The World Animal Awareness Society is collecting data on the number of strays in Detroit. Hard to say exactly how many stray dogs, but is in the thousands at least. And don’t forget the cats! I can confirm through my work with the Cass Corridor Cats that there are 40 feral cats in just a couple of blocks in that area, and we assume most are pregnant. There is also a cultural difference in some areas, a difference of how people view their animals. Debby MacDonald, Senior Cruelty Investigator for Michigan Humane Society recently stated that “some people throw away their animals like Bic lighters. They have no value to them”. Emphasis on some, because as many of us do not feel that way. The problem seems overwhelming and it is easy to lose trust and focus. However, the hard work of people like Melissa Szumlinksi help us to renew that trust and focus.

Meet Melissa Szumlinski

I first met Melissa Szumlinski at a Town Hall Meeting hosted by WDET’s Craig Fahle and Charles Pugh. Melissa stood in line for the entire length of the meeting to speak with Mr. Pugh about his previous support of the Save Ace scandal last fall. Instantly I knew I had to meet her! After a quick conversation, I was delighted to discover that Melissa is one cool chick. She shares my same passion and viewpoints on the topic of animal welfare. Melissa has a degree in Education from Michigan State, but after a job loss in 2007, she fell into her real passion. Today, she is a working professional specializing in animal behavior training, animal rescue, and education, and collaborates with a multitude of different rescues in Michigan such as Dog Aide 2012, Paws for Life and Detroit Bully Crew. In my opinion, she is like the Wonder Woman of Animal Rescue, minus the cape. Recently Melissa has traveled to Kentucky to assist in the rescue and rehab of animals displaced from the tornados. She also went to Allegan County to help with the puppy mill dogs. She is a busy lady! In March while down in Kentucky, Melissa took some time to chat with me on the phone and provided me with some valuable insights and firsthand knowledge.

Animal issues are people issues

Photo by Margo Schmidt

What can we do as a community to help fix this problem? First things first, get involved. Volunteer if you can. Support financially if you can. Teach our young people how to treat and care for animals. Remember to spread the word about the importance of spaying and neutering your pet. If you see acts of animal cruelty or see an animal in need, make the call for help or reach out to your social media network. Keep the numbers for your local humane society/rescue group/animal control in your cell phone. Melissa said that if you want to learn and get involved, the Save Ace group is a great place to start for information and connections. And don’t forget that there are lots of ways to get involved other than direct care or fostering. Many groups need help with things like legal advice, graphic design, PR work or accounting help. There are lots of ways to use your talents”.

Those that remember the Save Ace story should remember how many rescue groups all stood together and rallied around that dog. Many rescue groups stepped up to help Ace and were denied by DAC because of their “policies”. Those policies need to change. According to Melissa, “One good thing from the Save Ace story is that we learned that nothing will change unless we stand together and make changes together”. This point stands out very clearly. As Detroit goes through their current struggle and new leadership steps in, we need to pay attention to who is taking over. If we can find one ally amongst them, we can fight to change the policies of DAC and get better programs in place to allow other rescues to step in for the animals in need.

On the topic of promoting education and providing resources in the City of Detroit, Ms. Szumlinski stated that “animal issues are people issues. When people don’t have access to education or resources, everyone fails. A lack of education and resources leads to animals loose on the streets, which in turn becomes a public problem. It’s not normal (in our country anyway) to see dogs running around with no leashes. Resident dogs outside on chains are 2.8 times more likely to bite a human being. Dogs need that family experience in order to know how to act around other humans. The owners are usually at fault not the dogs; yet the dogs get the blame. They are not raising the dogs. They are failing the dogs. We chose to bring them into our society, we owe them”.

Melissa Szumlinski went on to explain that taking the time to speak with and get to know people in the community is extremely important. Chances are if their dog is hungry, that family is hungry too. “Taking the time to talk to people about their animal, you build a bond”. At first they are suspicious because you look out of place and probably have nothing in common. But once they open up about their animal they will start to trust you and share with you. There are many barriers in our area whether they be language or cultural. “Breaking down those barriers and creating trust is key”. As Melissa pointed out to me, “Dogs only want trust, we can learn from the dogs”.

-Eliza

“The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals.” ~Mohandas Gandhi

• On April 15th The World Animal Awareness Society is hosting the Dogs of Detroit open forum in Detroit. This event is free to all Animal Rescuers & NGO’s working within the city of Detroit. Animal House Party will be in attendance!
• All About Animals in Warren is starting a mobile spay/neuter van on April 16th in the City of Detroit! A service like this will help to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and cats born each year in Detroit, something that is desperately needed.
• In their commitment to reducing the pet overpopulation, Michigan Humane Society is offering a FREE Spay/Neuter program for Pit Bull and Pit Bull mixes.
• The Michigan Legislature and animal welfare leaders such as the Michigan Humane Society are working to bring the Puppy Protection Act to fruition. These laws would crack down on large commercial breeders such as Puppy Mills. The recent puppy mill bust in Allegan County reminds us of the horrors of Puppy Mills and the damage it causes to the animals and the owners who might buy from them. Our favorite motto: Don’t shop, adopt!

If anyone knows of any other awesome animal welfare events and programs going on in the area, please feel free to leave us a comment below, share with us on Twitter @AHPCares or visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/AHPcares.

-Eliza

“The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals.” ~Mohandas Gandhi

Michigan Humane Society's Paula Durant and Nicole Senczyszyn

Well, after a week off to relax and reflect on our inaugural AHP event, it is time to get back to work and pass out some much needed thank yous! Hubert and I received great feedback from our guests and from Michigan Humane Society, and judging from the photos it looks like everyone in attendance had a fun time and wants to do it again next year (we are already plotting so stay tuned)! Thanks to everyone involved, AHP 2011 raised over $4,000 for MHS!

First and foremost, I have to thank the lovely and generous guests who attended our event. I was so pleased to see others just as excited as I was about the party and the cause. I understand that not everyone is animal crazy like I am (Hubert), but it was nice to get others involved and informed even if they were not going to rush home and adopt an animal the next day. Spreading awareness about animal welfare is key to this battle, and I think AHP accomplished that last weekend.

DJ Kim Sorise

A special thank you to all of our generous sponsors and supporters who contributed so generously to our cause, especially our last minute supporters Ronin Sushi and Vitaminwater! Also we would like to thank Beth Silvis from Yager Evolution for taking such lovely photos all night long! It was a pleasure to get to know you during this process and we are so happy to have made new connections within our community. We look forward to working with you again next year! Thank you to DJ Kim Sorise, DJ Grafitti and Source Audio Systems for keeping us on our toes all night long, rain or shine! The candid dance pictures are just priceless! And do I recall some hustling going on at one point? Thank you to our awesome volunteers for keeping things on track all night long! Tom O’Neil, Angelee Ross, Kyle Suczynski, Fabian King, Cass Morgan, Jerry Hooper, Michelle Itkin, Noah Metzger, Donovan Fort, Brandi Keeler, Adrienne Williams, and Khary Hobbs, you rock!

Jen Marsik-Friess, Eliza Sawyers, Hubert Sawyers, Andrea Pecoraro

None of this would have even happened without the help and dedication from our team. We are truly grateful that you guys hung in there, calmed us down when we were freaking out, and still managed to meet some crazy deadlines to make AHP happen! Jennifer Marsik-Friess, Andrea Williams, Andrea Pecoraro, you guys are the best and we are honored to have you on our team. If you are not sick of us by now, are you up for next year? A special thank you to Michigan Humane Society, your staff and all of your wonderful volunteers that work to make the lives of the abused and forgotten just a little bit better. Your jobs are long, difficult, frustrating and never finished. Your dedication and selflessness is truly inspiring. We are so pleased to have been able to work with you during this process. Here’s to a great 2011 and an even better 2012.

w00t! Go Beth Correa!

Last but never least, a special thank you to Hubert Sawyers III. Even though you claim that you are a “person that doesn’t like animals“, you took my idea and made it into something bigger and better than I would have ever hoped for. Thank you for making this event happen and putting so many long hours into a cause that you may not have been that familiar with. We learned a lot of new things along the way, struggled through our road blocks and headaches, and somehow survived to do it again next year! I could not have asked for a better business partner and husband. Now, can we PLEASE go get a new kitty?

Our next AHP event will be Sunday, October 2nd in Hart Plaza for the Mega March for Animals. If you would like to join me and the rest of the Animal House Party team please sign up online here. For more information please email eliza@animalhouseparty.com. Oh, we have had many requests for T-Shirts with the dog on it. We are working on creating those now so stay tuned!

Thank you again for supporting Animal House Party and Michigan Humane Society! We will be hosting additional events throughout the year so please check our website and (Twitter @AHPCares) for updates and communications. For a look at other pictures from AHP 2011, visit our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AHPcares).

With Much Love and Gratitude,

Eliza Sorise-Sawyers

Photo by Martin "DJ Graffiti" Smith

Martin Smith, better known to the world as DJ Graffiti, has been one of my biggest inspirations since my college days. I have had the privilege work with him at A-Side Worldwide, where he is the VP of Marketing, and been able to throw some business his way for his DJ and photo booth service – Snapfuze. I used to share stages with him at many a hip hop show back in my performance days. As a successful DJ and business owner, Graffiti has helped many ambitious young people see what is possible if you put a little thought into your hustle. If not for Graffiti, Animal House Party probably would not exist, so it is an honor to have his as our headlining DJ.

Hubert: A birdie told us that you’re a pretty big deal; even though, you’d humbly deny it. Think about some big deal DJs, which of them inspire you?

DJ Graffiti:

• DJ Jazzy Jeff
• DJ Dez
• Questlove
• D-Nice
• Houseshoes

The DJs listed above are ones that are my biggest inspirations, but honestly the DJs that I hang out with on weekends and DJ events with around Detroit influence me most. Even though they may not be “big names”, working together and sharing songs, tips, or just borrowing elements from their styles is the biggest source of growth for me.

Hubert: You’re from Metro Detroit, but you’ve been in Ann Arbor since college. How do you think the regions have shaped your DJ style?

Photo by Martin "DJ Graffiti" Smith

DJ Graffiti: Being in the Detroit area has shaped my DJing by making soul a major component of whatever I’m playing. I spin many different genres of music but there’s always a certain groove or underlying soul that has to be there whether I’m spinning Hip-Hop, R&B, Electronic, Rock, Reggae or Indie music. I don’t know that being in Ann Arbor has shaped my DJ style that much, but I’ve learned from every DJ I’ve ever worked with. It’s great to have so much talent concentrated in this area. Often when I’m spinning out of town, or when people move away they tell me they miss Detroit’s DJs because they have so much soul.
Hubert: Now let’s talk animals a bit. Did you grow up with animals in your home?

DJ Graffiti: Growing up, I had a wonderful mutt named Rover Lee Smith. I’m an only child and he was my best friend. I was afraid of dogs until my parents bought him for me. Even though sometimes I’d make him wait until I was done watching TV or playing video games before I’d feed him or let him outside, he always loved me unconditionally. I believe I took for granted how much he meant to me until he passed away. It’s heartwarming to have a pet that’s jumping at your ankles extremely happy to see you every time you walk through the door. Every once in a while these days I think I see him running around out of the corner of my eye. Even writing this now I miss him. I’m dedicating my DJ set to Rover aka Roggie, the best dog ever!

Hubert: When you think about animal welfare as someone that lives in Ann Arbor, what comes to mind?

DJ Graffiti: I’m not really sure that how I feel about animals is shaped by my living in Ann Arbor. My views are pretty simple and straight forward. Animals give us their best, so they deserve the best from us as well. I’m looking forward to adopting a dog in the next few years. Hubert: AMEN

Hubert: That’s awesome. I want to switch up one more time to your “day job.” As the VP of Marketing at A-Side Worldwide, you help manage a solid line-up of music acts as well as provide creative marketing services for major brands, so you know about captivating an audience on so many levels. Sometimes it seems like the music industry is a lot like the nonprofit sector. They both provide something with intrinsic value. Not every nonprofit effort is going to be huge, what do you feel are some of the similar characteristics of a successful music act and a successful nonprofit?

DJ Graffiti: Both a nonprofit and a musician start from the premise that someone out there will benefit from what they spend their time creating. Whether it’s music, or a greater good for people, places or things, someone at the end of the day will benefit from what you’re offering. I guess that is just as true of a for profit business. I’m not sure that a good for profit business shouldn’t have some intrinsic value in its offerings as well. Often the most successful characteristic of a music act, nonprofit and a for profit business is that at the end of the day someone would be willing to do what they’re doing regardless of whether money is involved. Putting a smile on someone’s face, helping someone get through a hard period in life or even saving a life is the ultimate goal. Money is secondary and is mainly important because it allows the artist, nonprofit or for-profit company to scale that benefit to a larger group.

Hubert: One of the things we’re looking to do with AHP is show nonprofits and social entrepreneurs alike, the new ways to garner attention in the best way possible. I’m sure A-Side pulls experience working with major brands to help develop artists like Mayer Hawthorne. What attributes do you feel are universal to truly building a platform to attract a particular audience?

DJ Graffiti: For us at A-Side it generally goes more the other way around. We take the much more experimental experience of working with and promoting artists and apply that to working with brands once we’ve found techniques that are tested. One thing that I feel is universal is knowing the audience that you’re trying to reach. You have to know the audience you’re going after no matter what you’re promoting. Find out what that audience wants and how they like to be approached before trying to promote to them. Create a plan for how you’ll reach that audience in a way that they’ll appreciate and you’ll get much stronger results. I’m not sure if that exactly answers your question, but that’s my answer. J

The lovely and talented DJ Kim Sorise, who not only happens to be cousin but could also be my doppelganger, currently resides in Louisville, KY. She grew up in Metro Detroit where she molded her musical taste and knowledge. A former WDET reporter, Kim teaches America’s youth by day but you will still catch her DJing out at a Derby City Roller Girls match or a wedding on any given night. You can also check out her weekly radio show SoundHouse on Viva-Radio.com every Thursday. Kim is also an animal lover and is the proud mama to two cute beagles named Benny age 12 and Freddie age 2! Both are rescue dogs and are absolutely adorable!

She was nice enough to answer a few questions for us recently. I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I had conducting it!

Eliza: What were your musical influences growing up in Metro Detroit? (Yes, generic question) What music was played in your house?

Kim: My biggest early musical influences were my parents. Mom was a huge fan of folk and Black Sabbath; Dad loved Dr. John, jazz, and Frank Zappa.  However, around the age of 11 or 12, I found the Electrifying Mojo. I quickly became a member of the Midnight Funk Association, stayed up way too late dancing on my back and hanging on every word and record he played. To this day, Mojo (Charles Johnson) is my broadcast hero.

Eliza: Being a DJ is mostly a male-dominated industry. What brought you into that realm?

Kim: I started DJing in an effort to support my record buying habit. At 16, I sold some 500 cassette tapes and started buying jazz LPs; this is where it all started. In my mid 20s, I was working at WDET as a news producer and production engineer, and I talked them into letting me become a substitute music host. DJing all kind of steam-rolled thereafter. Most professions have been male-dominated at some time – it has never bothered me.

Eliza: Great answer! How many records do you think you own?

Kim: I think maybe 4500 LPs and around 750 45s. It’s not a huge collection, but it does me just fine.

Eliza: When did you move to Louisville?

Kim: I moved to Louisville on Dec. 18, 2000 in the middle of a blizzard. I got a job at Louisville’s public radio stations to work as a feature reporter and the NPR liaison, as well as music host; I also began a youth radio project for high school kids which contributed to a career change 5 years later. I’ve been in the classroom ever since. But as far as DJing in public – in Louisville is where it took off for me, primarily because I had radio shows to back it up. But even as a teacher, I still manage multiple gigs a month and many more during the summer months.

Eliza: Favorite places to record shop here in Detroit?

Kim: My favorite place to shop for records in Detroit or really anywhere is People’s. I have known Brad (Hales) for years even when he worked for Encore in Ann Arbor and Desirable Discs in Dearborn. I was thrilled for him when he opened the shop. He is truly one of the city’s finest musical archivists. When in town, I also try to make stops at Car City; Record Graveyard; Stormy and Hello.

Eliza: Top 5 things you really miss about Detroit?

Kim: Five things I really miss about Detroit (way more than 5)

1. My friends and family, 2. Lafayette Coney Island at 2:30am, 3. The Detroiter at Buddy’s Pizza, 4. Better Maids, 5. Driving around the city late at night after a fresh snowfall listening to 580 Memories; there is really nothing more beautiful and soulful.

Eliza: Music sitting in your CD player or iPod playlist right this very second and why?

Kim: I was just putting together a new music playlist for my show Soundhouse on Viva-radio.com; it’s all about food to celebrate my newly renovated kitchen. So the first thing on my playlist is “Food for My Soul” by The Dragons, which features a young Daryl Dragon, one third of the Dragon-brother trio, who went on to become the “Captain” from Captain and Tenille.

 Eliza: Did you have pets growing up?

Kim: I did have pets growing up. I had two dogs in my youth, the first was Suzie in the Sky with Diamonds (at 2, this is what I thought the song was called) – she was a collie. The second was a mutt named Shadoobie (after the Rolling Stones song “Shattered”). She was affectionately referred to as either “Doobie” or “The Doob,” both of which cause problems at school when I was talk about the dog.

I have two dogs now, Benito Boogaloo Boogieshoe, Benny for short, is a rescue from the Humane Society in Louisville. I have had him for almost 11years; he’s my best buddy. Freddie named in honor of all the wonderful musical Freddie’s like Hubbard and Mercury. He, too, is a rescue and he is about 3.5; we’ve had him a little over 2 years.

Both of them are characters, Benny has always been a dancer, but now he’s starting to slow down and snores more than he boogies. Fred actually has some serious cat-like mannerisms and instincts. Neither really do any tricks, but they both are the world’s best snugglers. My life would not be complete without these dogs!

Eliza: Here in Detroit, there is a huge animal overpopulation problem that the city struggles to deal with. What is the animal welfare situation down in Louisville?

Kim: Yes – we do have animal overpopulation issues in Louisville, but Louisville is a very dog-friendly city. You can take your dogs in stores and to sidewalk cafes.

We have a couple very active No Kill groups that have made an impact and have forced the issue for some of the large animal shelter to change their policies. They all so rescue and foster out animals that are slated for euthanasia. Interestingly enough, both of my dogs were rescued following hunting season. It seems that after rabbit or various other hunting seasons in Kentucky, if a beagle (or hunting dog) doesn’t cut it in the field he is often let go to fend for himself or dropped at a shelter. Both of my dogs were in this predicament; Benny was wandering several counties over and Fred was a drop off; both were with days of being put down. We have a huge over population of beagle and beagle mix dogs at our shelters.

Eliza: What can we expect from your DJ set on August 6^that the Whitney?

Kim: For my set on August 6, folks can expect some serious groovers and a lot of music that will celebrate the city of Detroit. I may even throw in some field recordings of my beagles for good measure – after all it is an animal party!

We can’t wait to see Kim on Saturday August 6^th at the Whitney!

-Eliza Sorise-Sawyers

All nonprofits need to be open to new ways to approach fundraising as we continue to move through this economically challenging time:

• In the case of MHS, people are abandoning their animals or taking them to local animal shelters, because they can’t afford to care for them, which means more pull on MHS resources.
• People are not able to give as much to their favorite charities.
• The major donor base is aging, and nonprofits need to create new communication avenues with younger prospects.

How do nonprofits attract young people into their ranks and onto their donor rolls? How is technology changing the way people donate to causes that are important to them? Our fearless leaders, Eliza and Hubert, are participating in a live chat with the Detroit Free Press Tuesday, August 2 at noon, where we’ll talk about the issues facing nonprofits and social entrepreneurs.

Come join us! If you can’t jump on the chat, be sure to visit the page and leave your questions and comments. We’ll revisit the chat here after the fact, and invite you to continue the conversation. Please share this with your friends if they’re into social media, nonprofits, communications, and, of course, animals.

And hey, if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, the countdown’s on! It’s almost Go Time for the AHParty and we want to see you there! $40 for food, drinks, DJs and valet parking; it’s going to be a great time. Only a limited number of tickets left, so get yours today!

I Have The Stupidest Dog in The World By Michelle Itkin

Honestly, she is absolutely dunce-hat wearing, open-mouth-breathing, stupid.  You look at her, and you can see the cogs barely moving in that pea-sized brain of hers.  When you give her a command, she just stares and stares and stares.  I bet she thinks if she stares long enough, food will materialize out of thin air.  “No you silly dog!  You have to do a trick to earn that milkbone!”

So how did end up with such a dumb-ass animal?  The Michigan Humane Society is to blame.  Like all good matchmakers in history, the MHS got me interested with a cute face and glowing rap sheet.  After a ‘date’ with Esme, I fell in love.  She was charming, humorous and, most of all, cute.  What a catch!   She was coming home to me, my then-boyfriend (my now-husband) and my five-year-old Jack Russell/Basenji mix rescue.  A family was made complete.

Ok, here’s the truth.  Esme isn’t stupid.  She’s actually a pretty good dog.  Sure, she has her dumb-ass moments, but let’s just blame it on her awkward teenage years.  Yet, a true dog lover and “dog-mommy” can look through the stupidity, the mess and the havoc that a curious puppy can bring into one’s life.   I am truly lucky to have had the Michigan Humane Society play a huge role in expanding my ‘family’ and bringing this sweet, but silly, thing into my life.  It was never a question of where to adopt from.  I always knew that my second fur-baby would come from MHS.

I have always been a very strong advocate of animal rescue and adoption.  The idea of backyard breeders and puppy-mills just brings up disgusted feelings of epic proportions.   I just think of these poor puppies stuffed into cages and corners, a la Hoarders style.  In no way could I ever lend my support, or my dollar, to continue this horrible cycle.

The humane societies, animal controls and rescues of this country are stuffed to the gills with amazing, adorable and adoptable animals, ripe for the loving.   People have asked me why I adopt.  I say, because I can and I want to.  Like the companies I choose to support with my dollar, I also choose to support these amazing organizations that take in animals from all kinds of unfortunate backgrounds, while maintaining very limited budgets.  My first dog came from a humane society in Battle Creek, which was absolutely bursting at the seams with surrendered and homeless animals.  Walking in, I immediately realized how lean these organizations run.  Honestly, it was so difficult to fathom how an organization like this takes in so many unwanted animals on such tight budge constraints.  Realizing this was like the first time realizing how big the universe is.  Sadly, the issue is widespread; homeless animals and overpopulation affects every corner of this country.  When it came time to adopt again, this time I knew I had to adopt from my corner of the world.

MHS boasts three adoption centers, online listings and amazing adoption counselors.  When it was time to find a new addition to the family, there was no question as to which organization I was going to adopt from.  The (now-) husband and I spent hours on michiganhumane.org looking at the pet listings (a.k.a. puppy porn), trying to find the cutest face to bring home.  We would make special trips to the adoption centers in Detroit and Westland, cooing over the sweet fur-babies, laughing at the goofy faces and simply falling in love with the big puppy-dog eyes.  It was one fateful visit to the MHS Berman Center in Westland that sealed the deal.  I saw her first; she was sleeping in her crate, totally oblivious to all the barking surrounding her.  But it was the husband who fell in love with her first.  He’s a sucker for goofy antics and silly smile.  It took us days to figure out a name, but we finally settled on the most non-dog name we’ve heard in a while.  At first, Esme, was a complete troublemaker.  She chewed up ipod cords, shoes and expensive underwear (she owes me a trip to the Nordstrom lingerie department).  And then she would pee on the floor and not listen to me and then chew some more stuff up.

I was experiencing growing pains with my new ‘family’ and, thankfully, MHS anticipated this.  MHS doesn’t just adopt the animal out and leave it at that.  They offer various methods of after-adoption support to alumni and their families.  I always knew that I could turn to the animal behavior specialist hotline for advice or visit the three area MHS vet clinics for medical attention.  The care that Esme has received from post-adoption veterinary visits has been superb, which makes us both very, very happy.  And when it was time for puppy classes, they were more than happy to refer us to training classes that were the right fit.  So despite the havoc this little beast caused during her first few months in my life; MHS made it easy for me to adapt to her as much as possible, despite the ruined clothing and stained rugs.

Its reasons like this that I fully support the MHS.  They made the adoption process with my new addition smooth and simple; from the very beginning to post-adoption care.  But they do so much more…everything from taking in every animal under the sun, treating critters that may not always make it, to educating the public about animal welfare and safety.  Oh, and lets not forget that they have found best friends for thousands of metro-Detroiters for decades.  But MHS needs more than moral and emotional support.  They are an extensive organization made up of devoted employees, enthusiastic volunteers and generous donors; all of who have made the MHS what it is today.  I feel honored whenever I can support this organization and its mission in anyway I can — anything from answering phones during the telethon to collecting donations for the annual Mega-March.  It’s through these actions that I know I am supporting an organization devoted to humane values in everything that they do.

It has been said that those that have pets live longer and healthier lives.  I fully agree.  Maybe its all the silly things they do, or maybe its just the love that they give, but I find myself smiling more, laughing more and worrying less when the pupsters are around.  Those fur-kids also keep me active.  Without them, I don’t think so many daytrips to the state and county parks would be planned, and I am absolutely sure that I wouldn’t take so many walks if I was pet-less.  I often think of and thank the MHS for allowing me to bring in the blessing of puppy love into my home.  I know that the little I do may not make a huge impact, but as we all know, change begins at home.  If I can change the life of one homeless pet or the mind of one unaware individual…imagine what the rest of you can do. 

-Michelle Itkin

From now until Friday, August 5th, we will have charity auctions for Michigan Humane Society. We have a nice set of items for you to attempt to win, but you have to register. We must do that, so we don’t get a bunch of trollish bids.

Our registration process is not perfect, but we hope these instructions help you through it.

Unless you have purchased a ticket, then you can register for the site on the Charity Auctions landing page.

When you fill out the form, you’ll get a yellow confirmation box on this screen. You are instructed to go to your email to see another confirmation. The link in the email will send you here:

Use the username and password that you created, which will take you to this empty dashboard:

Click on “Supporting Metro Detroit Animal Shelters” to take you to the home page. You can then begin to bid on auctions.

As you can see, there is also a “Login” button on the navigation bar. You no longer have to go through your email to log into the site. Okay, happy bidding! Thanks for participating in our Michigan Humane Society fundraiser!

Kit lives in Berkley with her boyfriend and is a certified ophthalmic photographer in Detroit. In her spare time, she plays tournament Scrabble and reads contemporary Nordic crime fiction and the dictionary. Kit also teaches her MHS rescue dog Fenway new tricks and plays with her three rescue cats named Jerry Lee, Rodriguez and Shuggie.

Meet Fenway

In June of 2010 we lost our beloved 14-year-old German shepherd, Gable. Our hearts were broken and we could not face an empty house. We went to the Westland Michigan Humane Society that very day and fell in love with a blue-eyed, black, fuzzy ball of energy who peed on my purse and jumped into our arms.

We took him home and named him Fenway (my boyfriend is a sports writer whose hometown is Boston). Fenway immediately introduced himself to the toys, the cats, our neighbors and my shoes. He can bounce off furniture and hide an incredible amount of paper in his mouth. We swear he has springs in his paws and a pez for a head!

He is a favorite at the local pet store, his “grandmother’s” house, the vet and anywhere we take him. We have never seen such a happy dog. To see Fenway chasing butterflies, balls and even an airplane puts smiles on our faces and heals our hearts. He has such a zest for life we call it Joie de’ Fenway.

Thank you to the Michigan Humane Society for giving him a safe and clean haven in which to wait for us. We could not imagine life without him. He has it enriched beyond our dreams!

Representatives from the Michigan Humane Society will be present and the discussion will be about relationships with animals in the community.

This TWEETEA is a pre-event to Animal House Party (AHP), an interactive social good experience benefiting Michigan Humane Society (MHS) and taking place on Saturday, August 6 at The Whitney in Detroit. It is the mission of the AHP team to raise awareness and funds while having a little fun along the way. Visit AnimalHouseParty.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Be sure to follow #tweetea, #ahpcares and @ahpcares on Twitter.

Parking will be $5 per car so please travel with friends and dog friends.

The Red Oaks Dog Park is a 5.2-acre site at 31353 Dequindre Road, just north of 13 Mile Road (around the corner from the Red Oaks Waterpark). Red Oaks Dog Park offers up to four fenced enclosures including one for smaller dogs. Pet-lover amenities also include a pets-only drinking water source, picnic shelter, pet waste stations and a paved parking lot.

Please be sure to follow the rules for the safety of all dogs and visitors:

• Dogs must be on a six-foot leash until inside enclosure.
• Maximum of two dogs per visitor.
• Dogs must have current license, up-to-date vaccinations, respond to voice command and be in visual control.
• Dogs under four months of age not permitted.
• Dogs must be accompanied by an adult (age 18 or older) at all times, even inside the enclosure. Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult.
• Owners are responsible for pets at all times. Use at your own risk. Those creating problems will be asked to leave.
• Dogs in heat may not enter the park.
• No food allowed in the dog park.
• Please clean up pet waste; bags available on site (provided by Pet Supplies Plus).

We hope to see all of you there!