News and Updates
Maddie’s Fund Awards $5,000 Innovation Grant to UPAWS for new “Make Me Smile” Program
UPAWS is pleased to announce they have received a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund to provide funding for UPAWS Make Me Smile program which provides dental care for our homeless shelter pets.
“More and more animals that UPAWS receives have dental disease; from needing a general cleaning to major dental work and tooth removal. This is typically due from years of neglect. Many pet owners do not realize that their pet needs dental care just like people do. The animal is surrendered (or a stray) and arrives at UPAWS in desperate need. They are hurting and sick, and if their oral and dental disease is ignored, it can have life-threatening consequences. UPAWS will never neglect an animal and will give every animal the vet care that he/she needs. Â Thanks to the Maddie’s Fund Innovation Grant, we will be able to provide animals that come in the dental and oral care that they require to live a pain-free, better, healthier and happier life and to be able to find their loving families quicker”, says Ann Brownell, UPAWS Community Outreach Coordinator
 The Maddie’s Fund Innovation Grant offers up to $5,000 in funding to implement a new program at shelters and rescue organizations that will advance lifesaving efforts.
About Maddie’s Fund Maddie’s Fund is a family foundation created in 1994 by Workday co-founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl, who have endowed the Foundation with more than $300 million. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $187.8 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, shelter medicine education, and pet adoptions across the U.S. The Duffield’s named Maddie’s Fund after their Miniature Schnauzer Maddie, who always made them laugh and gave them great joy. Maddie was with Dave and Cheryl from 1987 – 1997 and continues to inspire them today. Maddie’s Fund is the fulfillment of a promise to an inspirational dog, investing its resources to create a no-kill nation where every dog and cat is guaranteed a healthy home or habitat. #ThanksToMaddie.
UPAWS Receives Grant From Petfinder Foundation
Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, Negaunee, has received a $697 grant from the Petfinder Foundation in partnership with Orvis, a retail and mail-order business specializing in sporting goods. One of the company’s initiatives is aimed at dog rescue, and The Orvis Commitment has matched donations from the public, dollar for dollar, up to $30,000 per year for a total contribution to the Petfinder Foundation of over $240,000 since the partnership began.
Saving Your Econo Slips Helps UPAWS!
One of the easiest things you can do to help our shelter is to save your Tadych’s Econo receipts (slips) for us. Shelter volunteers total the slips up that we receive, turn them into Econo & we get 1% of the total. It’s as easy as that!
You can bring the slips to the shelter or drop them off at our kiosk in the Westwood Mall. Mares-Z-Doats and Strictly Business Uniforms (3rd St., Mqt) also collect the slips for us.
With everyone remembering to save your slips for UPAWS, we can continue to receive wonderful checks like the one for $3,627 that we just picked up at Econo. We’re already starting to collect slips for the next ‘turn-in date’ this fall. Don’t throw your slips away-save them for UPAWS!
Pictured: UPAWS volunteer Karen Rhodes with Tadych’s Econo store manager Zach Quinnell.
Lil’ Bubs Big Fund for the ASPCA helps Extra Special Pets for Extra Special People:
It takes an extra special person to adopt an extra special pet. While we think all pets that come into our care at UPAWS are special, there are some pets that stand out as having extra “specialness”. What does having extra specialness mean? It means that some pets need a little extra love or care to help them be the most successful in their new homes. This extra care could be as simple as a medication to continue on the pathway to health, a prescription or specialized diet, extra veterinary health checkups, or sometimes even a couple of sessions with a professional trainer to learn and develop good manners.
Sometimes needing a little bit of extra care can be a disadvantage to a pet who is looking for its new home. Here at UPAWS we wanted to try and reduce that disadvantage and what we came up with is our “Extra Special Pets for Extra Special People” program. We have been very fortunate to develop this program to allow additional support for the care of some of our “extra special pets” for adoption. Thanks to the support of Lil’ Bub’s Big Fund for the ASPCA and Maddie’ Fund, we’ve been able to reduce the length of stay for some of the pets who have chronic, but manageable, illnesses as well as offer post adoption training opportunities for dogs who need a little bit of extra help getting adjusted to their new homes and lifestyles. This funding is limited but makes a very big impact on the lives of the pets that it has helped.
One of our favorite success stories is about a sweet senior kitty named Phoebe. Phoebe arrived to the shelter in May of 2015. Shortly after arriving, she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and kidney failure. To help her feel better we got her on some thyroid medication and started her on a prescription renal health diet. After getting these treatments, she began to feel better, but still no one was coming to adopt her. She had been in and out of foster homes and home trials hoping that each one would be her forever home. Once we received funding from Lil’ Bubs Big Fund for the ASPCA, we labeled Phoebe as one of our “Extra Special” cats. Phoebe’s new mom had found her and fallen in love. Unsure if she could committee to the costs of Phoebe’s medication and diet, she started fostering. Soon after realizing that Lil’ Bub was assisting with the post-adoption care of Phoebe’s needs, she chose to take the plunge and make one lonely shelter kitty an official member of her family.
If you have room in your heart and home for an extra special pet, please stop by UPAWS today to see which of our friends are in the most need of a new forever home. We are truly grateful for our supportive community and partners for their assistance in finding loving forever homes for ALL of the critters, special or extra special.
UPAWS would like to extend a HUGE heartfelt thank you to Dr. Tim Hunt and his company, Dr. Tim’s All Natural Pet Food.
Dr. Hunt recently renewed his commitment to donate his food for all the UPAWS pets for another 2 years!!! Isn’t that amazing?!
We are thrilled to have this partnership and very thankful to Dr. Hunt and Dr. Tim’s All Natural Pet Food
Please check out the Dr. Tim’s website and like his facebook page! Also, please thank him when you see him. His donation is truly making a difference for the UPAWS furry friends.
