MT. PLEASANT — Isabella County’s sole animal shelter, receiving special recognition by a national animal welfare group for their efforts to find homes for animals in their care.
The Humane Animal Treatment Society is a nonprofit that contracts with Isabella county as their animal shelter.
They received status as a no kill shelter for the fifth year in a row from Best Friends Animal Society.
Executive director Sera Henry said they are excited to maintain their no kill status. “We do everything in our power to make sure we find their right match, even if that is a year or two down the road,” said Henry/
Henry said 90% of the dogs and cats in their care found homes last year.
“It is a lot of work. You’re obligated to help the community and take those strays. Even if every kennel is already full, if there’s a new strain for the county, we have to make room and get those in,” said Henry.
Henry said the recognition is validating for the work they’re doing.
“The team’s very excited. Our team actually talks about our, no kill rating and those goals every single week during our weekly leadership huddles. So, you know, getting that recognition from best friends and being able to share that with the community, that we’ve achieved it again for the fifth year, is very exciting, and it helps us to0 to know that we can accomplish our mission and and still grow,” said Henry.
She said they have been proactive to make compatible matches, meaning fewer animals end up coming back to the shelter.
“We’re having good conversations beforehand and then also good adoption counseling afterward, too. So that new people coming in understand the personality of the dog,” said Henry.
New this year, they’ve rolled out fear free certification to staff-that helps them understand an animal’s body language, to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress.
“If we can make them feel safe and reduce those experiences of fear and stress, then we have better meet and greets and just overall, can improve those adoption outcomes,” said Henry.
Henry said they also added a full time foster coordinator this year to find temporary homes, leaving more room for animals at the facility. She said right now they have 176 animals, but 80 are being fostered.
“We’ve had some dynamite fosters that will care for animals for six months or longer,” said Henry.
She said she couldn’t do it without support from the community. Other shelters don’t have that army of volunteers ready to take in animals.
“If they’re at capacity and three more dogs come in, what are their options at that point,” said Henry.
Henry said the recognition inspires them to want to do more.
“We know that the shelters that have not received no kill recognition yet are the ones that need the most support from their communities. You know, they’re going to need the donors. They’re going to need the resources, the fosters, the volunteers to get to a place where they can get that recognition. So it really pushes us even further to think outside of Isabella County, and what we can continue to do to help those other areas so that eventually all of Michigan is no kill,” said Henry.