ABOUT
OUR MISSION
The SPCA of Southwest Michigan is a no-kill shelter, dedicated to working for the well-being of animals and creating an adoption-focused community in Southwest Michigan. Our goal is to end senseless animal euthanasia in SW Michigan, and provide all animals with a loving, caring home.The SPCA of Southwest Michigan has been rescuing homeless cats and dogs since 2002.
The SPCA Southwest Michigan is not a county pound facility, but has a cooperative relationship with many of these agencies throughout the region to help save lives.
Every animal’s well-being is our main goal. They are provided with medical care, daily environment enrichment and socialization.
Adoption fees help cover the cost of medical services, ranging from basic vaccinations to serious, life-saving surgeries. However, fees only cover a portion of our expenses — which is why we depend on private donations.
We’re also about prevention and have different programs in place to assist.
Educational programs, spay and neuter to prevent pet overpopulation, providing pet food to local food banks to reduce pet relinquishment, and offering temporary housing resources for the elderly — are some of the things that set SPCA Southwest Michigan apart from other area organizations.
We do fun fundraising events to involve our community.
The SPCA holds many fun fundraiser events such as Dog O’ Ween, Puppy Love, Puppy and Kitten Showers to name a few. These events help raise extra funds, bring awareness, and allows the SPCA to be more connected with our Kalamazoo Community. To view some of our fun events or become a Sponsor or Vendor, please click here.
It won't work without you!
Since 2002, over twenty-five thousand pets have been saved. Euthanizations have dropped 60% at Michigan animal shelters since 2012, as a higher proportion of cats and dogs are being adopted, according to numbers collected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Read more here.
FINANCIAL DONATIONS
Vet care is outpacing inflation and costs have gone up exponentially with no end in sight. ANY amount you are able to donate, either as a one time, recurring, or endowment gift will benefit homeless animals in our community.
QUESTIONS?Â
Annual REPORTS
AWARDS:
SHELTER HERO LEADERSHIP AWARD
This award acknowledges the strength, determination and compassion of animal shelter leaders who go above and beyond the call of duty. Given by BISSEL Pet Foundation and PetSmart Charities, it celebrates the extraodinary work of Katie Timber and her team as they navigate the complexities of animal welfare.
GOLD AWARD FROMÂ GUIDESTAR
SPCA of Southwest Michigan is a proud recipient of a Guidestar Gold award. GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. When you’re researching nonprofits to donate to—GuideStar will help you compare nonprofits in an easy, transparent way.
MI PET FUND ALLIANCE AWARD The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance recognizes organizations for their exceptional work to save animal lives. SPCA of Southwest Michigan received a 2016 & 2017 Michigan Pet Fund Alliance Award. Awards are based on annual shelter reports that each licensed shelter is required to submit to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
STATISTICS
At the end of 2023,
additional dogs and cats were in the animal sheltering system nationwide compared to the end of 2022.
In 2023,
dogs and cats had a live outcome* from animal sheltering organizations.
* Live outcomes = Adoption, return to owner (RTO), return to field, transfer, and other live outcomes.
DOGS entered shelters and rescues in 2023
CATS entered shelters and rescues in 2023
An Alarming National Trend
Since the beginning of the pandemic, non-live outcomes (including animals that died in care, were lost in care, or were euthanized) have increased for both cats and dogs, totaling
These non-live outcomes constitute 11% of all outcomes, with shelter euthanasia accounting for 9% of intakes.
For dogs specifically, non-live outcomes increased by 24% compared to 2022 (an additional 78,000 dogs) and increased by 64% compared to 2021 (an additional 157,000 dogs).
Although 150,000 fewer dogs entered shelters compared to cats, 2023 marked the first time since the National Database’s inception in 2016 that more dogs were euthanized than cats.
Out of the total animals euthanized that year, 359,000 were dogs and 330,000 were cats. The 2023 figure for euthanized dogs, at 359,000, represents the highest number over the past five years.
SPCA’s Commitment to Animal Welfare
Despite these trends, the SPCA of Southwest Michigan has maintained a live release rate of
%