Who Are We?

Help Furry Friends was formed by a few concerned citizens of Gratiot County that wanted to make a difference in the lives of shelter animals. Our mission is to promote shelter adoptions, decrease the number of homeless animals by educating people about the benefits of spaying & neutering their pets.

Our hope is that one day all cats and dogs will have loving homes and that there will no longer be a need for animal shelters to house homeless pets.

Hillcrest Elementary Students Help by Collecting Pet Food & Coin

Students of Hillcrest Elementary school in Alma have spent the past several weeks collecting pet food and coins to benefit animals. The 2nd grade and the 3rd grade competed to see who could collect the most for Help Furry Friends and for Humane Animal Treatment Society (HATS) of Mt. Pleasant. When the competition ended the second week of February, they had raised $381 for HATS and had raised enough pet food to fill 49 boxes which were distributed to Gratiot area senior citizens.

We would like to thank Mandy Risch, Hillcrest 3rd grade teacher, and all of the students and parents that helped make our "Valentines Day" project so successful. The students decorated boxes and made cards to be included in the boxes which were filled with cat and dog food products. Volunteers from the school and Help Furry Friends distributed the boxes to local senior citizens of Gratiot County to help them feed their pets.

"It's a win-win situation," Risch said. "The kids are helping seniors and are helping pets as well".

Thank you to all who collected cans, coin, and food, decorated the boxes, supplied or donated dog and cat food and to those who took their time to deliver the boxes. Thank you Ms. Risch for all of the time you spent and space in your classroom that it took to make this project so successful. (See Events Page for Pictures)

Thank You to Luce Road Elementary 1st Graders!

On December 11, we (Help Furry Friends) visited Luce Road Elementary School in Alma. The 1st grade classes had been collecting donations since November for their "Coins for Kittens and Pennies for Puppies" program. With a lot of work and help from wonderful teachers and family they raised $238 to help the animals of Gratiot County. We would like to thank them all for their help. Click here for more.

Lost Your Pet in or Around Gratiot County? Act Immediately!!

If you have lost a dog or a cat in or around Gratiot County, VISIT the shelter to see if your pet is there. Call the shelter at (989) 875-2221immediately!. When they are closed - leave a message on their answering machine (doesn't say to leave a message but it will record after the recorded message). Go to the shelter and POST a note on their door and they will contact you. It is critical that you notify Animal Control immediately if you want to get your pet returned to you! You only have days to recover your pet before it is too late! DO NOT WAIT...

The best way to have your lost pet returned to you is to put an identification tag on their collar or at least write your phone number on their collar. Ask your vet about microchipping too!

Gratiot County Animal Control - Adoption Information

Gratiot County Animal Control is located at 2675 W. Washington Road, 3 miles west of Ithaca, Michigan. They are open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 until 4:30. If you have any questions about the availability of an animal you see on our Adoptable Pet link or if you have lost a pet in or around the Gratiot County area, please call the shelter at (989) 875-2221.

The pictures on our Adoptable Pet link are animals at the Gratiot County Animal Shelter. Visit the Gratiot County Animal Control Petfinder site too. There may be more or fewer animals available at the shelter. The cost of adoption for dogs:

NOTE: If you must surrender an animal to Gratiot Animal Control please be aware that our county gives shelter animals to research. If you do not want your pet to be given to the Class B dealer for research you MUST REQUEST that it is NOT GIVEN TO RESEARCH when you release it to the county.

If you have lost a dog or a cat in or around Gratiot County, call the shelter at (989)875-2221immediately!. Leave a message. It is critical that you notify Animal Control immediately if you want to get your pet returned to you! The best way to have your pet returned to you is to put an identification tag on their collars. Ask your vet about microchipping too!

Support Michigan House Bills HB4663 and HB4263

Gratiot County is one of 2 remaining counties that still give shelter animals to research. In January 2009, the Gratiot County Commissioners resigned a contract with a Class b dealer who disposes of animals that have been euthanized in exchange for live shelter animals which he sells to research facilities. Representative Espinoza has submitted a bill HB 4663 which stops the dealers from taking shelter cats and dogs. Please read this fact sheet for more information. Take a minute and sign a petition to let your voice be heard. The link is http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/649021463 . Additional information - read the Facts)

Our county is also one of 12 remaining Michigan counties that continues to use Carbon Dioxide / Carbon Monoxide gassing to euthanize unclaimed or unwanted animals. Rep. Rick Jones filed the Humane Euthanasia of Shelter Animals Act in February.  The bill HB 4263 and myth and fact sheet are attached. Sign the online petition for this bill. The link is http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/900398769 . 

An action alert on both bills was just issued so please go to http://www.americanhumane.org/advocacy/ and scroll down to Michigan to take action.  Please consider contacting your local House Representative to ask them to support either or both of these bills.