West Michigan families and their four-legged best friends are invited to attend Paws With A Cause’s fourth annual Retriever Fever! This free, dog-friendly gathering will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Riverside Park located at 2001 Monroe Ave NE in Grand Rapids.
What to expect
This event is centered around a friendly competition between Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever fans with retriever races, raffles, and merchandise sales contributing to deciding which dog breed is named “Top Dog” and raises the most money for PAWS.
Retriever Fever will also include food trucks, games and activities, local community vendors, Dog CPR/First Aid Demonstrations by Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Pet Headshots by Tailwagger Dog Photography, and the opportunity to get your dog’s nails trimmed. Attendees will also be able to hear about the life-changing impact of a PAWS Assistance Dog from a Client Speaker and see PAWS Assistance Dogs in action through demonstrations.
Dogs enjoy the Retriever Fever Race on the day of the event (Courtesy, PAWS)
“We’re so excited to be hosting this event back to our community for a fourth year in a row,” said Kristy Blackmore, Special Events Manager at PAWS. “There are new additions this year including dog nail trims, CPR demonstrations, new community vendors, and new PAWS Dogs to meet.
“It’s going to be a fun day. We hope people bring their dogs join in on the excitement!”
Supporting the PAWS mission
Opportunities to support the PAWS non-profit in their mission to serve people with disabilities through assistance dogs are available through event sponsorships and donations.
A PAWS Assistance Dog rests at the feet of its owner (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Thank you to our incredible event sponsors, Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Dan Vos Construction, Outfront Media, and Chrispy Media. With their support, we’re able to host events like these and continue our mission.”
More information about Retriever Fever can be found here.
Paws With A Cause (PAWS) celebrated a milestone moment by recently breaking ground for their $9.5 million facility renovation project.
For over 45 years, PAWS has enhanced the independence and quality of life for those with disabilities through the use of custom-trained Assistance Dogs. Since its inception, PAWS has placed over 3,000 Assistance Dogs with people with disabilities.
PAWS is determined to serve even more people within the community (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Determined to do more
Four years ago the PAWS team brainstormed one simple goal: to serve even more people with disabilities.
“By 2030, our goal is to place over 100 assistance dogs with clients annually, and for 90% of our PAWS dogs to go into some kind of working career,” said Sarah Osterman, PAWS Board of Directors Chair and volunteer foster puppy raiser at the groundbreaking ceremony.
There is a growing demand for Assistance Dogs and the lifetime support that PAWS offers. Each year over 400 qualified individuals apply for a PAWS Assistance Dog. Current buildings and facilities limit the ability to address this unmet need.
“PAWS has outgrown our capacity to be able to breed, raise and train more PAWS dogs in these current facilities,” said Osterman. “Renovating our building to address these needs for improvement will allow us to expand our transformational and inspirational work.”
PAWS Assistance Dogs were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Embracing the journey
The first step toward attaining these renovation goals was to embark on PAWS’s first community-wide capital campaign, Embrace the Journey, in April 2024.
“The goal for the Embrace the Journey campaign is to raise $9.5 million in charitable gifts, allowing us to improve five critical areas in our existing facilities and to address the growing demand for assistance and facility dogs,” said PAWS CEO, Michele Suchovsky.
“Many community members rallied around our vision for the future. I am thrilled to share that today we have raised over $8.6 million of that $9.5 million.”
To date, more than 700 donors have supported the campaign.
PAWS National Headquarters is nestled amid commercial firms and farmland in Wayland, MI. Though the current PAWS facilities have served them well since 1994, few improvements have been made over the years.
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
PAWS renovation renderings (Courtesy, Dan Vos Construction, FMD Architects, Journey Construction Group)
The upcoming renovations will include:
Improved kennels
Exemplary veterinary facilities
National breeding center
New foster puppy spaces
Updated training facilities
“With these renovations we’ll be able to place more Assistance Dogs with clients, and place more working dogs in community-focused careers through our purposeful placements department,” said Suchovsky.
But more importantly, the results of these renovations will be felt by current and future PAWS clients.
Life-changing moments
“Each PAWS Assistance Dog opens a world of possibilities, something I can personally attest to as a client,” said Molly Koroleski, PAWS Board Member and client.
After contracting meningitis at the age of three, Koroleski woke from a coma to realize she had lost her hearing. She moved through life unable to hear smoke alarms, emergency sirens or a knock on the door. Though she had family to tell her when those things occurred, it was troubling to be unaware of them when alone.
“Then I discovered PAWS, and my life changed,” Koroleski said. “Through the PAWS custom matching process, I received Mater, an Assistance Dog that was custom-trained to help with exactly what I needed.”
When Koroleski learned she was pregnant with her son, she called the PAWS team.
PAWS staff, volunteers and dogs were available at the ceremony for attendees to meet (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“Mater had already been my Hearing Dog for two and a half years at that point, and he wasn’t originally trained to the sound of a baby’s cries,” said Koroleski.
Within a few weeks of making the call, the PAWS team had trained Mater to alert Koroleski to her baby crying.
“I felt much more prepared to care for my son with Mater by my side,” said Koroleski. “These renovations will allow PAWS to match and custom-train more Assistance Dogs like Mater for clients like me.”
“These children deserve an Assistance Dog that will help them,” said Suchovsky. “We know how important a PAWS Assistance Dog is for a person with a disability.”
It’s time to give back…
For years, local residents have rallied behind PAWS to help those in need.
Deann and Kevin Hurn, Hudsonville residents and volunteer foster puppy raisers, have been volunteering at PAWS for over 13 years, currently fostering their ninth puppy. Recently, Kevin became a PAWS board member.
The help of a PAWS dog can be life-changing (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
When asked why she became involved with PAWS, Deann said, “To give back, to help somebody else. We just feel very blessed with everything God has given us – healthy children, healthy grandchildren – and it’s great to give back.”
Deann is currently hosting a Visiting House Dog in the PAWS program that she brings to Pine Rest Mental Health Hospital every week to visit with the inpatients.
“I come home every week and tell my husband that I was in tears because of what she did for someone, how she loved on them and what it meant to them,” said Deann. “It’s so cool to see.”
Deann heard about PAWS when she met a woman with an Assistance Dog. The woman encouraged Deann to attend the next PAWS meeting.
“I came home and told Kevin, ‘I’m going to this information meeting, but it’s just information.’” Deann paused. “A week later we had our first dog,” she said with a laugh.
One step closer…
(Courtesy, Deborah Reed)
As PAWS renovations begin, excitement is high.
“We are excited that this project will allow us to serve more clients, and our clients are excited too,” said Suchovsky. “We are one step closer to our goals and to creating thriving communities for us all.”
This exciting exhibit provides new insights into biology and technology with eight robotic animals of considerable size. Visitors will discover how chameleons change color, giant squids propel themselves, flies walk on the ceiling and more.
Over a dozen hands-on activities illustrate fascinating real-life animal characteristics. Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets that demonstrate what makes them work.
“By comparing the anatomy, environments, and size of the actual creatures to the mechanic counterparts, The Robot Zoo provides fantastic new insights into biology and engineering, and hands-on fun for all ages,” the website states. “This exhibit reveals the magic of nature as a master engineer.”
Plan a field trip!
Educators are invited to bring students to experience The Robot Zoo. GRPM’s Educator’s Guide can enhance your group’s visit with a fun collection of multidisciplinary activities.
Insect investigations, sensory experiences of the rhinoceros and additional crafts and experiments can be utilized before or after the exhibit experience.
Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets (Courtesy, GRPM)
Dive deeper with books!
The GRPM and Kent District Library have collaborated to expand learning opportunities about biology, robotics and biomechanics with a variety of English and Spanish book titles for all ages.
Explore the fascinating worlds of animals and machines with these books!
An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and a bumblebee were found sharing space on a milkweed plant at Van Buren State Park over the weekend.
Both pollinators, butterflies and bees are often drawn to brightly colored flowers, as well as open or flat tubular blooms with an abundance of pollen or nectar.
Butterflies
(Courtesy, Cris Greer WKTV)
Butterflies typically probe for nectar, which is their flight fuel. Clusters of flowers that provide a stable landing platform and nectar deeply hidden inside the blooms are most popular.
Flowers containing nectar guides that help the bees find the flower’s center quickly are also a favorite – and facilitate rapid nectar collection and flower pollination.
Though an adequate pollinator, butterflies are not quite as efficient as its bumblebee partner due to their long, thin legs creating a higher perch on the flower. The thin legs and higher perch prevent as much pollen from sticking to the body of the butterfly versus that of the bumblebee.
Bumblebees
(Courtesy, Cris Greer WKTV)
Fat and furry, bumblebees are slightly smaller than similar-looking carpenter bees. The hairs on their legs and body, called setae, help the bumblebee collect pollen and nectar.
Bumblebees are drawn to flowers in the ultraviolet color range, though they cannot see red like butterflies can. Fragrant flowers are particularly appealing to bees.
Like butterflies, bees are also attracted to clusters of flat or tubular flowers that provide a landing pad and a wealth of pollen and nectar.
Kentwood’s annual Bark for the Park. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood’s annual Bark for the Park event is set for Thursday, May 16 to raise funds for new dog park amenities at Kellogg Woods Park.
The dog-friendly event takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE. Admission is free, and financial donations are accepted throughout the event. No registration is required.
Attendees and their canine companions can interact with a variety of local pet vendors and community booths, including veterinary clinics, grooming companies, the Wyoming Police K9 unit and more. The event features a pet craft station, photo booth and dog agility course. Each attendee also will receive a bag filled with dog treats and other favors to take home.
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
At 6:30 p.m., attendees will have a chance to show off their pup’s style by participating in a doggy fashion show. The crowd favorite will receive a gift basket.
“Kellogg Woods Park continues to be a popular place for community members to enjoy with their pups,” said Shelby Henshaw, Kentwood recreation program coordinator. “This event offers a fun opportunity for dog lovers to connect in support of the dog park, ensuring it remains a wonderful spot for furry friends for years to come.”
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Funds raised at this year’s event will go toward the purchase of shade sails, which will provide much needed shade in the dogpark. The event is sponsored by Bloom Sluggett PC, Metronet, Candra’s Grooming Company, Animal Hospital of Kentwood, Pleasant Hearts Pet Food Pantry, All Weather Seal, Kent County Animal Shelter, Novo Chiropractic and K9 Kuisine. Additional sponsorship opportunities and opportunities to become a vendor for the event are still available.
There also are volunteer opportunities available for this event. Volunteers will help with event setup, bag stuffing, photo booth operations, craft activity facilitation or other activities as assigned.
Jett was a dual-purpose dog trained in tracking and narcotics detection. He served with the Wyoming Police Department for approximately six years before retiring in 2021.
Upon his retirement, Jett went on to live the next three years at home with his handler, Officer Adam Sherman.
Jett was a loyal and beloved member of the Wyoming Police family and will be greatly missed.
The story is about sharks, there is a shark attack. It takes place at sea. It happened on July 12, 1916.
Once upon a time Jaxon and I were reading a book called I Survived Shark Attacks.
It was Feb. 10, 2024 when we were reading the book. We randomly got sucked into the book, and the teacher came and she saw that we weren’t there anymore.
It was July 12,1916. Jaxon and I were in the middle of the sea. Jaxon and I were scared because we thought we were gonna get eaten by a shark.
Afterwards, we saw people running to the sand because of five great white sharks. Two people had gotten eaten, and three people were left. But two sharks got two other people, leaving one person named Nick. He was running towards me and Jaxon.
Jaxon and I were jittery and started running to land, but we saw that he had disappeared. He came out of the water fighting the shark and killed the shark. Running from the other sharks, he made it to land.
Then Jaxon and I disappeared, coming back to school reading Shark Attacks.
The End!!!!
Alan Perez (Courtesy, Kim Omanchi)
Alan Perez is a 3rd grade student at AnchorPoint Christian School. Alan’s short story, Stranded in Sharkland, is his first published work.
Led by teacher Mrs. Kim Omanchi, and in collaboration with WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed, students created unique pieces for publication on WKTV Journal.
The Scarlet Tanager is one of many beautiful birds migrating back to Michigan in the spring. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
By Patrick O’Donnell
WKTV Contributor
Patrick O’Donnell started birding at the age of seven in his hometown of Niagara Falls, NY. He has worked as a field biologist in the USA, and guided tours and taught birding courses in Ecuador, Peru and Costa Rica. He resides in Costa Rica where he works with birding tourism and writes about birds at his blog, “Costa Rica Living and Birding,” the Birdzilla website, and other places. He is the author of an ebook, “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica.”
Spring has arrived in Michigan! Warmer temperatures have arrived on southerly winds and the birds of spring are back. Walk outside, stop to listen, and you’ll hear them.
It started in March, maybe even late February with the bugling of Sandhill Cranes and “kon-ker-ees!” of Red-winged Blackbirds. By April, those and other early spring migrants have become well established on breeding grounds throughout the state.
Sandhill Cranes. (Courtesy, Andy Morffew, pxhere.com)
These birds are the first heralds of spring, avian reminders that more are on their way; millions of birds! That many? Oh yes, and some.
There’s a digital tool called Birdcast that gives an idea of the number of birds flying through Michigan skies. By analyzing data from radar stations, Birdcast estimates numbers of birds in flight, even in real time!
Red-Winged Blackbird. (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
According to Birdcast, on April 8, more than 5.5 million birds migrated over Michigan. That was just one night and since peak migration doesn’t happen until the second week of May, a lot more birds are expected.
Many birds that passed overhead during the first 10 days of April were probably Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Grackles, Blue Jays, and other common statewide species that migrate in April. Since dozens of other bird species won’t arrive until May, birders often refer to these hardy April songbirds as “early migrants.”
Blue Jay. (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
These species can withstand some cold weather and migrate relatively short distances to the southern United States. Go birding anywhere in Michigan in April and you’ll find them! A shy, rusty-tailed bird hopping under a bush could be a Hermit Thrush on its way to the U.P. That plain bird perched on a low post and wagging its tail is probably an Eastern Phoebe; a common breeding bird throughout Michigan.
Are you hearing high-pitched calls emanating from bushes and trees? Take a close look, you might find tiny, cute Golden-crowned Kinglets. After the next push of warm southerly wings, they’ll be joined by fellow breeding birds of the U.P.; Yellow-rumped Warblers. These beautiful songbirds have black and yellow highlights on gray-blue plumage and a bright yellow rump.
Yellow-rumped Warbler. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
That particular field mark gave rise to a popular birding nickname for the species. If you go for a morning walk and hear birders saying, “Butterbutt,” don’t be alarmed! They are just admiring Yellow-rumped Warblers.
By late April, those pretty warblers should also be joined by dozens of White-throated Sparrows. These big handsome sparrows breed in most of Michigan as well as further north. Take an April morning walk in a wooded park and you’ll probably hear their sweet whistled song, “O Canada Canada Canada.”
Turkey Vulture. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
Many raptors migrate to South America for winter
While enjoying the songs of White-throated Sparrows and looking for Butterbutts, handsome Eastern Towhees, and other April migrants, don’t forget to look to the skies. There’s a fair chance you’ll see some migrating raptors that move through and breed in much of Michigan. There will be Turkey Vultures and maybe a hawk or two. Yes, those big birds migrate too; many Turkey Vultures even soar to South America for the winter.
A small hawk making a few quick flaps followed by a glide might be a Sharp-shinned Hawk; a diminutive yet lethal raptor that preys on songbirds. In late April, crow-sized soaring raptors with broad black and white tails are probably Broad-winged Hawks. They are returning from Costa Rica and other tropical wintering grounds.
Other, smaller birds also flow north through Michigan skies. Small birds zipping overhead in elegant flight are probably swallows that move through and breed in every part of the state. At first, thousands of Tree Swallows are on the move. Beautiful aerialists with blue-green upperparts and white underparts, they fly north to breed near lakes and other wetlands. However, in mid and late April, additional swallow species necessitate a closer look.
Plain brown swallows with pale underparts are Northern Rough-winged Swallows. If you see some with a brown breast band, you have found Bank Swallows. Steely blue and peach Barn Swallows zip low over the fields, but what about those big dark swallows? Those are Purple Martins migrating to martin houses throughout the state and further north.
Highest numbers of bird species come back in May
There are a lot of spring migrants in April, but the best birding cake gets served in May; when the highest numbers of bird species come back to Michigan. During the first week of May, it begins with a trickle of warblers and a few other birds quick to reach their breeding grounds.
However, by the second week, the migration dam opens and that initial stream of birds swells into a massive feathered movement flowing north. Thousands, millions of birds migrate through Michigan. Even better, all are in beautiful breeding plumage, many are singing, and lots can show up in backyards and urban parks.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
It’s a birding bonanza and, for birders, just might be the most wonderful time of the year. As with many places, May birding in Michigan means the return of Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanagers, Red-eyed Vireos, and other songbirds that breed throughout the state.
Best of all, the warblers come back. Beautiful little birds plumaged in a variety of colors and patterns, most migrate to breeding grounds in the U.P. and further north. However, a few, such as the Chestnut-sided Warbler and the Halloween colored American Redstart, stay to breed in every county.
Other warblers that arrive in May, but then mostly move on to the forests of the U.P. include handsome Magnolia Warblers, tiger-striped Cape May Warblers, and flame-throated Blackburnian Warblers. Keep looking up and your binoculars might also focus on movements that materialize into fancy Northern Parulas and the cocoa and cream of Bay-breasted Warblers.
Blackburnian Warbler. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
A birder’s dream in May
On the best of May birding days, the birds just don’t stop! Such rare days can truly be the stuff of birding dreams.
Not to leave wetlands out of the birding mix, May is also when shorebirds migrate through Michigan. Visit wetlands and there might be sandpipers foraging in the mud with Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers. Be careful to not disturb them, these amazing migrants are on their way to the Arctic!
The best way to see migrant birds in Michigan is by looking for them in wildlife refuges, parks and other places with natural habitats. However, backyards can work too, especially ones planted with native trees and bushes.
Bird feeder tips: What food attracts what bird?
Put out tray feeders with black sunflower seeds and peanuts to attract Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals. Let some of those seeds spill on the ground and your garden might also be graced with migrant sparrows and towhees.
Northern Cardinal. (Courtesy, pixabay.com)
To attract orioles, put out orange slices and grape jelly. They’ll love those offerings; orioles have a serious sweet tooth! Although most May migrants are insectivores and avoid feeders, mealworms can bring in Eastern Bluebirds, thrushes and maybe some warblers, too.
Install feeders where you can watch them, but, to help birds feel safe, place them within 15 feet of bushes or trees. If you want extra close looks, some feeders have their own little camera.
Whether you use feeders or not, this spring, keep an eye out for birds. Huge numbers of beautiful birds are migrating through our neighborhoods, towns and cities, probably more than we realize.
Enjoy an up-close encounter with thousands of unique tropical butterflies as they fly freely throughout the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory!
A global journey
Tailed Jay (Courtesy, FMG)
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announces the return of the much-loved Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, now in its 29th year.
The largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the United States, this event showcases the stunning diversity and intricate beauty of butterflies and moths.
Butterflies Are Blooming opens March 1 and runs through April 30. Visitors are invited to celebrate the unique spectacle of lepidopteran flight and the exquisite patterns of their wings in the lush environment of the Conservatory.
This year’s exhibition is a true global journey. More than 60 species from Africa, Asia, and Central and South America will be featured.
The five-story, 15,000-square-foot glass house provides the ideal tropical setting for these vibrant world travelers. Featured species include dazzling blue morphos, stealthy clearwings, majestic Atlas moths and elegant tree nymphs. Each species adds its own unique brushstroke to this living canvas of color and motion.
The science behind butterflies
Butterflies are cold-blooded insects requiring a body temperature of 85–105 degrees Fahrenheit to take flight. The black markings on northern species are not just for show, they are nature’s solar panels, absorbing sunlight to warm these delicate creatures.
Red Lacewing (Courtesy, FMG)
The dual-wing design of butterflies is a marvel of nature’s engineering, providing lift and precise steering. Witness the distinct flight patterns of each species, from the powerful and swift swallowtails to the playful, zigzagging flight of the large-winged morphos.
Up-close experiences
Chrysalides and cocoons can be seen at the Observation Station (Courtesy, FMG)
In addition to the butterflies’ aerial ballet, the exhibition offers guests unique up-close experiences at feeding stations brimming with nectar plants. At the Observation Station, thousands of chrysalides and cocoons emerge and reveal the magic of metamorphosis.
Approximately 1,000 chrysalides are delivered to Meijer Gardens each week of the exhibition. This year, grapevine spheres adorned with flowering vines and other tropical plants were introduced, creating enchanting landing spots for the winged guests.
“As we eagerly welcome the return of the Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibitionfor its 29th year, we invite guests to immerse themselves in the spectacular world of butterflies and moths here at Meijer Gardens,” said Steve LaWarre, Vice President of Horticulture. “This year’s exhibition is more than just a display; it’s a celebration of the breathtaking beauty of flight.
“Each visit is a unique journey through the vibrant patterns and unique flight dynamics of these enchanting creatures. We’re also thrilled to enhance this experience with special events, educational programs and exclusive member activities.”
FMG invites guests from near and far to join us in celebrating the wonder of these magnificent creatures. The Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition is a vivid reminder of nature’s incredible artistry, the beauty of flight, and the delicate balance of our ecosystem.
(Courtesy, FMG)
Exhibition rules:
Please do not touch the butterflies.
During the butterfly exhibition, tripods are not allowed in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. While monopods may be used, please be courteous to other guests.
Per USDA regulations, no butterfly or plant materials may leave the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.
Extended Hours & Exhibition Activities
Extended Spring Break Hours: Open until 9 pm March 29 and April 1–5.
Exclusive Member Early Hours: Members enjoy exclusive early open hours every Sunday morning in March and April, from 9–11 a.m.
Though the MHF has participated in the Expo for 10 years, this is the first time the Foundation will host the event.
“The reason that we decided to take it on after we were approached last year was because this is a winter event that focuses on family, togetherness and community connection,” said Jessica Jones, Communications Director for MHF. “Those are all aspects of our organization that we promote within families.
The Expo will focus on overall family wellness (Courtesy, MHF)
“We’re really trying to tap into the community and promote good mental health.”
The Expo will look similar to previous years with additional enhancements and a focus on overall family wellness. Community resources information, hourly wellness presenters, and fun interactive and educational experiences for the entire family will be available during the event.
“The Expo helps provide that little bit of escape from the winter,” said Jones. “Families are trapped inside together if the weather hasn’t been great. Changing the scenery in the winter can be more empowering than we realize.
“This gives the family an opportunity to get out, be together and have some fun.”
What to expect: new and original features
A new aspect to the Kids & Family Expo will be that all attractions and rides are included in the ticket price.
All attractions and rides are included in the ticket price (Courtesy, MHF)
“There’s no extra nickel and diming once you’re in, which was really important to us,” said Jones.
New attractions will include the Pirate’s Revenge swinging boat and Turbo Tubs, which can accommodate both kids and adults.
“The Empowerment Stage is something new this year, and we have a rotation of fun things that are happening there,” said Jones.
Included in that rotation is WOOD TV8 Chief Meteorologist Ellen Bacca presenting the popular Weather Experience. There will also be several story times for children.
John Ball Zoo will be providing animals for patrons to enjoy (Courtesy, MHF)
“We’re going to be pushing out the be nice.action plan: notice, invite, challenge, and empower,” said MHF Founder Christy Buck in an interview with eightWest. “We’re going to be reading books to kids, and they can sit and listen to a book being read and how N.I.C.E. is implemented in this book.”
Additional activities include: a petting zoo, ponies, jumbo activities, a fire engine and police car, a photo booth, archery, face painting, snake petting and more.
Various information from community organizations will be available at the Expo in addition to activities and rides. Each resource distribution station will also feature an activity.
“We’ve got all this good information, all these great resources packaged, and a whole lot of rides and fun and games for the whole family,” said Buck on eightWest.
Expo = Positive Impact
Activity and FUN can help improve mental health (Courtesy, MHF)
Everything that we do in our lives, Buck said, has to do with our overall health and mental health.
Weather, nutrition and finances are also factors that play into mental health. The Expo will have presentations and information about each of these factors.
Jones said that events like the Expo can help improve mental health for some people.
“Being active, having things to look forward to, feeling empowered following some kind of activity or event, anything that makes you feel good,” said Jones.
“For kids, these are memories that they’re going to make as they have fun with the rides. Parents are going to make memories by being with the kids and providing this experience for them.”
Families can find a multitude of resources at the Expo (Courtesy, MHF)
Resources and links
Tickets for the Kids & Family Expo can be purchased at the door or online here or here.
H.U.G.S. Ranch (Hope. Understanding. Guidance. Support.) is located at 284 Byron Road, Byron Center. (WKTV/Janet Vormittag)
By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor
Seventeen years ago, Lisa Carter’s daughter Lindsey was struggling so she gave the fourth grader a book that had been gifted to her: “Hope Rising: Stories from the Ranch of Rescued Dreams,” by Kim Meeder.
After reading the book three times, Lindsey said, mom, “We could do this.”
At the time Lisa Carter was struggling. She was a single mom working four jobs, and she had full custody of her three children, ages 2, 6 and 8. A counselor told her with all the changes happening in her children’s lives it would be best if she could keep them in the family home … 12 acres in Byron Center with a farmhouse, barn and two horses.
“I prayed and asked God for it to be possible, and if so, I would use it to his glory,” she recalled.
Carter, a veterinarian technician, shared the book with a co-worker, Jill Glass. Glass read the book on vacation. When she returned, Lisa said she was on fire and ready to start a ministry where horses were used to help children. Glass already had a name for their endeavor: H.U.G.S. Ranch — Hope. Understanding. Guidance. Support.
(Courtesy, H.U.G.S. Ranch)
She had doubts, but Glass countered them by saying they’d take little steps towards their dream.
That was the beginning of their faith-based, equine-assisted endeavor, which would provide a “healing path for hurting children.”
Glass and Carter attended a clinic at Crystal Peaks in Oregon, hosted by the author of “Hope Rising,” to learn how to start a nonprofit and to check out the various programs the ranch offered. Later, Carter and her daughter volunteered a week at the ranch to experience equine-assisted therapy. Carter also has attended three OK Corral Series clinics and was certified in three of their Equine Assisted Learning activities. Over the years Carter has attended additional conferences to learn how to work with children who have experienced trauma.
“Animals are very therapeutic,” Carter said.
Carter also has an associate degree in horse management from Michigan State University, which she earned while studying to become a vet tech.
H.U.G.S. Ranch owner Lisa Carter says hello to one of her horses. ((WKTV/Janet Vormittag))
In 2008, two years after deciding to start the ranch, H.U.G.S. became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, located at 284 Byron Road, Byron Center.
In the beginning they used Carter’s two horses.
Besides horses, the ranch now has donkeys, ponies, and mini horses; 17 in all. Plus, two pigs, two goats and a cat.
Using equine-assisted learning, children ages 5 to 18, who have social, emotional or mental health challenges are helped. Each child has an adult mentor.
(Courtesy, H.U.G.S. Ranch)
Currently, four-week and eight-week programs are offered. They’re free, but there is a suggested donation.
“It’s about building relationships and trust,” Carter explained. The mentors ask questions and let the children open up as they work with the horses.
The children don’t ride the horses, instead they do what Carter calls ground work. They learn about horse behavior by watching the horses and studying their body language. They learn how to groom, halter and lead the animals. Sometimes they paint the horses using watercolors.
One child used only black paint when he painted his horse. When asked why, he said he felt like he was in a black hole. Through talking while painting the mentor explored the reasons for those dark feelings.
After the painting sessions the kids give the horses a bath to wash away the paint.
One of the activities for the children is to build an obstacle course for their horse to walk through. In one corner of the indoor arena are the obstacles: barrels, poles, carpet squares, big noodles and other items used to build the course. The goal is for the child to build enough trust with their horse so the horse will follow them through the course with no halter or lead.
“The horse has to trust them, but they also have to trust the horse,” Carter explained.
(Courtesy, H.U.G.S. Ranch)
Only after reaching that level of trust does the child get to sit on the horse while the horse is led around by the mentor. Sometimes they sit backwards to learn about different perspectives.
Jen Kuyt of Wayland said her kids were clients at H.U.G.S. Ranch for five years.
“It was such a huge help in their development. I watched my timid little girl become extremely confident and my wild son calm down.”
She added that the ranch is like none other. Everybody is excepted for who they are, how they are and are supported to become a better person.
“The amount of love that is poured into the clients and the animals is like none other. When you walk on the ranch, you can feel the peace; it’s even therapeutic for the parents as they watch their kids with the majestic animals.”
The H.U.G.S. Ranch welcome center. ((WKTV/Janet Vormittag))
Most horses are donated to the ranch. Some have been abused or neglected, but several have been retired due to minor injuries or health issues.
“We give them a second life and a purpose,” Carter said.
One horse, Cody Joe, was born in 1989. He’s 34 years old and still part of the team.
The ranch is open Monday through Thursday, giving the horses three days off each week.
“They really enjoy their job, but they need a break,” Carter said.
70-80 volunteers in the summer
The ranch’s annual budget is $275,000. There are three paid staff and 70-80 volunteers in the summer, that drops to about 30 volunteers in the winter. Most volunteers are college students, teachers and retirees. At the end of summer, most go back to school or head south for the winter.
Feed for the animals is a big expense, fortunately, most of it is donated. Carter said one horse eats 125 bales of hay per year. The animals also are fed grain in the fall and winter.
Most donations come from individuals
Several area churches and businesses donate to H.U.G.S., but the majority of support comes from individuals.
Fundraisers help pay for the $275,000 budget
Fundraisers also are held. Collecting bottles and cans has turned out to be lucrative. Last year they raised close to $15,000 through donated returnables.
“One dime, one can at a time,” Carter said.
Carter’s daughter is now a farrier and takes care of the horses’ hooves. She also helps find horses for the ranch.
Over the years the ranch has grown from one barn to a complex of buildings.
An indoor arena was donated in 2018 by Larry and Judy Buist in memory of Carter’s father, Robert Wierenga, who was involved with the ranch. Buist Electric donated a building for the volunteers.
The Welcome Center was donated in memory of Scott Taylor by his employer to bring awareness to mental health. Taylor, a volunteer, battled depression. Lumberman’s was the lead donor and several other local companies helped make it a reality.
Looking back at the 17 years, Carter said the first years were hard, but she was driven to provide for her family. She never envisioned the ministry would get as big as it is.
“It’s not that we haven’t had challenges and heartbreak,” she said.
Kids and their piggy banks showed up during a crisis
When a tornado caused damage and she questioned if she could continue, but then the kids came with their piggy banks.
“Through hardships come blessings,” she said.
One of her biggest hardships came last year when Glass passed away unexpectedly. Carter said she’s doing well with the loss, but still adjusting. She’s doing what she has done all along, she’s relying on her faith.
The stuffed animals are being collected in honor of Yogi, a brown bear who was humanely euthanized at John Ball Zoo this week after suffering from arthritis due to his advanced age.
Yogi was born in the wild and had been with John Ball Zoo since 1994 after repeated human area conflict in Yellowstone National Park. Yogi would have been euthanized at that time if the John Ball Zoo had not provided him with a home. At the Zoo, he lived well beyond his life expectancy.
A 30-year zoo icon
“John Ball Zoo is heartbroken by the loss of Yogi, who was a beloved presence at the Zoo for almost 30 years,” said Jaime Racalla, zookeeper supervisor at John Ball Zoo. “We’re very proud of the long life he had and the excellent care he received from our team into his later years. It is heartwarming to know that Yogi will continue to bring tokens of joy and comfort to children through the stuffed animal drive in his honor.”
Yogi’s caretakers will miss his gentle, easygoing personality.
“Yogi’s favorite day of the week was bone day,” said Jackie Wolflinger-Zellinger, swing keeper at John Ball Zoo. “He would pass up his dinner and any sweet snack we had for him, such as his evening medications mixed with honey or jam, for it, and he would be busy chewing until all the meat was gone. He was such a joy to work with.”
Teddy bear drive details
Donated stuffed bears can be dropped off at John Ball Zoo Guest Services through Oct. 19
John Ball Zoo will collect stuffed animals from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily Oct. 5-19 to be donated to the children’s hospital. The toys should be new with tags and can be dropped off at John Ball Zoo Guest Services office.
“Thank you to John Ball Zoo and our community supporting our pediatric patients at the hospital,” said Jeannine Brown, certified child life specialist at Helen DeVos. “These stuffed animals comfort our kids during their admission and aid in the healing process. We pass out many stuffed animals every day to brighten a child’s stay, especially if they forgot their treasured stuffed animal or lovey at home. Thank you for helping us make their hospital stay a little bit better with something to hold and hug.”
Peanut the cat needs a home. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor
Are you considering adding a furry friend to your family? If so, you’re in luck. The BISSELL Pet Foundation is hosting its Fall National “Empty the Shelters” event in 43 Michigan shelters.
Our nation’s animal shelters are in crisis due to increased owner surrenders and stray intakes, spiking post-pandemic euthanasia rates across the country.
Eli the rabbit is available. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
“Our nation’s animal shelters are facing an overcrowding crisis unlike anything we have experienced in more than a decade. The devastating increase in owner surrenders and stray intakes has left tens of thousands of socialized, house-trained, and leash-trained pets desperate to find a home,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation.
From Oct. 1-15, BISSELL Pet Foundation will sponsor reduced adoption fees at more than 345 shelters in 42 states. Adopters can save a life and bring home a spayed/neutered, vaccinated pet available for adoption for $50 or less.
Alize the dog is hoping for a new home. (Courtesy, Humane Society)
Tania Jaczkowski, executive director of the Humane Society of West Michigan, said the humane society is only doing a one day event on Saturday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Close to 50 dogs, 100 cats and a few rabbits will be available and adoption fees will be waived.
Anyone interested in adopting is encouraged to fill out an application online at www.hswestmi.org Adopters can also be pre-approved which will save time on the day of the event.
Alize, a 74-pound hound mix, is hoping to find a new family. Alize loves toys and playing fetch. She also loves affection. She’s only a year and a half old and is a long-termer at the humane society having been there longer than three weeks.
Peanut, a 13-year-old gray cat, is hoping to find a family with a couch where he can spend his golden years. Peanut is sweet, independent and playful. He needs a home without young children. Peanut has an over active thyroid which is controlled by daily medication.
A rabbit who needs a home is 10-year-old Ike. He currently lives in Jaczkowski’s office where he takes up close to half of her floor space. Ike is friendly and will take treats out of your hand.
Jaczkowski said they have participated in more than 20 Empty the Shelter events and have always seen increased adoptions. She added that Bissell has been very supportive of the humane society. “They’re fantastic.” When the humane society needed more space for their cats, the Bissell Pet Foundation paid for a cattery expansion which included several rooms for free-roaming cats.
Jaczkowski said the humane society, like other shelters and rescues, is feeling the crisis of too many pets being surrendered and adoptions being down. Plus, since the Covid pandemic there are more animals with behavioral issues. She feels the reason for the crisis is the economy. “People can’t afford another mouth to feed.”
The humane society also is feeling the pinch of inflation. “We’re purchasing less, but it’s costing us more.”
Jaczkowski hopes the Empty the Shelters event will result in some of the animals at the humane society finding new homes.
“It’s a lot of work, but the exposure it brings to the animals is worth it.”
Two of the founders of the Community Cat Crew, J.J. LaBelle (left) with Manchego and Kendi Helmus with Shiner Bock. Both kittens are bottle-babies. (Courtesy Photo)
By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor
One of the goals of the Community Cat Crew is to stop spring from being known as kitten season.
Five women founded the cat rescue and advocacy group in January 2022. The director is Kendi Helmus of Hudsonville, but she doesn’t want to take credit for starting the group.
“I told her if she tackled it I’d be her right-hand woman,” said J.J. LaBelle who lives in Eastown. “We wouldn’t have done it without her. She had the passion and we supported her.”
Other founders include Trish Keyzer and her daughter Syd Keyzer of Grandville and Erin O’Keefe of Jenison.
“We share the workload,” Helmus said. Each woman works with a network of foster homes in her area and works to find homes for the cats and kittens in their care.
“We have kittens in homes from Sparta to Zeeland,” LaBelle said. The group has close to 25 foster homes. The group became a 501(c)3 in April 2023.
Two meanings
Helmus explained that the group’s name has two meanings. First, they’re dealing with community cats — outside cats who have no owners, the community is their home. Second, they want to educate people in the community about the importance of getting the cats spayed/neutered to stop the birth of unwanted litters of kittens.
“Eighty percent of kittens in shelters come from community cats,” Helmus said.
Spring is kitten season
Anyone involved in cat rescue soon learns that spring is when rescues and shelters are overwhelmed with kittens.
“It took years to educate people to fix their personal cats. Our mission is to educate people to fix community cats,” LaBelle said.
Before starting Community Cat Crew, the women volunteered for local rescue groups.
Their focus is TNVR, trap-neuter-vaccine-return. They live-trap outside cats and have them spayed/neutered and vaccinated before returning them to where they were caught. If the cats are friendly they place them in foster homes and find them new homes. If they come across kittens, they’re also placed in foster homes where they can be socialized before being put up for adoption.
Helmus’ passion is trapping cats. She got her start in rescue when as a teenager she found a litter of kittens and snuck them into her bedroom closet. When she showed one to her mother, she learned the kitten had fleas. Her parents soon discovered she had a closet full of flea infested kittens. She was allowed to keep one kitten who she named Gus.
“He was my first rescue kitty,” she said.
With a husband and three children, Helmus’ time is precious. Part of what she does for the group is record keeping.
“I’m a spreadsheet queen,” she said with a laugh.
LaBelle loves to care for bottle babies — newborns who don’t have a mother. “They’re my passion,” she said. She falls in love with each one of them, but knows they’re only with her temporarily. “I’m a huge believer that goodbye is the goal,” she said, but she admits saying goodbye to kittens she raised is bittersweet. “They go and it makes room for new residents.”
LaBelle grew up on a farm and taming feral barn kittens was an ongoing passion. When she was older she spent two years transporting close to 100 cats and kittens from her mother’s farm in the Upper Peninsula to Grand Rapids to get them spayed/neutered and rehomed.
She usually has 12 to 18 fosters plus a dozen or more bottle babies.
“For six months I don’t sleep,” she said.
She works at Schmidt”s Animal Hospital in Walker and can bring the babies to work to care for them.
Funded through adoption fees and fundraising
The group is funded through adoption fees and fundraising. “TNVR is expensive and you’re not getting a return, but it has to be done,” Helmus said.
Members of the group attend various events including farmer’s markets to educate people about the importance of spaying and neutering community cats and to sell craft items to raise funds. This year they’ve partnered with GR8 Food Trucks to staff their beer tent at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids.
One of their needs is volunteers to staff events and to make items they can sell. They also would appreciate monthly donors.
“A small commitment on a monthly basis — something we can count on — makes the work a little easier,” LaBelle said. They also have an Amazon Wish List.
Last year, which is the year the group started, the women TNR’d 93 cats and had 140 adoptions. Their goal was to double those number in 2023. At the end of July they had trapped 93 cats and had close to 180 adoptions.
“We’re moving in the right direction, but we have a long way to go before spring isn’t considered kitten season,” LaBelle said.
For more information or to contact the Community Cat Crew: admin@communitycatcrew.org, www.communitycatcrew.org. You can also follow them on Facebook.
Monarch butterflies play an important role in supporting our natural environment (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
By John Ball Zoo
deborah@wktv.org
Monarch butterflies will be released into the wild at John Ball Zoo on Saturday, Sept. 9 as part of a wildlife conservation celebration.
During Monarch Day at the Zoo, butterflies will be released at one hour intervals amid family-friendly events designed to teach participants why the butterflies are so important. Butterfly releases will take place at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Monarch Day at the Zoo will feature several family-friendly activities and opportunities to learn about the butterflies (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
“We are so excited to welcome guests to experience the wonder of releasing monarch butterflies into the wild so their population can improve, and they can migrate to wintering grounds in Mexico,” said Dan Hemmann, area curator at John Ball Zoo. “People of all ages can enjoy the events of Monarch Day while learning about why this species is so important.”
From 9 a.m.-6 p.m., John Ball Zoo is offering fun, family-friendly activities and opportunities to learn about monarch butterflies and how pollinators help support our natural environment. Characters including Mirabelle, Rapunzel, Tinkerbell and Fawn will be present throughout the day to help spread the message on conservation efforts everyone can take to contribute to a healthy environment for pollinators.
Events also include story time with Circle Theatre at 11 a.m., as well as an aerial performance provided by Gemini Circus from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monarch Day will also feature live music by Kohns from 4-6 p.m., face painting, and animal activities throughout the day.
The massasauga rattlesnake is the only venomous snake in Michigan (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
The eastern massasauga rattlesnake is venomous, slithery, and not at all cuddly, but the conservation department at John Ball Zoo (JBZ) is working hard to preserve the endangered species.
The only venomous snake out of 18 snake species found in Michigan, the massasauga is an extremely valuable part of Michigan’s wetland ecosystem. Several other species, including butterflies, small mammals and amphibians, rely on the massasauga’s habitat to survive.
As a benefit to both wildlife and humans, the massasauga also consumes a large number of ticks.
“There are some studies that suggest that a healthy snake population actually helps reduce the number of ticks on the landscape,” said Bill Flanagan, Conservation Manager at John Ball Zoo.
As the JBZ conservation team works to preserve the massasauga snake population, they are also working to protect other endangered species in the area that live in the same kind of habitat.
“All the work that we do to protect the massasauga, or one of those other species, works for all of those species,” said Flanagan.
However, the massasauga is declining in numbers and considered a federally threatened species in Michigan due to fragmented habitat and habitat loss.
“This is a really unique, threatened species that is linked to Michigan in a large way,” said Flanagan, adding that Michigan has more massasauga populations than any other state or province. “Michigan is critical for the eastern massasauga rattlesnake. Whatever happens to the massasauga in Michigan will define the outcome for the species.”
Counting snakes and building fences
John Ball Zoo has partnered with Sarett Nature Center in a long-term monitoring program to learn more about the massasauga with the goal of helping their population recover and thrive.
“One of the biggest challenges with these kinds of efforts to save species is that it’s really hard to actually count them,” said Flanagan. “The methodology for counting them has evolved over the years.”
Severe damage can be done to the habitat simply by walking through it while counting the species.
“We want to be really cautious and figure out a way that we can do that without having to walk into the habitat as much as we have in the past,” said Flanagan.
Massasaugas have unique markings to help conservationists identify individual snakes (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
In May, members of JBZ’s conservation team began data collection at Sarett Nature Center using new technology that is less disruptive than the traditional approach of sending out conservation team members on foot. The conservation team set up a two-foot drift fence that runs across the habitat where the rattlesnakes are most active. The fence functions as a funnel, encouraging small animals to crawl through a bucket that has a camera.
“It’s a passive way to count and see what’s there,” said Flanagan, noting that massasauga snakes have a unique saddle pattern on their backs like fingerprints and unique markings on their heads that can help identify individual snakes.
The fence will stay up indefinitely and capture data when the massasauga is most active — in May and during the fall months of September and October.
“Working with Sarett Nature Center, John Ball Zoo has been able to monitor the massasauga rattlesnake,” Flanagan said. “This new monitoring system will be an excellent low-impact method to track massasaugas while protecting the habitat that supports them. What we learn from this program will help inform us for future conservation strategies.”
Preserving more than just snakes
This conservation project is part of the Zoo’s greater mission of preserving wildlife and wild places.
“Part of our mission is to protect wild animals, but also wild places,” said Flanagan. “The work we do to protect wild places is critically important for those wild animals, but it also makes a nicer place for people too.”
Enjoying the massasauga experience – from a distance
Some of the massasauga’s population decline, aside from habitat loss, is intentional killing due fear of it being venomous. Flanagan, however, said that massasaugas are shy and will often freeze and wait for human observers to move on, often rattling their tails as a warning if they feel threatened.
JBZ encourages those who encounter the species, or another type of snake, to leave it alone and do not attempt to handle it.
“Enjoy that experience – from a distance – if you encounter one,” said Flanagan, saying the best course of action is to take a picture from a safe distance and report the viewing. “That’s the kind of information that is really valuable for the conservation community and knowing where these (massasaugas) are.”
Poweshiek skipperling butterfly. (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
By Adam Brown
WKTV Contributor
John Ball Zoo has recently stepped up its conservation efforts concerning local endangered populations. This time, the species in question is the critically endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly.
To the untrained eye, the skipperling may resemble a small, brown moth. In reality, it’s one of the most at-risk butterfly species. That’s where John Ball’s conservation efforts come in. Off the main path in an area inaccessible to the public, the zoo raises caterpillars in their Poweshiek Skipperling Hoop House.
The enclosures within hold the zoo’s supply of caterpillars, with the ultimate goal of preserving them and preventing extinction, per Michigan State University’s Haddad Lab Research Assistant David Pavlik. In fact, much of the butterfly’s life cycle is spent in the caterpillar stage, only becoming a butterfly for a few-week period in early summer.
Why Is This Important?
“Michigan is the last place in the United States where Poweshiek skipperling currently exist. The Poweshiek skipperling used to be one of the most abundant butterflies in the Midwest. In the early 2000s, populations started crashing to the point where it’s really close to the brink of extinction,” Pavlik noted on the necessity of such a conservation initiative.
Skipperlings naturally reside in habitats known as prairie fens, which also house additional threatened species. This gives John Ball hope that their conservation efforts may be expanded to help the many other threatened wildlife that call the Great Lakes State home.
What Can the Public Do?
While not currently open to the public, there are ample opportunities for zoogoers to get involved. Every donation to John Ball’s conservation fund or visit to the zoo itself lends a helping hand to these desperately needed programs, Pavlik added. Due to the overall rarity of the skipperling, there are few opportunities for the public to directly connect with the species via hands-on contact. One remedy the zoo is undertaking to strengthen public involvement is the Habitat Hero program.
“Our Habitat Hero program is a community science effort to get more pollinator plants into communities here in West Grand Rapids,” added Bill Flanagan, John Ball’s Conservation Manager. The program is not just limited to the skipperling. Flanagan noted that the program hopes to expand relief efforts for other local pollinators in the area, such as songbirds or monarch butterflies.
Since the project is closed off to the public, spreading awareness is a top priority since the skipperling is not a well known butterfly. One primary talking point is that species extinction is not limited to faraway places like the jungles and rainforest, it can happen even in our own backyard, Pavlik emphasized. Those who have been involved with the project firsthand have been very supportive, and John Ball hopes that support will grow as knowledge about the mission spreads.
Though the zoo’s current skipperling project is localized, it has the potential to lead to so much more.
“What we do right here in Michigan can have an impact on the biodiversity of the planet,” Flanagan added. Protecting habitats and supporting the zoo’s undertaking quite literally saves species.
Collaboration and the Future
A project of this scope cannot be undertaken alone, and the zoo partners with several other agencies and zoos around the country to bring their operation to life. John Ball is a member of the Poweshiek Skipperling International Partnership, which coordinates common relief efforts throughout the U.S. and Canada. They work with the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which provides much of the major funding for the project through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Michigan Natural Features Inventory performs land surveys, while local land managers work to preserve what remains of the skipperling’s habitat.
500 Poweshiek skipperlings released this year
This year has been by and large the most successful for the initiative, with 500 Poweshiek skipperlings released into the wild and a further 1,800 caterpillars currently residing at the zoo. In addition to the skipperling, John Ball has recently begun similar preservation efforts with the Mitchell’s satyr, another federally endangered butterfly.
Butterfly release. (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
The zoo’s released butterflies have been observed breeding in the wild and helping to grow the population rate. Pavlik hopes that the number of caterpillars and butterflies increases every year until the species can be pulled back from the edge of extinction.
Flanagan emphasized how easy it is to slip into hopelessness due to the precarious state of the skipperling’s population. However, physically observing the success of reintroduction in the wild reminds them all of the good that can come from conservation.
Mitchell’s satyr butterfly. (Courtesy, John Ball Zoo)
From the left, Lynnette Wieck and Maureen Herendeen, the founder of Feral Cat Solutions (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
By Janet Vormittag WKTV Contributing Writer
Most retirees enjoy traveling, grandkids and sunny days in southern states during the winter months. Not Maureen Herendeen. When the Grand Rapids woman retired from nursing in 2020, she decided to advocate for community cats in Kent County.
“I like the challenge of it,” she said.
Herendeen has a passion for cats, especially outside cats. She believes in trap-neuter-return (TNR) and in July 2022 she turned her passion into Feral Cat Solutions, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
The importance of getting feral cats fixed
“Community cats” is a term used to describe outdoor, unowned free-roaming cats who may or may not have a caretaker. Caretakers, who provide food and shelter, are not the legal owners of the cats.
Often Herendeen finds people willing to feed community cats and even provide them shelter, but they don’t get the cats fixed.
“Spay/neuter costs money,” she said.
In TNR, the cats are live-trapped, spayed or neutered, ear tipped and returned to where they were caught. A tipped ear is the universal sign of a spayed/neutered cat. One centimeter is removed from the tip of the left ear while the cat is anesthetized for spay/neuter surgery. Ear tips are readily visible from a distance, making it easy for caretakers, trappers and animal control personnel to immediately identify a cat as spayed or neutered.
Herendeen’s goal is to get community cats spayed/neutered to prevent unwanted litters from being born. The mortality rate of kittens born outside can be as high as 75 percent. Survival often depends on the mother’s access to food and shelter. Feral kittens can starve to death or fall victim to diseases. If they are born when it’s cold, hypothermia can take their lives. Raccoons and other predators also kill kittens.
Herendeen’s also wants to get friendly cats off the streets.
The elaborate dance
Over the years, Herendeen has volunteered for numerous cat rescues including Carol’s Ferals. When Carol’s closed, she continued TNR on her own. She approached staff at the Kent County Animal Shelter and asked if they could help with the spay/neuter surgeries of cats she trapped.
“I couldn’t ask for more cooperation from them,” she said. The shelter has a staff veterinarian and a grant to help cover surgery costs. They’re able to give Feral Cat Solutions 16 surgical appointments each week.
People with outside cats who need to be fixed contact Herendeen. She loans traps and expects people to do their own trapping. She will help trap for seniors and disabled people.
Trapping is scheduled for five days each week. When the cats are caught, they’re taken to Herendeen’s home in northeast Grand Rapid and she transports them for surgery. She has ten cages in her garage where cats stay before and after surgery.
“It’s an elaborate dance of a schedule,” she said.
Utilizing community resources
When there is a need, Herendeen also uses local veterinarians who offer discounted spay/neuter services.
If there are kittens who can be socialized and adopted, Herendeen finds them a foster home. The same goes for adult cats who appear to be friendly.
In 2022, Herendeen had 534 cats and kittens spayed/neutered. Of those, 329 were placed in local adoption programs including those at Second Chance Cats, Crash’s Landing, Kent County Animal Shelter and the Humane Society of West Michigan.
A co-hort in rescuing
Herendeen gets a lot of help from fellow cat advocate Lynnette Wieck who has also volunteered for numerous rescues over the years.
The women’s personalities complement one another. Herendeen is an action person. “I move at warped speed,” she said. “I do all the interacting with trappers, planning, collecting the cats, caring for the cats and transporting.”
Wieck is laid-back, detail oriented and spends a ton of time doing behind-the-scenes work. She also feeds feral cat colonies several days a week.
The rescue community
Herendeen has a network of rescues and fosters who help as needed. “I love all the people I meet in animal welfare. There are so many awesome generous people. It’s so satisfying.”
When she can’t find fosters for adult cats, Herendeen puts the cat in her Socialization Boot Camp, which means she lets the cats loose in her house and gives them time to become friendly. “It can take a long time, but it’s so rewarding. I feel like I won the lottery when they let me pet them.”
Besides being a lot of work, helping the cats is a big expense. There are intake fees for cats accepted into adoption programs, veterinarian expenses, and the cost of supplies including live traps. Occasionally, Herendeen will do a fundraiser on Facebook, but when donations don’t cover the expenses she opens her own wallet.
Feral Cat Solutions has a waitlist of people needing help.
A choice to help
“It’s astonishing how many starving cats there are—in parking lots, abandoned buildings, yards,” Herendeen said, adding she’s more than willing to help but no longer has the heart to hear depressing stories involving cats.“
“It hurts my soul,” she said. Some of things she has witnessed haunt her.
“Hearing a tragic story doesn’t compel me anymore,” she said.
Wieck agreed. “It’s not fun. It’s a need. It’s our choice to help animals.”
As much as Herendeen, Wieck and other rescues have done, the calls for help doesn’t slow down.
“It’s discouraging not to see an end in sight,” Herendeen said.
If you need help with outside cats contact Feral Cats Solutions through their Facebook page or you can text your first name, address and a brief description to 951-852-7063 to get scheduled or to ask questions.Feral Cat Solutions is a TNR organization. They do not rescue and do not have an adoption program.
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals in 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Wyoming resident Diane Dykema learned about how many unwanted bunnies there were, she started Bunnies-R-Us rescue. (Photo courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
By Janet Vormittag WKTV Contributing Writer
Wyoming resident Diane Dykema has a passion for rabbits and thought breeding and selling bunnies would be a fun hobby. She changed her mind when people started asking her to take rabbits they no longer wanted.
“I didn’t realize how many unwanted bunnies there were,” Dykema said.
That realization compelled Dykema to transition from breeding to rescue. In July 2019, she started Bunnies–R–Us and began taking in unwanted rabbits and finding them new homes.
In 2022, Dykema adopted out 92 rabbits. She has a 100% rate of finding new homes for rabbits in less than two months.
Education the key
Dykema thinks most people get rid of rabbits because they aren’t educated on what is involved in caring for their new pet.
“You can’t put a rabbit in a cage and leave it there,” she said. “Having a rabbit is a big responsibility.”
Sp,e buddies bond with each other and become best buddies. (Photo courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Before taking home one of Dykema’s rabbits, tentative adopters are required to sit through a one-on-one, hour-long educational session. Using handouts and videos, Dykema teaches them what rabbits should and shouldn’t be fed. She shows how to hold a rabbit and explains why exercise is important.
Rabbits in Dykema’s care get out of their cages at least once a day to play with toys in an exercise pen.
People learn rabbits never look sick, have a high tolerance for pain, and can die from stress. Rabbits can also be trained to use a litter box.
Adopters leave with a folder full of information, a starter kit with litter, hay and bunny food, and Dykema’s telephone number.
“They know everything they need to know before they leave,” Dykema said. “They can also call me anytime.”
If people are hesitant about adopting, they can foster to adopt.
Some of the bunnies available for adoption at Bunnies-R-Us rescue. (Photo courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Working to make an adoption a success
Besides owner-surrendered rabbits, Dykema gets rabbits from people who find domesticated bunnies roaming outside. “People think they can live like a wild bunny. They can’t.” She added that rabbits shouldn’t be released outside—they lack survival skills and are vulnerable to predators.
Recently Dykema took in seven bunnies from Traverse City Animal Control who got them from a rescue that had closed.
Adoption fees range from $30 to $100 and depends on age, breed and if the rabbit is spayed/neutered. Dykema doesn’t routinely spay/neuter rabbits but won’t adopt a male and female together unless one of them is fixed.
Dykema said adoption fees keep people from taking rabbits for snake food or meat.
Some rabbits bond with each other and become best buddies. Dykema won’t breakup a bonded pair or trio, but if the pair consists of a male and female, one must be spayed/neutered.
“I don’t adopt a male and female together. I learned that the hard way,” Dykema said. She also won’t adopt to someone who has a rabbit of the opposite sex at home. She explained that one gentleman adopted two females and neglected to tell her he had a male at home. He soon brought her a dozen young rabbits and the male rabbit.
Dykema is learning as she goes and now charges an intake fee and asks that a rabbit’s cage be included in the surrender to reduce the stress on the rabbit.
A family affair
When full, Dykema asks people to foster the rabbit they want to surrender until a new home can be found. She has room for about two dozen rabbits and she does most of the work of feeding and cleaning by herself. Recently, a 13-year-old girl started volunteering to help care for the bunnies.
Diane Dykema checks on the bunnies. (Photo courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Dykema’s family is supportive of her rescue. Her husband, Russ, helps where he can and her daughter works on the website and makes bunny videos.
Dykema said rabbits are often a neglected animal and are usually looked at like a farm animal. She sees them differently and hopes to educate people about their true nature.
“They’re smart and clean,” she said. “They can be silly and are easy to care for. They each have their own personality. Each one is different and unique.”
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals in 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
BestPals Animal Rescue Center is having a party and you’re invited.
“We’re celebrating the past—ten years at this location—and combining it with looking forward,” said BestPals Executive Director Michelle Kenat.
The celebration is Saturday, June 25, noon to 5 p.m., at 6674 Blair Lane, Holland.
There will be games for children, tours of the facility, food trucks, a live DJ, prizes, raffles, a bouncy house and other animal rescues. There will be pets available for adoption.
“We’re going to have so much fun,” Kenat said.
BestPals is seeking more support from the community. Kenat’s goals for the future include a new furnace for the cat building, an expanded emergency fund, a generator for backup power, a sprinkler system for fire suppression and a transport van.
Rescue is in her blood
Kenat has been involved in rescue her entire life. Growing up in Chicago, she got her first dog when she was three. Her grandmother picked up stray dogs and Kenat was her helper.
“It’s in my blood. It’s my passion,” she said.
One of Michelle Kenat’s favorite things to do is to cuddle with the cats. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
When Kenat was 16, she started volunteering at a shelter. She met a woman who used her home as a rescue for cats and dogs. “She was my mentor and role model.”
After Kenat married, she and her husband moved to Holland to raise their children.
When the kids were older Kenat started volunteering at Harbor Humane Society. Eventually, she was hired as the shelter’s intake coordinator. She met like-minded people, and they saw a need for another option for owner-surrendered pets.
Making the dream a reality
Kenat’s dream was to have a home where she could have a rescue. After a divorce, she looked for her dream house. She found it at 13888 Blair St. in Holland. The three-acre site had a house, a pond, and an out building that had once been used as a dog boarding facility.
“I didn’t even see the inside of the house when I said I wanted it,” she recalled.
The site was close to US 31 and the Chicago-raised woman loved the sound of the traffic. “I hear the cars and it soothes me,” Kenat said.
BestPals officially opened in 2013. The group is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and is licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. They have room for 30 cats in the renovated dog-boarding building where there are large kennels with cat trees, cubbies for sleeping and plenty of toys. Each kennel has a window where outside birdfeeders attract birds to entertains the cats.
The house’s attached garage has been transformed into a dog kennel with room for 10 to 15 dogs. Kenat also fosters cats and dogs in her home.
The perfect adoption makes it worth it
BestPals takes in owner-surrendered pets and cats and dogs from overcrowded shelters. Two shifts of volunteers come each day to clean and play with the animals.
Michele Kenat with some of the dogs in the BestPals rescue. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Kenat said the hardest thing about being in rescue is finding a balance between rescue and the rest of her life.
“It’s definitely 24/7,” she said.
Kenat manages intake, takes animals to the vet, gives medications, screens adopters, trains and oversees volunteers, and does fundraising. She spends more time on running the business end of BestPals than she would like.
“I thought there would be more time to enjoy each animal,” she said. She loves walking the dogs and cuddling with the cats.
The best part of having a rescue is finding the perfect family for a cat or dog. An example is a half deaf dog who was adopted by a family that knew sign language.
Kenat works hard to match pets to families. She only does foster-to-adopt, meaning a cat or dog lives with their new family before adoption fees are paid and papers signed. BestPals has less than a one percent return rate.
“There’s nothing like a perfect adoption,” she said.
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Fig and Friends Pet Rescue, an all-volunteer and donation funded pet rescue, believes every animal deserves a chance and strives to help cats and dogs of all ages have an amazing life.
Julie Beukema, founder of Fig and Friends, with Latte. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Founded in March of 2022 by Julie Beukema, Fig and Friends takes on as many rescues as they can, even dogs and cats with severe medical needs.
“Not a lot of recues will take animals who need a lot of medical care,” Beukema said. “There (are) just not enough resources for people and their pets.”
The namesake of the pet rescue, Fig, was one such case of acute medical need.
A French bulldog, Fig was at a local shelter when Beukema became aware of the puppy and her medical needs. Pulling her from the shelter, Beukema fostered Fig and began the dive into her medical care.
Unable to walk due to a fused and calcified spine, Fig underwent major surgery in Detroit followed by rehab. Fig is now able to walk, is potty-trained, and dispenses joy and smiles daily.
Connecting to the Happy Cat Cafe
When Happy Cat Café (HHC) approached Beukema with an offer of partnership that would allow Fig and Friends to provide a safe environment for rescued cats to receive human interaction and love—while also providing that love and joy to the café’s visitors—Beukema agreed.
HHC owner Kati Quarto dreamed of creating a space where cat lovers in Grand Rapids could relax and enjoy delicious drinks and food while also connecting with adorable feline companions. In 2017, Quarto brought that dream to reality by opening Happy Cat Café.
Offering a warm atmosphere, a variety of drinks, and boasting visitors from as far as Italy and Chile, HHC offers visitors a tranquil setting where lasting memories can be made with feline friends, and often hosts events and workshops such as cat yoga, paint nights, and themed gatherings.
Adoption is an option for those visitors who find a special bond with a feline friend. Application forms for adoption can be found in the café’s cat room or they can call Fig and Friends directly to speak with Beukema.
Partnership with HCC has gone well, with the café running the business side—events, coffee and food, building maintenance, etc.—and Fig and Friends providing feline friends, volunteers for the cat room, food, litter, medical care, and facilitation of adoptions.
The Happy Cat Cafe has a variety of cat-themed products. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Happy Cat Cafe customers relax and unwind by visiting with the Fig and Friends cats. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
There is a lot of fun toys for both cats and adults. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Volunteers take care of the area where the cats stay. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Filling a need
Though Beukema is a librarian at Grand Rapids Public Library, she has been involved in pet rescue for approximately ten years, volunteering at local shelters and fostering animals in need.
Beukema started her own rescue after finding her viewpoint on how to do things differed from many of the local rescues. “I had my own philosophy on how to do things,” said Beukema. “And there is a huge need.”
Exhibiting compassion rather than judgement when animals are abandoned, Beukema understands that not every situation is black and white.
“There can be a lot of different circumstances why someone does something like that,” Beukema said. “I’m not excusing what they did but somebody must be pretty desperate to do something like that. The world is filled with a lot of grays, and nothing is black and white.”
Beukema admits that being a director of a pet rescue is not always easy.
“Rescue is hard,” said Beukema. “There’s a lot of stress, there’s a lot of high emotions.” Seeing animals hurt and sometimes beyond rescue is especially hard for Beukema. “It wears on me…but I have a really good support system of volunteers.”
The story of Ray
One difficult yet rewarding story came with Ray, an 8-month-old black and white cat who came to Beukema at at 6-weeks-old with ruptured eyes and in need of surgery to have his eyes removed.
Julie Beukema with Ray. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Though completely blind, Ray is extremely social with the other cats and loves interacting with human visitors. “He is thriving here,” Beukema said with a smile.
Aware that times are difficult for everyone financially, Beukema offers information on affordable care for pets, one of them being CSNIP, a well-pet clinic that offers high-quality, reduced-cost veterinary care.
Beukema also urges community members to reach out and ask for help with their pets when they need it. “It never hurts to reach out and ask for help. We will do our best to help if we can.”
Author Jean Davis with Kay-Kay and the book she wrote about Kay-Kay. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Jean Davis is an author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and a children’s picture book about a chicken.
Davis’s passions for writing and raising chickens and ducks collided last year. The Holland resident had signed up to attend a festival to sell books, but one of her chickens wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t want to leave Millie alone so she packed up the ailing chicken, along with her books, and took her to the festival where she could keep an eye on her.
“I was surprised at people’s excitement at seeing a chicken,” Davis said. She added that one person told her it made their day to pet a chicken.
Before the book, you need a chicken with a good story
Davis realized having a chicken drew people to her booth and gave her an opportunity to talk about her books. Book sales increased.
Millie’s health improved but she wasn’t happy going to shows. Another chicken, Laya, was more social and Davis trained her to wear a harness and walk on a leash. She regularly accompanied Davis to her weekend gigs.
Several people asked Davis if Laya was a character in one her books.
“No, but it’s a good idea,” she would tell them.
But Laya didn’t have a story. “A good story needs conflict and Laya had a happy life. There was nothing to write about,” Davis explained.
The chick that needed a home
Kay-Kay is a Silkie, a breed of chicken named after its fluffy plumage that feels like silk. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
The two-month-old chick had been hatched in an incubator. She was smaller than the other chicks and had a leg that didn’t develop properly. The healthy chickens in the flock picked on her, which is what chickens do.
But fate soon brought Davis a chicken with a story. Her niece saw a post on Craigslist regarding a disabled chicken who needed a home with someone experienced with handicapped chickens.
After a lengthy discussion with the owner, Davis agreed to give the chick a home. She was surprised at her size. “She fit in my hand. She was the same size as a one-day-old duck.”
She named the new family member Kay-Kay after her niece, Kaylee, who had brought the homeless chicken to her attention.
Kay-Kay is a Silkie, which is a breed of chicken named after its fluffy plumage that feels like silk. Silkie’s feathers don’t have “teeth” so they don’t weave together. Instead they are fluffy.
“It looks like a feather explosion on their head,” Davis said. She has to give Kay-Kay a haircut so people can see her eyes.
Silkies are cuddly, calm and love sitting on laps. They also interact well with people, which make Kay-Kay the perfect companion at shows.
A chicken who needed a chick
Kay-Kay arrival coincided with a chicken raising a duckling.
Davis lives in a residential area where roosters are not allowed due to their crowing. Therefore, she never has baby chicks. But it is okay to have male ducks since they aren’t noisy like a rooster.
One of her Silkies, Henifer, often gets “broody” meaning she wants to sit on eggs. When that happens, Davis puts duck eggs under her.
All is well until mama Henifer tries to teach her young hatchlings how to be chickens.
“Henifer gets frustrated raising ducks—they can’t jump or roost,” Davis said. They also won’t scratch in the dirt looking for food.
Henifer just happened to be raising a duckling when Kay-Kay arrived. Davis put the chick under Henifer.
“She took her over like one of her own,” she said. “Henifer had a chick to raise and I finally had a chicken with a story.”
A story is hatched
Davis wrote a children’s book about how Kay-Kay found a new family that accepted her with her disability. Davis revived her watercolor skills, which had been shelved for 30 years, to illustrate the story.
(Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Kay-Kay, The Littlest Chicken was released May 6 and is Davis’s 14th book.
Kay-Kay, who now weighs one pound, two ounces, accompanies Davis to her book events.
“It’s amazing how many people love chickens,” Davis said.
Kay-Kay, The Littlest Chicken can be bought on Amazon and other online retailers. In addition, it can be purchased at jeandavisauthor.com. Davis’s schedule is also on her website if you are interested in meeting her and Kay-Kay.
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Paul Vander Laan grew up on a flashlight farm—his dad had a day job and worked the farm at night.
Dave Kamps Showing his 11-year-old granddaughter Libby Kleyn how to drive his team of Percherons. (Janet Vormittag)
“Mom wouldn’t let him get a tractor with headlights. She didn’t want him working all night,” said Vander Laan who lives in Walker.
When Vander Laan was 8-years-old, he recalls the last horse leaving the farm. Nostalgia of those long-gone days has turned into a hobby for him. Vander Laan owns two Percherons, a breed of draft horse that originated in France, and he is a member of the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, which has about 40 members.
One of the club’s activities is plow days where members bring their teams to a local farm and put them to work. Plow days are open to the public and signs are placed by nearby streets pointing the way for anyone interested in seeing draft horses pulling plows.
On May 13, the club met at a Christmas tree farm in Ottawa County and worked a field that will be planted with seedlings. A light drizzle didn’t stop club members from attending. By 9 a.m. several pickup trucks hauling horse trailers were already parked side by side, teams were unloading, hitched up and bring starting to plow. Both walk-behind and riding plows were used.
Owning Draft horses is An Expensive Hobby
Vander Laan estimated he spends $2,500 per horse annually and that doesn’t include a truck and trailer for hauling the animals. To offset the pricy pastime, he built a horse-drawn funeral coach. Last year, he was hired 21 times to be part of funeral processions, transporting the casket from church to cemetery. He handled the team and the minister or one family member can ride by his side.
Business card with a photo of Paul Vander Laan and his Percherons pulling a funeral coach. (Janet Vormittag)
Club member Dave Kamps compared the expense of owning a draft horse to not smoking. “If you don’t buy cigarettes, you can afford the feed for one of these guys,” Kamps said, adding that a pack of smokes is about $7 and that’s what it costs to feed one horse for one day—but it’s cheaper in the summer when the horses are pastured.
Kamps spent part of the plow day teaching his young grandchildren how to handle his Percheron team, Jasper and Sweet Pea. His daughter, Betsy Kleyn, said her kids enjoy helping with the horses.
“He’s always doing horse stuff and they always want to help him,” she said.
Besides spring plow days, the club offers wagon rides at special events and compete in draft horse shows including one at Michigan State University.
This year the Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show and Pull (www.mgli.org) is Oct. 12-15 and will be held at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. Included are competitions in halter, hitching, plowing, pulling and riding. The four-day event features 330 vendors, and 1,200 horses from 30 states and three Canadian provinces. More than 35,000 people attend the show.
Family Tradition
Martin Daling, one of the original members in the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, said he won the plowing competition last year at MSU. The year before he took second place. He explained that the dirt is judged, not the horses. Criteria include the depth and the straightness of the furrows.
Carrie Dalling plowing with her dad’s team of blond Belgians. (Janet Vormittag)
Daling owns a centennial farm in Tallmadge Township near Leonard Street and 8th Avenue and is the third generation to farm the land. Daling and his Belgian draft horse team work the fields and in the fall they harvest the hay, oats and corn that provide feed for the horses.
Daling’s daughter, Carrie Daling, said she’s been attending plow days with her dad for at least 30 years.
“Everyone is always here,” said Carrie Daling. “People I’ve known since I was a kid.”
When the plowing is complete, club members have a potluck.
Carrie Daling said she occasionally drives her dad’s team of blonde Belgians, Roy and Roger.
“Dad’s teams listens very well,” she said explaining that one horse always walks in the furrow. “You point him in the direction and he knows where to go.”
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Last year’s annual Bark for the Park event. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood’s Bark for the Park event is set for Thursday, May 18 to raise funds for new amenities at the dog park at Kellogg Woods Park.
The dog-friendly event takes place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE. Admission is free, and financial donations are accepted throughout the event. No registration is required.
Pet vendors, vet clinics, Wyoming K9 unit and more
Attendees and their canine companions can explore a variety of local pet vendors and community booths, including veterinary clinics, the Wyoming Police K9 unit and more. The event also will include a pet craft station, photo booth and dog agility course. A doggie bag filled with dog treats and other favors will will be available for participants to take home.
The Wyoming Police K9 unit will be at Bark for the Park. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
At 6:30 p.m., attendees will have a chance to show off their pup’s style by participating in a doggy fashion show. The crowd favorite will receive a gift basket.
Dune Buggy and Underground Cookie Club food trucks will be on-site with burgers, fries, ice cream sandwiches and beverages available for purchase. T-shirts also will be for sale at the Kentwood Parks and Recreation tent.
“The dog park at Kellogg Woods Park is a unique amenity we’re proud to be able to offer the dogs and dog lovers in our community,” said Spencer McKellar, the City of Kentwood’s lead recreation program coordinator. “This event is a fun opportunity to gather together to showcase this space to the community and raise money to ensure it remains a premier canine hangout for years to come.”
Funds raised at this year’s event will go toward the purchase of a shade structure at the park. Champion sponsors include Beastro Fresh Canine Cuisine, Bloom Sluggett, PC, Consumers Energy Home Energy Analysis, Metronet, VCA Woodland Animal Hospital and Whiskers Resort & Pet Spa. Advocate sponsors include Red Barn Veterinary Clinic, Simply Pet Cremation Services and Sinclair Recreation, LLC.
Fig and Friends founder Julie Beukema with Ray (courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
Julie Beukema monitors Michigan Urgent Cats on Facebook, where cats in desperate circumstances are posted with the hope someone can assist. Last November, she spotted a listing regarding a tiny kitten with infected eyes and knew she had to help. A volunteer drove the six-week-old kitten from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids.
Beukema is the founder of Fig and Friends Pet Rescue, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that relies on foster homes, volunteers and donations. The rescue takes in owner surrendered pets as well as cats and dogs from crowded shelters. The nonprofit works closely with the Calhoun County Animal Center and shelters in Southeast Michigan.
When the black and white kitten was delivered to Beukema, he was immediately rushed to a veterinarian. The diagnosis wasn’t good—both eyes were ruptured and tissue was becoming necrotic. Surgery to remove the eyes was recommended.
Other than his eyes, the one-pound kitten was healthy and purred up a storm.
“We felt we had to give him a chance,” Beukema said.
The total vet bill for Ray including surgery followup, neuter, vaccines, and microchip was close to $2,000. A Facebook fundraiser was created.
Ray, the Entertainer
Beukema named the longhaired kitten Ray Charles after the blind singer. Being blind didn’t hinder the entertainer and it hasn’t hampered his namesake.
“He’s the most social and curious kitten I’ve ever seen,” Beukema said.
At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes are not noticeable as the fur on his face is black. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes aren’t noticeable. The fur on most of his face is black and his longhair gives him a shaggy look as if his eyes are merely hidden.
Ray is now seven-months-old and is the official greeter at the Happy Cat Café, 447 S. Division Ave. Beukema recently partnered with the café, where cats from Figs and Friends are featured in the café’s adoption room.
Happy Cat Café has collaborated with numerous rescues since they opened and have adopted out close to 700 cats.
The Socialite
Ray is not available for adoption. He had been adopted, but allergies forced his return. Beukema then decided to adopt him herself. Because the blind kitten was so social, she thought to try him at the café. It turned out to be a good fit.
Ray is thriving at the café. He interacts with people, plays with toys and was the first cat to figure out how to run on an exercise wheel — picture a carpeted, four-foot tall hamster wheel.
Ray navigates through sound, scents and his whiskers. He chases and bats around toys like any sighted cat and leaves guests in the cat room amazed at his abilities.
“He’s doing phenomenal. He’s an advocate for special needs cats,” Beukema said. She added if she ever notices Ray isn’t enjoying himself at the café, she’ll bring him home.
Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animalsin 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.
Many shelters in the U.S. struggle to feed the pets in their care and communities, especially as inflation impacts food costs and donations. Throughout March, BISSELL Pet Foundation is raising awareness to encourage community support for shelters with its “Feed the Shelters®” campaign. The foundation is calling on pet lovers nationwide to donate food to their local shelter to make a lifesaving difference for a hungry pet.
Volunteers donate food items to the Kent County Animal Shelter. (Courtesy, BISSELL Pet Foundation)
“Donating food to your local shelter makes a difference for pets in need—whether it fills bowls in the shelter or for pets in need through community food assistance programs,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation.
Resources are stretched thin at Michigan shelters—and shelters nationwide—as these organizations experience longer stays for pets, increased owner surrenders and staffing issues. Shelters are community assets dedicated to keeping people and their pets together. Whether open admission or private, shelters support their communities through pet food assistance programs, free and low-cost community clinics, obedience classes, reuniting families with stray pets, and much more. At BISSELL Pet Foundation, we are committed to supporting shelter, and our “Feed the Shelters” campaign allows us to spread the love for all that shelters do and raise awareness to drive food donations.
“We hope our “Feed the Shelters” campaign will get community members through the doors of their local shelter to not only make a lifesaving food donation, but to also learn more about getting involved at their shelter,” said Bissell.
Participating in “Feed the Shelters” is easy:
Find your local shelter’s wish list and see what food they need.
Visit your shelter and take a photo or video of you dropping off your donation.
Share your donation photo/video on social media with #FeedTheShelters and tag @Cathy_Bissell and @BISSELLPets
Tag your friends and family to participate!
All year long, BISSELL Pet Foundation receives requests to help hungry pets from our network of more than 5,700 shelters and rescues. BISSELL Pet Foundation keeps bellies full by providing Feed the Shelters program grants to animal welfare organizations across the country. Grant recipients can then offer meals to their pets and donate meals to the neediest pets in their communities through pet food pantries and other lifesaving pet food resources. Since the program’s inception in 2020, the foundation has provided 1,850 904 meals to hungry pets.
While Michigan law does not prohibit dogs from being left outside in the cold, state law requires that all dogs who spend time outside have access to adequate shelter, fresh water, and dry bedding. (Photo from Pxhere.com)
The weather is turning colder and before it does, the Kent County Animal Shelter is reminding residents to make sure their pets have appropriate shelter.
While Michigan law does not prohibit dogs from being left outside in the cold, state law does require that all dogs who spend time outside have access to adequate shelter, fresh water, and dry bedding. The statute also stipulates separate shelter requirements for livestock.
“The best place for our pets is in our home but we know that is now always possible,” said KCAS Director Angela Hollinshead. KCAS is working in collaboration with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division to remind residents of the special care their pet needs during the cold weather. “We encourage all pet owners to take appropriate steps to protect those animals that may be left outside for long stretches of time.
“Many pets are not equipment to handle the effects of cold temperatures so we want to remind pet owners of their responsibilities to care for them during the winter.”
A few of the cold weather requirements in state statute include:
Maintain adequate shelter, which can be one or more of the following:
Inside the owners’ home
An enclosure or shelter with at least three sides and a roof that is appropriate for the size and breed of the dog.
A structure, including a garage, barn or shed, that is sufficiently insulated and ventilated to protect the dog from exposure to extreme temperatures, or if not sufficiently insulated and ventilated, contains a doghouse inside the structure.
Structures or natural features such as trees or topography for livestock
Provide dry bedding, such as straw when the temperature is or predicated to be below freezing. Avoid using blankets or cloth bedding as these materials will likely get wet and freeze.
Provide water that is safe to drink and suitable for age and species of the animal. Owners are encouraged to check every few hours to ensure the water is not frozen.
Although Michigan law does not directly address free-roaming cats, the KCAS encourages residents to also be mindful of their needs. Cats are typically well adapted for living in colder climates but they greatly benefit from having access to a shelter. Simple cat shelters made from a storage tote lined with foam and stuffed with straw make great places for cats to escape from the cold.
“It someone suspects an animal is being neglected or is in danger due to cold weather, we encourage them to contact Animal Control,” said KCSO Lt. John DeGroot. “The KCSO is prepared to investigate all reports of animal neglected throughout the winter.”
All reports of animals being kept outside for an extended period without adequate shelter, water, and bedding should be reported to Animal Control at 616-632-7310.
“Michigan winters are certainly beautiful but an be dangerous fo some animals if they do not have appropriate resources,” Hollinshead said. “If you cannot keep your pet indoors and need resources, please call the KCAS to see how e can help.”
LANSING – More therapy dogs and tourniquet emergency training are among the programs Michigan hospitals are investing in to better serve patients, health officials say.
Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids has been making tourniquets more accessible in public spaces as part of its Stop the Bleed campaign (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
The state’s hospitals invested more than $860 million in community-based partnerships and programming in 2020, according to a recent report by the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
“Michigan hospitals and health systems serve and care for any patient that walks through their doors,” said John Karasinski, director of communications for the association. “ We know that there are some patients with … challenges and burdens and we do not want to be a detriment to them receiving the care that they need.”
The report outlines six major areas of investment: health education and guidance, support services, community outreach, health professional, community building and clinical research.
Hospitals have invested $60 million in mental health services like counseling, support groups and family support, the report said.
Teaching the public to stop the bleed
One example: Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids is making tourniquets more accessible in public spaces as part of its Stop the Bleed campaign, the report said. The campaign started in 2012 in response to the increase in mass shootings across the country.
One goal is to put tourniquets in public places where mass shootings are likely to occur like in malls, schools and grocery stores.
“We were able to supply some tourniquets to schools in the area,” said Meaghan Crawley, senior improvement specialist with trauma services at the hospital.
The hospital also provides low-cost or free training on how to stop bleeding. The training is open to anyone who could be a bystander to an emergency – even children as young as 11 years old can receive training.
“We’ve taught at many different local schools … and local churches and that is still ongoing,” Crawley said.
The addition of therapy dogs
Another example: McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital has expanded its pet therapy program after gaining success using it with geriatric psychiatric patients. Therapy dogs and their owners now even accompany doctors on their rounds to patients, the report said. They are also used in the Intensive Care Unit and the orthopedic hospital.
Some Michigan hospitals have added therapy dogs. (Pxhere.com)
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac has expanded to meet the need for dental care for people with disabilities. The dental office now has five rooms including one wheelchair-accessible room, the report said. The General Dental Residency program has expanded from three to four residents.
Michigan hospitals also provided $42 billion in financial assistance to patients with unpaid medical care costs, the report said.
The report is in response to the Affordable Care Act requirement that hospitals conduct a community health needs assessment at least every three years, Karasinski said. This assessment helps hospitals to accurately allocate funding where it is needed most.
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association represents more than 150 hospitals, including community hospitals, teaching hospitals, children hospitals, rural and urban hospitals and critical access hospitals.
Janelle James is a senior at Michigan State University double majoring in journalism and political science with a minor in Spanish. Janelle aspires to one day secure a position as an investigative journalist, White House correspondent or politician.
To date, the Kent County Health Department has received and tested double the number of bats than it did in 2021, which has local officials reminding residents about the dangers of bats and rabies.
The Kent County Health Department has received and tested 82 bats so far this season. (Courtesy, Kent County Health Department)
August through October are the busiest months for the department’s bat program as the mammals moved indoors to breed. The latest count for this year stands at 82 bats. In 2021, the department saw 41 bats which was about 20 less than 2020, which was 61.
Steve Kelso, a spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department, said county officials are not sure if the increase means there actually has been an uptick in numbers.
“It may just mean that people are more aware of the program and are bringing them in here,” Kelso said.
Bites and scratches from bats can go undetected
The concern over bats centers on the fact that they can transmit rabies to other animals and humans. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, rabies are mostly found in wild animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. The Kent County Health Department and the Kent County Animal Shelter work with the State of Michigan to perform necropsies – autopsies on animals – to identify and track the number of infected bats. This year, of the 82 bats brought to the Health Department, only five tested positive for rabies.
“I don’t know the status of those cases. If those people were bitten or scratched by that bat but there are five lives that we potentially saved through that program,” Kelso said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of human rabies in the United States is rare with about one to three reported annually. From 2009-2018, there have been 25 reported cases of human rabies in the United States. In Kent County, the last reported case of human rabies was in 1983.
While cases of rabies have been declining since the 1970s due to animal control and vacation programs as well as public outreach, the disease can be fatal if not detected.
Rabies is transmitted through bites or scratches. Because a bat’s teeth are very small, the animal’s bites can go undetected.
“You walk in the room and you see it for the first time, you likely haven’t been bitten or scratched, but if you wake up in the room and the bat’s in there, you don’t really know,” Kelso said, adding that if there’s even the slightest chance that you’ve been bitten, take it seriously.
What to do if you find a bat in your home
Guidelines from the Kent County Health Department recommend that if you find a bat in your home, you should try to capture it to get it tested, unless you are 100 percent sure you have not been bitten.
If you wake up and find a bat in your bedroom, it is recommended that you get the bat tested for rabies and you contact your health provider. (Courtesy, The Kent County Health Department)
To capture a bat, officials recommend wearing a layer of protective clothing, including leather gloves, to avoid being bit. Once you are prepared, place a box or coffee can over the bat and slide a piece of cardboard under the container. Kelso acknowledged he’s no expert at catching bats but he said the important thing is to take it seriously and limit possible exposure.
“If there were a bat in my house, I would be putting on an extra layer, coat, jacket, something,” he said. “I’d be doing anything I could to not come in contact with that bat.“
Adding with a laugh that “…if it were in my house, I’d probably put on a full face motorcycle helmet just because I have one handy.”
Prevention is the key, but there is a treatment as well
When capturing a bat, it is important to not damage the bat’s head as that is what is needed to do the testing. Also, if the bat is dead, keep it cool but don’t freeze it.
“It’s really important that you do not smash the head of the bat…That you don’t crush the brain because that brain is what has to be tested in necropsy.” Kelso said.
If you’ve been exposed to rabies, it’s important to contact a doctor immediately, Kelso said, adding the earlier the treatment, the better. The CDC noted that there has been less than 20 documented cases of people surviving rabies.
The treatment for rabies is Post Exposure Prophylaxis which is a series of four shots. The shots are usually given in the arm for adults and in the thigh for children. A welcome change from the days when the shots were administered in the stomach.
To contact the Kent County Health Department, call 616-632-7200 during regular business hours, which are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Captured bats should be taken to the Kent County Animal Shelter, located at 740 Fuller NE. The shelter is open from 1 – 7 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday.
Through that story, Kooyers was pleasantly surprised at the number of Michiganders who mentioned that they have visited those nests and/or continue to monitor them.
The eagle cam operated by Florida-based Dick Pritchett Real Estate, Inc. has gone down due to Hurricane Ian. Neither Harriet or M15 have been seen since the storm. (Courtesy, Pritchett Real Estate, Inc.)
As many know, Hurricane Ian hit Florida earlier this week. This was listed as a category 4 storm meaning that well-built houses could sustained substantial damage such as lost of roofs or exterior walls and that trees could be snapped in half or uprooted with debris being a serious hazard.
Hurricane Ian landed near the Ft. Myers area, where one of nests was located. Kooyer did some research and discovered that the people in Ft. Myers have “put brave boots on” posting updates and photos.
Kooyer provides us with an update:
Some nests survived, others did not
Early reports show Sanibel Island devastated and it is unlikely nests survived but the teams remain hopeful.
The northeast Florida site reported their nest survived.
The southwest Florida nest on Pritchett property as well the residence took a direct hit from Hurricane Ian. The residential property and buildings are reportedly flooded and damaged but crews were starting repairs already. They had three cameras up and ready for the new season.
It was reported that one tree fell. The camera attached maybe salvageable. One tree and camera survived the hurricane. However, the saddest part is the main tree which contained the gigantic eagle nest took a direct hit. The highly observed nest is gone and many key branches are gone.
Those who have viewed the nest may have recalled that it was was huge, weighed tons and was several feet deep. I recall a person being lifted by crane into the nest to retrieve ill eaglets. The size of that nest was mind-blowing and now, it is simply gone. In the photos, it is nowhere to be seen.
What happened to the eagles?
The eagles, Harriet and M15, were last photographed and seen hours before Hurricane Ian hit landfall. I have not seen a report of any sightings of them since, but we retain hope they hunkered down someplace safe and will be back. If they survived and If they are well enough, there is reason to believe they will rebuild. One person even offered to load and deliver a truck of eagle-nest-size branches so the eagles would have the supplies they need to rebuild. But if the eagles do decide to rebuilt, whether it will be in the same location is uncertain.
The two eagles had started a second nest last year, but it was taken over by owls for a very vicious period. The territorial fights between the eagles and owls had us all holding our breath. Given all that, the team will wait to see which cameras are workable, if and when the eagles can come back and where the eagles do build. With all the missing trees and nests, past experiences showed there will be intense wildlife competition for remaining trees to rebuild in as the new nesting season begins.
An amazing season to start bird watching
In short, it is hard saying goodbye to that special nest that held so many stories and memories. Stories that amused us, taught us life lessons and motivated us to be better people with more understanding of the creatures that share our planet. I am not ready to write off Harriet or M yet. They are resilient and strong. Maybe their offspring survived and will return.
I do believe this would be an unusually amazing season to watch or start watching Florida Eagle cams and forums. It is fascinating watching the way they build homes that survive most hurricanes, then the new life cycle starts as they team up to provide for, protect and train the next generation of birds. I pray Harriet and M15 come back. But if they do not, I do suspect another eagle pair or owl will show up to entertain, educate and motivate us.
A word of thanks
Meanwhile, my heart goes out to the humans who went through so much and have much ahead. I have been advised a lot of help is there and coming. A special thanks to the Pritchett family which shares its eagles and property even as they themselves rebuild. A deep gratitude to the photographers who go to that site in all weather to share so many views, events perspectives with us who are miles away. And how super amazing are the people who set up the websites and forums hours after the hurricane. And it takes a brave person to mount and maintain the cameras with protective eagles nearby. Whatever happens in the next days and weeks, we appreciated times and memories past, but we also move forward.
If it helps, I watch the Pritchett Family live cams and forums. I also recommend highly the Hancock Wildlife Foundation live cam links. They have links to many cams of other species as well.
Artist Kathie Van Hekken and Kent County Sheriff Officer Krystal Stuart shown with the portrait of Axel created by Van Hekken. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
When Rockford resident Kathie Van Hekken learned about the death of Kent County Sheriff K9 officer Axel, it spurred her into action.
“I saw it on TV the day he died,” said the 76-year-old artist of Axel, who died from an undiagnosed heart condition while tracking a suspect in August of 2021. “And I love dogs. I love pets. I know I have the skill to draw them…And I thought you know what? I could take something so sad and I can do some good with this.”
Her something good was the creation of a 44- by 44-inch color pencil portrait of Axel that is currently part of the 2022 ArtPrize exhibit. The piece hangs at the First (Park) Congregational Church, 10 E. Park Place NE.
A late bloomer in art
Van Hekken discovered her passion for art later in life, after stumbling upon it about seven years ago. Her mother was an artist who dabbled in oil paintings. Van Hekken had inherited her mother’s art supplies when she passed away in 2005, but it wasn’t until years into her retirement that Van Hekken finally got them out.
Artist Kathie Van Hekken admits her passion for art started several years after she retired as an engineer. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
“I went to one of those wine and women kind of things,” she said. “I took my paintings and I showed them to the teacher, and I asked if he could teach me what I was missing. And that’s when I started learning.”
She shared her desire to be “good enough” someday to be an ArtPrize artist and with encouragement from that teacher it happened in 2015 when Van Hekken entered her hand drawn, nine feet tall sunflowers.
Making a connection
Through a mutual acquaintance, Van Hekken reached out to Axel’s handler, Kent County Sheriff Officer Krystal Stuart about getting permission to create the piece.
“She told me how big it was going to be and I was like, ‘What?’” Stuart said. “Like, I didn’t even know that was possible, especially for like color pencil, like a drawing, you know. I was like, ‘How is this even going to be a thing?’”
Van Hekken admitted once she got Stuart’s permission, the project was a little nerve wracking as she wanted to do “a really good job.” Stuart was with her every step of the way, coming over regularly to see the piece as it progressed in its various stages and to let Van Hekken know she was heading in the right direction.
“The first conversation we had, we talked,” Van Hekken said. “She told me stories. I’ve learned that I have to know what I’m drawing. If I have an emotional attachment, it will come out. You know, when people say that I captured Axel, that’s because she made sure I knew Axel, even though I had never met him.
‘Hi, Axel’
Through this process and utilizing one of Stuart’s favorite pictures of Axel, slowly he emerged through the drawing.
The portrait of Axel that artist Katie Van Hekken used for her piece. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
“I think I had his ears and a little bit of his face,” she said. “And I had sketched in his mouth and I could see him for the first time for me, other than a photograph. And it was like, ‘Hi Axel.’ And I cried for him. It was just really emotional. It still is.”
It took Van Hekken about seven months to complete the massive art piece and as soon as it was, the first person she had to see it was Stuart.
“She was quiet,” Van Hekken said. “She just stood quietly and looked at it. It was very, very touching.”
And for Van Hekken, Stuart’s reaction was payment enough.
“She did a phenomenal job capturing his essence,” Stuart said. “He had that, like I say, twinkle in his eye, which sounds so cliché, but he really did when he was not in work mode. He had this goofy, like ‘I’m a big doofus look in his eye.’ And then when he was working, it just went black.”
Celebrating Kent County Sheriff’s K9 unit
Van Hekken said she chose Axel not only to honor him, but to raise awareness and money for the donation-based K9 Unit. Currently, there are 10 Kent County Sheriff K9s covering most of the county. The animals are trained to detect explosives, track suspects, secure buildings, or may be used as a compliance tool. Axel was the department’s first explosive detection dog.
Van Hekken said she had cards made with Axel’s portrait on them that she handed out when people visit her exhibit. The cards include a QR code to make a donation directly to the Kent County K9 Unit.
“She wanted to tell Axel’s story,” Stuart said. “She wanted to explain what the process was of getting Axel, what happened to Axel, the work that we put in and how much these K-9s actually do for our community.
“Because it’s not just having them and showing off and whatnot. I mean, they find missing children, they find vulnerable adults, suspects in places that we won’t. They protect our officers in different everyday situations.”
Sharing with the community who loved him
After ArtPrize, VanHekken will give the piece to Stuart, who hopes to donate it to the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. Stuart said she wants to share Axel with the community since he was “everybody’s dog.” Stuart is hoping to get approval to have it installed in the new North substation, which is scheduled to open in 2023 in Cedar Springs. Stuart said the location is fitting since northern Kent County was their home base “and those are the residents that had seen him the most.”
Van Hekken said she’s proud to be a part of the project. For her, it was a labor of love.
“I never entered ArtPrize thinking I would win, she said. “I just wanted to do something good. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to call attention to the K9 Unit and Axel.”
And with a satisfied smile adding. “I’m already the winner.”
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Pictured from the left, Sgt. Robert Robinson, Kato and Officer Logan Wieber, Tommy Brann, Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt, Amanda Clark from K911 Foundation, Lt. Brian Look, and Chief Kim Koster (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
Through the help of a local business owner, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was able to introduce its newest K9 member, Kato, at Monday’s Wyoming City Council meeting.
State Rep. Tommy Brann, who owns Brann’s Steakhouse in Wyoming, and the K911 Foundation, each contributed 50 percent of the total cost to purchase Kato. The City of Wyoming purchased Kato from the Shallow Creek Kennels in Pennsylvania for $4,450.
“For several decades now, Wyoming police K9 team has been an important part of our organization,” said Chief Kim Koster at the meeting. “These canines are part of our entire police family and they are speciality trained in enforcement activities such as clearing buildings, tracking suspects and searching for narcotics. They also assist officers enforcement actives such as searching for lost of missing persons.”
Koster noted one of the greatest benefits from the K9 program is the impact it has had on police and community relationships.
“Most kids love dogs and they ask their parents if they can come over and touch the dog,” she said. “They say ‘hi’ to the dog and from there, there have been many good conservations that we have had that have helped start and build upon on our relationships with our community.”
The new additions
The Wyoming police’s K9 unit is overseen by Lt. Brian Look and Sgt. Robert Robinson and consists of four handlers who live, work and train with the four K9 officers. In August, Officer Ryan Paterson received a promotion which lead to him moving on from his position as a handler. His partner, Chase, also retired from the unit after seven years of service.
Through a selection process, Officer Logan Wieber was chosen to fill the vacancy on the K9 unit. He is partnered with Kato, a 14-month old German Shepherd who was imported from Poland to the United States.
The newest member of the K9 team, Kato. (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
“Although he is a green dog in the world of canines, as you can probably tell,” Koster said as Kato took in his new surroundings. “He will be trained by the staff.”
The importance of community support
Koster expressed her appreciation to Brann for his continued support of the Wyoming police department.
“Tommy has made serving people his biggest priority and the investment he made with our K9 team is another extension for that heart for service,” she said.
Brann said he his appreciative of all the support he has received in the past 51 years as a restaurant owner.
“I own a bar, and so when you have bar fights, who comes? The police,” Brann said, adding that he supports the police and the work they do and plans to continue doing so in the future.
Picture this: You’re walking through the woods when you brush up against some tall grass, or maybe you wandered off trail momentarily. You head home, but the next day notice a black speck on your arm.
It’s a tick.
Beyond the gross-out factor, you wonder if it might make you sick. A new mobile app may help figure that out.
Emily Dinh, a medical entomologist with the Department of Health and Human Services, says encounters people are having with ticks are becoming more common.
That’s as the state’s tick population has been on the rise, including numbers of the American dog tick and the blacklegged tick, which can transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
“That blacklegged tick is something that we’re concerned about and seeing a greater distribution throughout the state of Michigan. That is the tick that can transmit Lyme disease,” Dinh said.
In 2021, the state health department reported nearly half of Michigan’s counties had a known risk of Lyme disease for people and animals.
Ticks like shady, moist areas
Ticks are typically found in wooded and brushy areas but can even show up in suburban yards.
“The most important thing to be aware of is where ticks are, so ticks like shady, moist areas in woody, grassy locations,” she said. “Especially in the warmer months of April through September, but sometimes into October as well because ticks can be active when the temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Barry OConnor is a tick expert at the University of Michigan’s Zoology Museum. He cites a rise in temperatures as a possible reason for the increased risk.
“We’ve certainly seen changes in the distribution of several species of ticks moving northward over the years as temperatures have become warmer,” OConnor said.
According to the state, average yearly temperatures have increased two to three degrees in the past two decades.
The Tick App
A group of researchers from universities across the U.S. decided to create a mobile app, called The Tick App. (Courtesy, The Tick App)
Because of growing concerns about the pests, both in Michigan and across the country, a group of researchers from universities across the U.S. decided to create a mobile app, simply called The Tick App.
Michigan State University professor Jean Tsao said the app allows scientists to learn more about where ticks are and what people are doing to keep safe from them. She is in the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife and is part of the group that helped develop the digital portal.
“It’s a mobile health app that is both a research tool as well as an outreach tool,” she said.
When people download it, they’re prompted to fill out a 10-minute survey about potential risk factors.
“We really wanted to understand, if possible, when and where and what kind of activities people are doing to expose themselves to ticks,” Tsao said.
She said users are also able to take a picture of a tick and submit it to the app. The research team is then able to identify it within 24 hours.
“They have a lot of reliable information all collated into one area that can tell you about what a tick is, what the various species of ticks are that you’re likely to contact in the area that you live and what are prevention measures that you can take,” Tsao said.
Tips on avoiding ticks
To avoid ticks, Tsao recommends wearingbug repellent and long clothing outside.
After returning home, a full-body tick check and shower is also ideal.
Tsao said the research team is working to use artificial intelligence to make tick identification faster and more accurate.
She said she hopes that with this advancement, the app may one day be used by health care workers as a diagnostic tool.
Genevieve Fox reports for WKAR Radio in partnership with the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and Capital News Service.
BISSELL Pet Foundation founder Cathy Bissell (Courtesy)
By Philip Janowski, WKTV Contributing Writer
The BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters summer event aims to relieve stress on animal shelters across the country.
The annual event, which began July 11 and runs through July 31, hopes to provide a relief valve for the homeless pets.
Shelters are experiencing an all-time high of dog and cat residents that was accelerated by the COVID pandemic and the housing and rental crisis.
Fig and Friends Pet Rescue
“Intake numbers are up, adoption numbers are down,” said Julie Beukema, of Fig and Friends Pet Rescue. “Combine that with an increase in vet costs and the daily expenses of housing animals, and you have the perfect storm.
“Every inch of every shelter and rescue that I know is full.”
During the nationwide Empty the Shelters event, the BISSELL Pet Foundation (also known as BPF) sponsors reduced adoption fees for $50 or less. The event is hosted at over 250 organizations in 42 states. In Michigan, nearly 40 sites are participating.
“Shelters are calling me daily, and BISSELL Pet Foundation is feeling the burden of overcrowding,” said Cathy Bissell, who founded BPF in 2011. “Empty the Shelters is the largest funded adoption event in the country, and by extending the event to three weeks, we can help meet the immediate need to save lives.”
Saving two lives: the adopted pet and the one taking its place in the shelter
The Empty the Shelters program itself started in 2016, and since its inception, over 96,000 pets have found homes at participating shelters in the United States and Canada. Events are held quarterly.
As part of the program the BPF pays the majority of adoption fees, allowing for adopters to take home a fully vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed or neutered pet. Shelters get a second chance to give pets they love a home. And pets win by finding a loving family.
“Shelters, rescues, and those involved in running them are in great distress,” explained Julie Beukema. “I continue to get calls every day from people wanting to surrender animals or from someone that found a cat or kitten. Yesterday, I had a request [to drop off] a mom cat and four kittens.”
This summer John Ball Zoo has welcomed two new temporary residents: two-year-old Iluka and four-year-old Noorundi.
The half-brothers, who are koalas, are part of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Koala Conservation and Education Loan Program. For more than 30 years the conservation program has maintained the largest koala colony and most successful breeding program outside of Australia.
The goal of the program is to generate funding to support research and conservation efforts such as habitat mapping and studying koala biology. The organization works closely with the Australian government to ensure the protection of koalas and their habitat so they can thrive for generations to come.
Meeting the brothers
Earlier this year Jamie Racalla, a supervising zookeeper at John Ball Zoo, traveled to California to train at the San Diego Zoo. There she learned how to properly care for the koalas before their arrival.
“A lot of people focus on how much they sleep, which is a huge part of their day, but when they are awake, they are full of personality,” Racalla said.
Noorundi is the older of the two. He is described as a calm gentleman while his half-brother Iluka is full of spunk and energetic. The best way to tell them apart is by their fur. Noorundi has a brownish tint to his fur while Iluka does not.
Fun facts about the koalas
They are not bears. Koalas are classified as marsupials. Marsupials are mammals that are born not completely developed and typically carried in a pouch until developed.
The best time to see the koalas are feeding times which are 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
They call Australia home. Koalas are found in Southeastern and Eastern Australia.
Marsupials can be found in the United States. While the majority of marsupials live in Australia, New Guinea, and the surrounding islands, the United States does have one: the possum.
Eucalyptus leaves are their food of choice. Eucalyptus leaves are poisonous if eaten, however koalas digestive system is able to breakdown the food. To do so they sleep a lot.
Taking an 18-hour power nap. Koalas are known to sleep up to 20 hours a day due to their low energy and the amount of energy it takes to digest the eucalyptus leaves.
Koalas are an endangered species
Because the creature’s nest in the eucalyptus trees of their native bush lands and forests, their habitat has shrunk over time because of tree-clearing for agricultural and urban development.
In February 2022 koalas were declared an endangered species in parts of Eastern Australia. Their population has been severely impacted by floods, drought, and widespread bushfires. Aside from natural causes, human development is the primary cause threatening the iconic marsupials.
“It’s a lot easier to care about something you’ve connected with than something you hear about happening around the world,” Racalla said.
According to the World Wildlife Fund in Australia, almost 60,000 koalas were killed or impacted by severe wildfires from 2019 to 2020. Because these animals are endangered, John Ball Zoo is one of ten places Koalas can be viewed in North America.
Where to find Iluka and Noorundi and when to visit
Iluka and Noorundi’s temporary habitat is across from the Frogs and Friends exhibit. Koalas are not social animals and generally only tolerate each other when breeding. For this reason, their shared exhibit is separated by a metal fence.
The brothers are fed twice a day, once around 11 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. Also, according to staff, the koalas are active between 1 and 3 a.m. and can be viewed on the koala cam.
Iluka and Noorundi will be at the John Ball Zoo through Labor Day, Sept. 5. John Ball Zoo is located at 1300 Fulton St W. Hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information visit https://www.jbzoo.org/.
