GPAAS agrees to add another city to its shelter agreements

GROSSE POINTE FARMS — The Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society is known for rescuing pets, but this time, it could be said they rescued a city.

Corinne Martin, executive director of GPAAS, acknowledged that the Farms — which also happens to be her city of residence — has been without a place to take stray pets and injured wildlife since the Grosse Pointe Animal Clinic in Grosse Pointe Park stopped offering this service at the end of September.

During an Oct. 9 Farms City Council meeting, Martin said that for about the last 25 to 30 years, GPAAS has had service agreements with Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores to provide shelter to lost or injured domesticated animals, as well as wild animals that appear to be sick or injured. Martin said GPAAS also served as the backup animal shelter for the Farms, Grosse Pointe City and Grosse Pointe Park during this period, with Grosse Pointe Animal Clinic — which is operated by beloved veterinarian Dr. Lawrence Herzog — serving as the primary shelter for those cities. Herzog has been a veterinarian since June 1975.

“As much as we would like to (serve all of the Pointes) … we’re not able to because we’re at full capacity (now),” Martin said.

Martin said the GPAAS Board of Directors met the first week in October and decided they would be able to pick up the Farms.

“We have been (serving the Farms already) on a case-by-case basis” since Sept. 30, Martin said.

This decision to extend a service agreement offer to the Farms came after GPAAS ended its service agreement with Grosse Pointe Shores because the Shores City Council imposed a ban on pit bulls as part of its revised vicious dog ordinance. The Shores City Council has since reversed course and eliminated the pit bull ban, which led GPAAS to restore its service agreement with the Shores, as well as adding the Farms to the mix.

“That means you will have a place to take your animals,” Martin told Farms leaders.

Farms Mayor Louis Theros was among the officials grateful for the offer from GPAAS.

“Thank you for the opportunity, and we look forward to the draft agreement,” Theros told Martin. “Thanks for the work that you do.”