Animals & Pets

Published May 16, 2016

Roseville K-9 officers to receive protective vests

ROSEVILLE — Roseville’s four-legged police officers are getting an extra layer of protection while they are out on the job, thanks to a private donation for a pair of safety vests.

Roseville’s two K-9 officers, Corporal and Chase, are each receiving bulletproof and stab-resistant vests, according to Roseville Police Chief James Berlin. The vests are being provided by Vested Interest in K9s, with the $4,600 needed for them coming from sisters Sharon Peters and Patricia Settimo.

Published May 10, 2016

Rochester Post

Royal Park Hotel adopts new pet-friendly policy

ROCHESTER — When Michael Platt joined the Royal Park Hotel as its new general manager, he knew he wanted to make a few changes.

After years of the hotel not allowing four-legged friends inside, Platt decided to adopt a pet-friendly atmosphere at the Royal Park Hotel this year.

“A lot of people like to travel with their pets and I thought, ‘Why would we not welcome a four-legged guest, along with our regular people guests?’” Platt said.

Published May 9, 2016

Royal Oak Review

Zoo event matches shelter pets with their ‘fur’-ever homes

ROYAL OAK — They’re furry, they’re friendly and they may just be the next member of your family.

The spring 2016 Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo will take place 1-7 p.m. Friday, May 13, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Detroit Zoo, located at the corner of 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue.

Organizers said the event has placed more than 22,000 homeless animals into homes since 1993.

Published May 3, 2016

Macomb Township Chronicle

Dog park center of debate at Board of Trustees meeting

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Similar to a Planning Commission meeting in early April, a host of residents spoke out during a Macomb Township Board of Trustees meeting April 27 to voice their displeasure over a proposed dog park.

The park would be located along 21 Mile Road, behind Fire Station No. 2.

Township Clerk Michael Koehs joined the residents in voicing opposition to the park by stating that there are other suitable locations within the township for it.

Published April 22, 2016

Sterling Heights Sentry

Officials talk about precautions in wake of coyote reports

Sterling Heights police and city officials said a recent report of a coyote sighting in the city is no cause for alarm, but they encouraged residents to cut off possible food supplies and to keep pets secure.

According to reports, someone spotted a coyote in a neighborhood near 15 Mile and Dodge Park roads April 19.

In a statement, Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois said coyotes are “not uncommon” to the area due to the city’s large amount of wooded parkland.

Published April 20, 2016

Grosse Pointe Times

Ford House migration celebration welcomes fine-feathered friends

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Not all of the visitors to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House grounds this spring are of the human variety. The wooded estate on Lake St. Clair also is home to more than 150 species of birds, at least for part of the year.

Published April 20, 2016

Troy Times

Girl Scouts will build butterfly preserve at nature center

Did you know that habitats for monarch butterflies — those orange-and-black-winged beauties — are growing scarcer?

Members of Cadette Girl Scout Troop 75160, based in Troy, plan to complete an interactive monarch waystation on the southwest side of the interpretive building at the Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center by the end of May.

“Monarchs are struggling,” said Carla Reeb, director of the Troy Nature Society, which funds and operates the 100-acre nature center.

Published April 20, 2016

Macomb Township Chronicle

Dog park site approved by Planning Commission

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Several Macomb Township residents have voiced their concerns about a proposed dog park that would be located on the south side of 21 Mile Road and a half-mile west of Romeo Plank, behind Macomb Township Fire Station No. 2.

Discussions for the park have been ongoing for several years, but due to the recent construction of a bypass lane on 21 Mile Road near the entrance of where the park would be, plans have heated up with construction scheduled to begin on the park this summer.

Published April 13, 2016

Royal Oak Review

Detroit Zoo offers peek inside $30 million penguin center

Nearly 70 penguins made an appearance April 13 during a sneak peek of the $30 million Polk Penguin Conservation Center inside the Detroit Zoo.

The 33,000-square-foot center is scheduled to open to the public April 18.

Detroit Zoological Society Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan expects the new attraction to draw heavy attention, as it is the largest penguin habitat in the nation.

Published April 6, 2016

Troy Times

Learn what it takes help train a service dog

Learn what’s needed to train service dogs when southeast Michigan Paws With a Cause volunteers stop by the Troy Public Library April 19.

Published April 1, 2016

Shelby - Utica News

Animal control removes 40 dogs, cats from Utica home

UTICA — For about three hours Thursday, Macomb County Animal Control (MCAC), assisted by the Utica Police Department, removed a large number of dogs and cats from a Utica home on Nancy Avenue.

Brian Pylar, lead kennel attendant for MCAC, said he did not know the exact number, but estimated that approximately 40 animals were removed from the home. The incident, he said, is still under investigation.

Published April 1, 2016

Warren Weekly

Where eagles dare

WARREN — Deer are a common sight on the banks of the Red Run Drain. At night, coyotes sometimes croon to the wail of emergency sirens on nearby Dequindre or Ryan roads. A fox will occasionally make an appearance; in one case, one dropped in for a photobomb as resident Dennis Proctor took a picture of a perfectly posed big buck.

But what Proctor saw a few feet from his own yard two weeks ago was something different. When he realized it was a bald eagle, he high-tailed it back to the house to grab his camera.

Published March 31, 2016

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

Animal Control throwing ‘kitten shower’

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Macomb County Animal Control officials are getting ready for what they call “kitten season.”

To prepare, they’re throwing a “kitten shower” of sorts.

Akin to a baby shower or a bridal shower, Chief Animal Control Officer Jeff Randazzo said they have compiled a registry on Amazon — a list of items needed to care for the many kittens they traditionally become inundated with each spring.

Published March 23, 2016

Madison - Park News

Madison Heights Animal Shelter receives state grant

MADISON HEIGHTS — State law says that all shelter animals must be spayed and neutered before they can be adopted out. For the Madison Heights Animal Shelter, this can be quite expensive, and in the past the shelter has had to lean on local rescue groups to pick up the cost. But those rescues aren’t made of money either, so it’s been tough all around.

Published March 14, 2016

Birmingham - Bloomfield Eagle

Cranbrook gets batty with new events, movie auction

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — There’s a new movie coming out next month called “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Perhaps you’ve heard of it.

Much of the highly anticipated superhero flick was filmed right here in metro Detroit. To commemorate that and draw attention to the real nighttime crusaders, Cranbrook Institute of Science is turning March into Bat Superhero Month with new opportunities to learn about bats and their contributions to the environment.

Published March 9, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

Eastpointe man organizes massive dog food donations to animal shelters

EASTPOINTE — Dogs awaiting adoption in Macomb and Genesee counties should see an influx of fresh food thanks to the efforts of an Eastpointe resident who has organized the donation of 40,000 cans of dog food from Fromm Family Foods to shelters in both counties.

Published March 9, 2016

Shelby - Utica News

Township renews resolution to allow permits for action against Canada geese

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — On March 1, the Shelby Township Board of Trustees renewed a five-year resolution to allow private landowners to apply for permits for Michigan Department of Natural Resources programs to destroy Canada goose nests and/or relocate birds.

Published March 4, 2016

Mount Clemens - Clinton - Harrison Journal

Investigation continues into dog abuse incident in Mount Clemens

MOUNT CLEMENS — A young shih tzu mix is reportedly recovering and in good spirits while in foster care after being thrown from a moving vehicle in Mount Clemens Feb. 29.

Macomb County Animal Control Chief Jeff Randazzo said the male dog broke his pelvis in the incident.

“He will be nursed back to health for a while; we’re hoping without a cast,” Randazzo said. “Right now we’re looking at cage healing. He’s been released from our veterinary clinic and is now in foster care.”

Published March 1, 2016

Roseville - Eastpointe Eastsider

City urges residents who bring off-leash dogs to parks to use dog park

EASTPOINTE — City officials are urging pet owners who let their dogs run off-leash in city parks to instead use the MiDog dog park, citing safety concerns.

Department of Public Works Director Mary Van Haaren said that while she has yet to get resident complaints about dogs off-leash in city parks like Spindler or Kennedy personally, one of the park attendants in the summer months had brought it up.