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COVID-19 has impacted everyone, including those of us here at the HSoMC. We initially modified our behavior with extra cleaning, limited hours and more. Now, consistent with the Governor Whitmer’s Stay-at-Home executive order, we will be closed to the public except by appointment until further notice. Despite these short-term hardships, we have seen extraordinary acts of kindness and generosity. For example, the BISSELL Pet Foundation and our strong foster network enabled us to get all of our dogs and most of our cats out of the shelter and into foster homes. Many of those animals then found permanent homes. Now, our focus has shifted to helping our community maintain their relationship with their pets. With all the stress in our world, pets provide unconditional love and companionship. In fact, as I sit here writing this, I am surrounded by three dogs who fill my day with love, exercise and the occasional laugh. Thank you and stay well.
Important information
- HSoMC hours: Closed to the public except by appointment only.
- Stray animals or animal abuse: If you find a stray animal or need to report animal abuse, please contact Midland Animal Control at 989-832-6856, or Midland Police Non-Emergency Dispatch at 989-839-6466.
- Pet Pantry: Midland residents in need of our community pet pantry should come in at 1:30-2:30 pm on Thursdays. Please call ahead at 989-835-1877, so we can confirm if you qualify and plan your allotment. Once you arrive at the shelter, we will bring your food to your vehicle.
- Missing and found pets: We will continue to operate this service on the Facebook page, Missing Pets – Midland County, MI.
- Adoption: Please visit our website and Facebook page for available animals. Interested adopters should contact us by submitting an application at http://hsomc.org. We will do our best to set up a meeting in compliance with the Governor Whitmer’s Stay-at-Home executive order.
- Pet Expo: Postponed until June. Once we have a new date, it will be posted on our website and social media.
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BISSELL Pet Foundation Steps Up Again
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BISSELL has always been a strong advocate of rescue and the current COVID-19 situation is no exception. BISSELL launched an emergency Empty the Shelters event from March 19 through March 25, during which the primary focus was to get animals out of the shelter. It was a huge success and, as of the publication of this article, ALL dogs were in homes and only five cats were available at the shelter. Below are some of the photos.
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Did you know that the HSoMC provides short-term pet food to qualified Midland families? Each Thursday, we typically see three to four families who need our support. Recently, we have seen 15 families in one week! During these uncertain times, we expect these high numbers to continue. Now, more than any other time, we need the love and companionship of our pets. Please help our fellow community members keep their pets fed and in their homes by donating to our Pet Pantry. You can donate from the comfort of your own home by visiting our Amazon wish list at: https://amzn.to/2WGV9ZG.
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"I AM MIDLAND" Supports Community and Local Businesses, Including the HSoMC
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The HSoMC is proud to participate in I AM MIDLAND, which is a T-shirt campaign created to bring the city together and help others during this time of need. This isn't about any one organization; it's about Midland. It's about helping to connect all of us to those we love to show support when it matters most. Buy a shirt and $13 will be donated to any local business or organization you choose. Click here to purchase an "I AM MIDLAND" T-shirt, and choose an organization of your choice. By choosing the HSoMC, your donation will go directly toward helping animals and our operating costs during this difficult time. Thank you!
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We are excited and pleased to introduce our 2020 mascots. Our 2020 cats are Olaf and Nala, and our 2020 dog is handsome Zeus. Please read and enjoy their stories below.
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The HSoMC 2020 cat mascots are Olaf and Nala, two rescued cats, owned by the Budd family. These amazing cats were adopted from Animal Medical Center in 2015, chosen out of a litter of 5 by Cathy Budd’s two children. Her son named the male Olaf after the character from the movie Frozen, due to his spunky personality. Her daughter named the female kitten Nala after The Lion King character, due to her sweet and cuddly personality. Olaf and Nala are the first pets for the Budd family, and they say they’ve brought more joy into their lives than they could have ever imagined. They had originally planned to adopt one kitten and ended up adopting two because they wanted them to have each other’s companionship when the family wasn’t home.
According to their family, although Olaf and Nala are siblings, they could not be more different. They describe Olaf as people-oriented and say he loves to be involved in whatever activity is going on in the home. He greets them at the door like a dog when they arrive home and does the same to guests. Olaf is also known as a great office assistant, sitting on keyboards when work is being done, and he is a guardian, never letting his humans out of his sight.
The family describes Nala quite differently, stating she is shy and reserved. Nala loves attention, but only when it’s on her terms and when she is ready. Although timid, Nala is never shy about her love, and Cathy explained that Nala never misses a chance to nestle next to her in bed at night. Nala loves to be warm and during the winter can be found sitting next to the heating vents with her head hanging over the warm air.
The Budd family is thrilled to have their two rescue cats as the HSoMC cat mascots for 2020 and look forward to sharing their rescue story with our community.
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The HSoMC 2020 dog mascot is Zeus, an American Bulldog/Pit Bull Terrier, owned by Dana Courtine and Shawn Turoski. This boy is a shining example of what the HSoMC stands for since he is an alumnus! Dana and Shawn adopted him from the HSoMC in September of 2016, and he is now five-and-a-half years old. The Courtine-Turoski family describe Zeus as a dog who loves people, but say he prefers to make the first move and can be a bit shy at first. Zeus absolutely loves treats, and through this, the family has been able to build his confidence in meeting new people. Dana says that once Zeus gets to know you he wants to be the center of attention, and if you’ll give him a good neck scratch he’ll be your friend forever.
According to his family, second only to treats is a good squeaky toy! Zeus loves to play, and if he hears a squeak he will come running. He proudly “prances” around their house with his squeaky toys. He even knows them by name. “Get your lamb,” and “get your hedgehog” are actual commands in this household. Zeus also fancies himself a bit of an agility dog, and Shawn can often be found setting up obstacles for Zeus to tackle, such as tunnels, stepping-stones, and they are still working on jumps! Another fun fact about Zeus is that he loves to play hide and seek! When Dana and Shawn arrive home, one will hide, while the other lets him out of his kennel. They say he is getting so good at finding them that they are running out of places to hide! To challenge him, they now make him find them in total darkness whenever that is an option.
When asked why it was important for Zeus to represent HSoMC as the dog mascot, Dana replied, “The reason that I wanted him to be the HSOMC mascot is because he is so misunderstood. He is almost 70 pounds and a combination bulldog/pit bull. Therefore, most people look at him and assume that he is confident, and therefore a potentially aggressive dog. However, the opposite is true. I have never had a dog who is so scared of everything. We have spent the last three-and-a-half years trying to make him comfortable, showing Zeus that we will always take care of him and protect him.” A big "THANK YOU" to Shawn and Dana for their continuing support of the HSoMC!
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Jorie and her friends donated to the HSoMC for her ninth birthday. Thank you!
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A big “thank you” to the Chemical City Derby Girls for thinking of and sponsoring the HSoMC at their game.
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Purina stepped up and donated three pallets of cat and dog food. THANK YOU!
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For the most current information, especially for our stakeholders, we are constantly updating our website to keep information up-to-date. Although there is significant uncertainty right now, we will update further as details become known. Additionally, you can always call the shelter at 989-835-1877 for specific shelter information. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Upcoming Events
The HSoMC has quite a year planned so far. Please save the dates on all of our confirmed events below.
Mid-Michigan Pet Expo
Postponed until June. Please check our website for details. We will be updating when more details become available.
Join us for the eighth annual MidMichigan Pet Expo! This free event features Lou E. Loon, the HSoMC mascot (Barkley), a pet photo booth, refreshments and more! Bring your family, friends and well-behaved dogs for a pawsome good time!
Auction and Garage Sale to Benefit the HSoMC
Sunday, May 17
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
While clearing out your house this spring, please consider donating your items to the HSoMC's auction. We can store your household goods, toys, furniture, sporting goods, tools and more (no clothes please). Drop off items during our business hours, please. Contact Erica at erica.pina@hsomc.org for more information. The garage sale will take place in our storage pole barns across the street from the HSoMC.
Save the Date for These Events
More information coming soon
Cats on Yoga Mats
Friday, June 5
6-7 p.m.
Ashman Lofts
Pints for Paws
June 2020
Midland Brewing Co.
Pet Mini Photo Session
June 2020
Ties & Tails Gala
Friday, October 16
7 p.m.
The Midland Country Club
To get more information, suggest an event, or become an event volunteer, please email Erica at erica.pina@hsomc.org.
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Thank you to all of our Ties and Tails Gala sponsors and supporters including our partnership level sponsors below.
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Melanie Kalmar &
James Cordes
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James Fitterling &
Alex Lee
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Thank you to our donors, members, volunteers and staff! And a special thanks to Midland Neighbors for featuring the HSoMC in their monthly issues.
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Photography by Deb Lambesis and Lisa Weldy.
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Adoption Hours: Monday-Friday 12-7 p.m. & Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Intake Hours (By Appointment Only): Monday-Friday 12-6 p.m. & Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
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