Our Programs & Services

At the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society we prepare our dogs and cats to make a successful transition to their future homes with several programs.

A Community Asset
The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society took care of over 500 dogs and cats last year, and placed 498 pets. This is a huge service to our community. Consider for a moment what would happen if we weren't here to take in these animals. It's not a pretty picture. We want to alleviate any situation where a pet owner acts in a desperate or destructive way. We want to be available to take in these animals. We want to be here to prevent stray animals from wandering through the community. We are here to prevent over population. When kitten season does arrive, as it does every spring, we are here to take in these many kittens and find homes for them. We turn around the problem of unwanted animals and offer the community beloved pets.

Basic Obedience
All our animals receive basic obedience training. We teach our dogs the essential commands: sit, stay, come, and down. Each dog that we take in comes to us from different circumstances. Some are very well trained and reluctantly surrendered due to hardship, others have been living on chains, and some have been outright abused. We work with each dog's strengths and weaknesses and try to bring out their best behavior.

Socialization
We also give our animals time to socialize. The dogs play together in their play yard and kennels. We also provide opportunities for dogs to do “people things” like car rides, trips to the beach, time with children and other pets. Our cats interact in their sun room and throughout the halls of the facility.

Grooming
Our professional groomer Patty Howard creates animals that are "dressed for success". Our animals are receive regular haircuts and their nails are trimmed. Patty also helps with long haired cats by shaving down any mats they have in their fur.

In addition to our shelter animals, Patty also has a schedule for grooming clients. This provides our shelter with additional funds. To make your appointment with Patty Howard, call (231) 347-2396.

Spay/Neuter
Each animal at our shelter is spay/neutered. We believe in taking a proactive approach to prevent the problem of over-population. As a no kill shelter we believe that it is a crucial part of our mission. We spay/neuter dogs and cats as well as kittens and puppies. The veterinarian we use is able to perform an innovative technique that allows them to be fixed at eight weeks of age. We also have a low cost spay/neuter program which makes sterilization available to low income families. This program is very accessible to the public with a simple application process, swift appointment scheduling, and drop off here at the facility.

Vaccinations
All animals are vaccinated for Rabies and Distemper/Parvo. All cats are tested for Feline Leukemia.

School Age Education
There is a lot to know about responsible pet ownership. Our staff routinely visits area schools with our dogs and cats to teach children about what it takes to be a good pet owner. Treating animals with kindness and respect also shows students the importance of kindness and gentle behavior. The shelter is also a popular destination for educational field trips. We also host boy and girl scout troops as well as other groups.