It costs $35 a day to house an animal at our shelter
We have rescued and re-homed over 26,000 pets, serving 10 Michigan counties, work with shelters out of state, and have a 99.5% saving rate.
We have been operating since 2002.
Our trained Adoption Counselors will greet you and work with you and will work with you one-on-one to find the best fit. Come prepared to take "test drive walks" with candidates. Our team will carefully introduce candidates to your children and other pets to observe interaction to find the responsible lifetime match. SPCA of South West Michigan has multiple off leash play areas to fully test all candidates to help you find the next love of your life.
Dogs/cats are clever and they are fantastic athletes. Make sure all gates, doors and fencing are in good working order. Repair and secure all before you bring your new dog home.
Dogs/cats have been known to open gate latches. Secure with clip locks. Dogs/cats can let themselves out of yards if a fence is in disrepair or has low or weak spots. You do not want your new Dog/cat lost or injured before they become accustomed to your home. Do a thorough once over to make sure your Dog/cat will be safe and secure in your home & yard.
Every dog/cat adopted from SPCA of South West Michigan will come with records of sterility, vaccinations, microchip registration form. Here are the basics you will need to have on hand for your newly adopted dogs/cats.
With so many great pet stores offering a wide variety of top quality food, it's really your choice, and what you new dog will eat. Sometimes in the beginning it might be trial and error so perhaps small bags to start with until your find the right one. Some good brands include Zignature, Merrick, Wellness, Royal Canine, Taste of The Wild and Kirkland brand.
We may not be able to narrow down what quality food is best for your new dog/cat but we can certainly tell you what foods NOT TO FEED a dog/cat. Do not feed any brands available in a grocery store (Purina, Pedigree, Beniful etc.) These low-grade foods are over processed, filled with fillers like corn, preservatives and toxins which are very problematic for dogs.
For Cats: Try to avoid foods that contain “Red Dye” in the ingredients. (Examples: Meow Mix, Kit N’ Kaboodle, etc)
Dogs/cats LOVE their human family. Your new dog/cat should sleep inside the house preferably in the same room as a family member, especially at first. Do not expect your dog/cat to sleep in a remote room such as kitchen or laundry room which makes your new dog/cat feel isolated rather than included. A crate in your bedroom is a great integration tool helping your dog/cat feel safe, avoid accidents, and prevent anxiety.
Cats would do best in a small room with all of their needs (water, food, litter, toys) available to them for a few days to get acclimated. Visit them in their safe room and let them come to you, do not chase or force them to come to you.
SPCA of South West Michigan will help select the best candidate to fit your life and all in it. If your home includes other dogs, cats or kids of any age it is best to be prepared to follow integration guidelines to ensure the best chance for full integration and a happy life together. It can sometimes take time and effort, but the end results are unconditional love for a lifetime. GO SLOW, TAKE TIME. Knowing what steps to follow and more importantly what NOT to do will help everyone. Click appropriate links for successful integration tips that apply to you. Be prepared by educating yourself on what will work.
If you have another dog at home If you have a cat at home If you have kids at home
The simple answer to this question is to integrate your dog/cat by following SPCA of South West Michigan take home instruction and taking things in baby steps. Your new dog/cat has a lot to learn and get used to. Every home is different; every dog/cat is different. The most important thing to remember is that SPCA of South West Michigan is here to help you after adoption with advice and to answer questions to help your new dog/cat fully integrate.
We highly encourage meet n’ greets with your current pet with our shelter pet before adopting. Only exception we do not do meet and greets with cats and puppies.
Here are links of the most common questions people have when bringing home a new dog/cat.
SPCA of South West Michigan treats health issues that are apparent when dogs/cats arrive or conditions that develop during their time at our facility. Owner surrenders to SPCA of South West Michigan often come with their medical history and records. Dogs/cats that we pull from city shelters often come without much history and we must evaluate visually from experience. SPCA of South West Michigan will always divulge any conditions that are known and treatment protocols. We partner with quality vets for the very best for dogs/cats in our care.
Please be aware that there can be a very common temporary condition that affects many dogs/cats in communal living environments: kennels, boarding facilities, etc. Kennel Cough and Diarrhea/Giardia are easily spread but also easily treated. Your new dog/cat may or may not have been exposed so please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these common and very treatable temporary conditions.
Make sure your resident dog/cat is current with shots, especially bortatella before visiting SPCA of South West Michigan.
We are fortunate to have adopters come from all corners of Michigan and surrounding states to work with our team to adopt the perfect dog/cat for them. No matter where you live, our policy is that all parties (human and pets) must come to meet adoption candidates in person. This is the only way to observe the interaction and ensure a responsible lifetime match. Should the adoption not be for life, the dog/cat must be returned to our facility. Out of town adoptions are fine as long as you travel to us to adopt and commit to return if need be.
All of our animals food is donated, so they are not on any specific brand of food. Once you adopt and get them on a particular brand you prefer, it is common for them to have digestive upset during the food transition.
A Guide to Cat Behaviour
Learn more about cats and common cat behaviours by browsing the sections below, featuring:
Multi-Cat Families
Troubleshooting Litter Box Problems and Spraying Behaviour
Scratching
Cats scratch to stretch, exercise specific shoulder and back muscles, express happiness and play, groom and mark territory. Scratching makes cats feel good and keeps their nails trimmed and free of old sheaths (layers). For cats, scratching is as natural as breathing air.
How to Promote Good Scratching Behaviour
Troubleshooting Inappropriate Scratching Behaviour
If your cat is scratching inappropriate objects, there are a number of effective ways to prevent the behaviour.
How to Safely Trim Your Cat’s Claws
Don’t Declaw
As an animal rescue society and proponent of animal welfare, MEOW believes that declaw and tendonectomy surgeries are harmful, without benefit to cats and inhumane. All species are equal in their right to be treated with respect and compassion. It is also important for cat owners to understand the facts and health risks of declawing.
Other Unwanted Behaviours
Many cat owners may feel dismayed by a cat’s behaviour whether natural or just unwanted within the context of the home. These behaviours may range from jumping on counters to scratching furniture to inappropriate marking or aggression. To correct such behaviours, immediacy is the key. Discipline must be done at the moment of the unwanted behaviour or not at all. Spray water bottles, loud noises, firm ‘NOs’ or removing your cat from the situation are effective deterrents.
Pet owners should also be proactive in preventing problems. Cat proof your home and get to know your cat’s natural or normal patterns and behaviours within your home so you can better predict and avoid possible unwanted behaviours.
Remember: NEVER physically punish your cat. Behaviour modification or discipline is a form of love. Do it kindly and consistently. If you need advice, do not hesitate to speak with your veterinarian or request a referral to a certified animal behaviourist. Professionals can often offer a diagnosis and treatment plan for your pet.
Bringing Home a New Cat or Kitten
Whether you’re bringing home your first, second or fifth cat, it’s extremely important to prepare ahead of time. Before making the decision to add a new cat to your household, please consider the following:
Once you’ve carefully considered all the above factors and are ready to add a new feline family member, the following sections will help ensure a smooth transition and integration with other family members and pets.
General Tips for Bringing a New Cat Home
How to Introduce Cats to Cats
Phase 1 – Cat Smells Cat
Phase 2 – Cat Continues to Smell Cat
Phase 3 – Cat Sees Cat
Phase 4 – Cat Meets Cat
Phase 5 – Integration Complete
Please note: The 5 phases detailed above offer only approximate timelines. Some integrations may proceed faster or slower and integration is dependent on the personalities of the cats involved. Remember, you know your cat(s) best. Use common sense and patience when integrating a new cat or cats.
How to Introduce a Shy Cat Companion – The Exception to the Rule
If you’ve adopted a shy cat or kitten to provide companionship for your resident cat, a quicker integration may be best. Shy cats are often used to and welcome other feline companionship. They will be very lonely on their own, so we recommend that the integration take place very quickly (1-3 days) unless there are significant problems.
How to Introduce Cats to Dogs
Phase 1 – Cat Smells Dog
Phase 2 – Switch Spots
Phase 3 – Cat Meets Dog
Note: The length of time required to successfully integrate cats with dogs varies depending on the previous experiences of the animals involved. For example, your dog may have had previous encounter with a cat or the cat may have had prior experience with a dog. Often, when the cats and dogs are used to being around the other species, integration can be quicker.
Tips for Kids
To help introduce your new cat to children, we’ve included a little message with some tips from the cats:
Hi there! I’m your new cat and I’d like to tell you a few things:
Bringing home your newly adopted rescue dog is super exciting. You are starting a new life journey with your dog, he is now forever part of your family!
The first few days and even weeks can be confusing for you and your rescue puppy. Learning what to expect this first week can help ease your worries.
As a foster family we get to experience the joy of bringing home a new dog several times a year.
What to Expect When Adopting and Bringing Home a Rescue Dog
You have just adopted your new pup and he is now in his forever home, but your dog does NOT understand that yet. Your dog may have been in a shelter, foster home or bounced from shelter to foster home several times. He is most likely confused, stressed out, and unclear of his future.
Hopefully, you prepared before bringing your new dog home, but now is a good time to review to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
Each experience with each dog is different. Every dog is unique! I’ve learned something new with every new dog we’ve fostered and adopted. I hope my experiences can help you make your dogs transition to his new home as smooth as possible.
Day 1: Bringing Your Adopted Dog Home
Let Your Newly Adopted Dog Decompress
Bringing Home a Shelter Dog and Other Pets
If you have other pets in the home, keep them separated for the first 24 hours. Remember, your new dog is stressed; meeting another dog just ads another layer of stress and can result in a dogfight. This goes for even if your dog is the most friendly dog ever or if the dogs have met before. Bringing another dog into your home is different than a casual meeting and dogs reactive differently when it is in their territory.
Whenever we bring in a new foster dog, they are separated from our dogs for a full 24 hours. The 24-hour rule is actually required by the rescue I work with. I will admit, the first few times we brought in a foster, this was very hard.
It’s so tempting to want to bring the dog in and let everyone play. Our home is an open concept and it’s hard to divide any spaces, but I use a baby gate and a room divider to block off our kitchen. This is where our foster dogs stay the first day in our home.
Your Rescue Dog May or May Not Want to Eat
Don’t worry if your dog doesn’t want to eat the first few days, this is completely normal. Try to feed the same food he was eating in his foster home or shelter, to alleviate any belly aches. You can wean him to a new food next week, but the first week keep things simple. Make sure he is drinking water; you don’t want him to get dehydrated.
This is a little gross but look at his poop for the next few weeks. Even if the shelter or foster home gave him a clean bill of health, sometimes worms and parasites can creep up under time and stress. Any signs of abnormal poop warrants a visit to your vet.
Which reminds me, you should make an appointment to have your vet take a look at your new dog. Again, even if he’s gotten a clean bill of health through a rescue or shelter, I recommend having your own vet take a look at your new dog and give them a copy of his health records.
Your Rescue Dogs First Night
Your new dog is most likely going to be exhausted the first few nights. If at all possible, I recommend having your dog sleep in his crate at night. A crate will keep them safe and out of trouble when you are sleeping. We put a crate in our bedroom for our new foster dogs to sleep, this helps the dogs feel more comfortable in the crate if they are not already crate trained.
Day 2: Getting Your Dog Comfortable
The second day your dog may want to explore his surrounds more. Every dog is different; so don’t be concerned if your newly adopted dog prefers to hide under the table or in his crate. This is perfectly normal and part of the decompression processes.
But if your dog wants more attention, then give it to him slowly. Do not give your newly adopted dog full access to your home. Keeping his freedom to a minimum will help keep unwanted behaviors at bay.
I know, you look into those puppy eyes and wonder what could he possibly do that would be unwanted! Well, when a dog is stressed and in a new environment, there is a lot of trouble to be found. Potty accidents, chewing, male dogs may mark, trying to claim their territory, and who knows what else!
If you have other pets, you may introduce them now. If it is another dog, make the meeting outside in a neutral area. Take them both for a long walk together before entering the home again. If you have a cat, then I suggest keeping the introduction on the cat’s terms. Using a baby gate to give the cat a space to escape if desired.
Remember, your new dog may have never seen or experienced things you take for granted. Stairs, television, kids, bicycles, etc. can all be strange to a new dog. It’s always interesting to me with every foster dog we bring in, each one has some sort of quirk. A many of our fosters have never been on a structured walk, so when we walked by a big boulder, or a someone riding a bike, the dog would jump back out of fear. It’s important to keep all this in mind when introducing and exposing your dog to new experiences. Always be patient, positive and reassuring. Don’t avoid the things that make him fearful, but slowly show him there is nothing to be afraid of.
Days 3-7: Creating a Routine for Your Adopted Dog
Slowly add activities throughout the first week. Simply going for daily walks to explore the neighborhood is enough. Every dog will be different and each dog will need its own amount of time to adjust to his new home. So learn to read your dog’s body language and take it slow.
If you thought your dog was potty trained but is having accidents in the house, don’t be too alarmed… this is pretty normal. Just go back to basics of potty training. If he is marking in the house, keep your dog on a leash or crated until you can trust him. This could be days, weeks or months.
Create a routine. Dogs and people alike strive on a schedule. Feed your dog twice a day, walk every day, etc.
Don’t allow behaviors just because you feel sorry for your dog. If you allow it now, it makes it more difficult to change in the future. Lay the rules down now. If you don’t want your dog on the couch, never allow him on the couch. If you don’t want your dog to beg at the kitchen table, don’t allow it this week just because he’s new to your home.
Do you need to take a dog training class? Every dog is different. You may get lucky and your dog was already trained in his previous life. But 9 out of 10 times, your dog was surrendered or abandoned because he wasn’t trained.
Licensing your dog in Michigan:
1316 Lamont Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
(269) 383-8775
Maintenance Preventative:
Intestinal Parasites –
Your new pet has been tested for intestinal parasites and has been treated if any were found. It is still wise to take a stool sample to your next vet appointment, just to be safe.
Heartworm –
Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitos and can be fatal. Heartworms invade the dog’s heart, where it lives and multiplies – causing an enlarged heart and eventually severe lung congestion. We recommend that you keep your puppy or dog on an oral monthly heartworm preventative all year, but at least May thru December. Your dog has received a first dose of this preventative; it will need additional doses each month as prescribed by your vet. Do not fail to get your puppy or adult dog on heartworm prevention! Heartworm is very common in Southwest Michigan. Once infected, your pet will begin a long, downward spiral in health that will culminate in an early and very painful death.
Fleas and Ticks –
Are external parasites. They are common and continuous problem for dogs, especially during non-winter months. It is much easier to use preventative treatment than to eradicate fleas from your home, dog and yard. Signs of flea infestation include itching, hair loss and skin irritation which can become infected. Serious illness can result. Fleas can also transmit tapeworm, which is an intestinal parasite. Ticks can transmit many diseases, such as Lyme Disease, which causes chronic fatigue, joint pain, and death. We recommend you apply topical flea and tick control each month year round, but at least in the months of April – November.
Please be reasonable in your expectations. Life with you is a different experience for your new companion, so give him/her time to adjust. You’ll soon find out that you’ve made a friend for life. No one will ever greet you with as much enthusiasm or provide you with as much unqualified love and loyalty as your dog will. Be patient, and you will be amply rewarded.
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