.
The society maintains a neutral position regarding hunting, which is a way of life in the Upper Peninsula. MCHS’s goal is to provide a safe haven for domestic animals, rehabilitate them and place them in homes.
In the past, it was believed the only way to control pet overpopulation was euthanasia. With changing times and new movements, MCHS found it is able to adopt out and place animals by active marketing, using unique programs like animal sponsorships that reduce stress from limited space within the shelter itself. MCHS is well on its way to becoming a low- or no-kill shelter with adoption rates running at approximately ninety-five to ninety-eight percent.
Animals who do face euthanasia are most often feral, severely aggressive, a danger to others or terminally ill. All attempts to keep and adopt out healthy animals are exhausted. Spaying and neutering is ultimately the control in reducing the numbers of animals making their way to shelters, and owner compliance is imperative. The shelter will take in approximately 1,600 animals this year, with that number expected to grow with economic crises.
The shelter has offered assistance to other shelters facing over-capacity issues that would have to destroy the overflow by transferring the animals to MCHS to place for adoption. Shelters across the U.P. and even downstate work to help each other.
New programs have been implemented to help the adoption process and reduce stress for the animals. Dogs are sleeping on Kuranda beds to get them off concrete floors. Dogs are walked three to four times a day and put into playgroups in the outside yard with supervision. They are given Kong toys filled with treats, peanut butter or squeeze liver.
MCHS is in the process of creating a new cage-less cat room so cats can live in prides together. All cats are being FL/FIV tested and also are given time to roam and interact with other cats. The new room will be filled with perches, toys and a big window so they can watch birds on the feeders. Cats are provided daily socialization by visiting volunteers and staff and many toys, including catnip, are provided for stimulation.
The adoption process has been simplified. The shelter currently uses the ASPCA Meet Your Match program, which is a great success. Animals and people are given an activity level/personality color in green, orange or purple.
People take a similar survey and colors are matched to help provide a quality match. If people choose to adopt an animal not in their color range, MCHS can at least provide the potential adopter with what the differences will be.
The interior of the shelter has been spruced up with bold, active colors from Meet Your Match and a better paperwork process. A more professional office will be installed, with donations of filing cabinets and carpet, and one day may be computerized, budget permitting.
As with any not-for-profit, MCHS struggles with its annual budget, especially in the current economy. It relies a great deal on volunteers to offer their time. It asks residents to consider becoming members of MCHS to provide a voice about its future and help support the cause financially.
MCHS’s hopeful vision for the future is a new building with more usable acreage. Currently, the building can only hold eighteen dogs and approximately twenty-five to thirty cats, three to four rabbits and some birds. Unfortunately, MCHS will face the same crisis as many shelters if it hits overload, and will have to face unwanted decisions of euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals. It also gets involved in many horse and hooved animal cases, and hopes someday to provide better resources to house and care for large animals.
For details, visit www.upaws.org or call 475-6661. Shelter hours are 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. seven days a week.
—Tracey Weber and Ann Brownell