New grants will promote animal wellbeing

By JORDAN BRADLEY
Capital News Service
LANSING – Kittens, puppies and grants, oh my! The selection process for 2015 grant recipients of the Michigan Animal Welfare Fund has begun.
“We’ve received at least 65 proposals,” said Debbie Mulvaney, who oversees the selection process for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “There are some great ideas turned in, so we’re anxious to get started.”
Reviewing the proposals is a lengthy process, she said. “There are a lot of people with a lot of needs.”

The recipients will be selected by Dec. 15 and will receive up to $10,000 each. The fund has $175,000 to distribute.
According to the department, 24 projects received a total of $164,772 this year.
This year, the Cheboygan County Humane Society got $9,940 to fund spaying and neutering of its adoptable pets. Mary Talaske, the shelter’s executive director, has applied again this year.
“Spaying and neutering shelter animals eliminates hundreds of ‘oops’ animals each year,” Talaske said. “Our goal has always been to bring down the number of euthanized and unwanted animals.”
Last year’s grant covered spaying and neutering. Talaske said that any funds awarded for 2015 would go to the same purpose.
The 2007 Animal Welfare Fund Act was established to “provide funds to promote sterilization and adoption of dogs and cats, to improve knowledge of proper care of animals.”
Funds are awarded for such purposes as training animal control officers and personnel, increasing the number of shelter animals that are neutered before adoption and public education about anti-cruelty laws and best animal care.
Last year, 19 shelters and humane societies received grants, including Harbor Humane Society in Ottawa County, Homeward Bound Animal Shelter in Manistee and the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter in Negaunee.
Extra Resources for CNS Editors
Animal Welfare Fund Act 132 of 2007

Click to access mcl-Act-132-of-2007.pdf