Kent County Animal Shelter

02/15/2025

Handsome boy Milo ❤️🐾
This big guy is looking for his forever home! Milo was found by some amazing members of the public, running through a construction site just a few blocks from our temporary shelter. Though we don’t have any history on him, we can tell you that he’s a VERY sweet boy who’s just trying to figure out the shelter life.

Milo is food motivated and loves toys (though he likes to pull the stuffing out of them😅). He has no sense of personal space, getting all up in your business when he wants to cuddle. He’s a pro at sit and shake, and won’t go potty in his kennel. And if you couldn’t tell by the pictures, he’s quite a photogenic guy 😍

Milo is about 80 lbs of pure strength, so he’ll need an active family who’ll be willing to work on some leash training. But the good news is, we’ve introduced him to the gentle leader and he’s really starting to get the hang of it!

Milo is available to be met with from 10-12:15 today, and don’t forget our adoptions are only $17 through the day😉

02/14/2025

This sweet dog was abandoned in the Meijer parking lot yesterday. A kind group of people brought her to our Animal Shelter, with a note tied to her collar that read: "My name is Rukey. Please help me, take me home."

To the person who had to make the heartbreaking decision to let her go - please know that Rukey is safe and deeply loved by our staff. Her gentle personality has already won our hearts, and we will ensure she is cared for and finds a wonderful, loving family. We can only imagine how difficult this choice was for you, and we sincerely hope you find brighter days ahead.

We also want you, and our Kent County community, to know that help is available. If you're struggling to feed yourself or your pet, please reach out. We can assist with food, connect you to social services, and help facilitate other resources as needed.

As a reminder, please be kind to yourself and others. We never know the battles someone is silently facing. If you need help, please ask. Our goal is to keep pets and families together, and we will do everything we can to provide resources to support and preserve the human-animal bond.

Angela Hollinshead
Director, KCAS

Keep an eye on our page for updates about this sweet girl.

Resources for pet owners: https://www.kentcountymi.gov/172/Resources

Kent County Community Action: https://www.kentcountymi.gov/1420/Community-Action

02/13/2025

🥰VALENTINES SPECIAL🥰

Dateless? Boy, do we have some cuties with 4 paws, 2 ears and a tail wagging for YOU!

Already taken? 2 is a crowd and 3 is a party, come spice up your life by adding a new companion into the mix 🥳

Not having any luck anywhere else? Consider this a blind date where they can’t tell you any cheesy jokes but they will still expect a treat for their time. 😜

🍒 The cherry on top? 🍒 You can come adopt your new sweetheart for only the cost of a dog license - $17 ‼️

We have some real sweeties waiting for their Prince Charming or fairy god mother to give them a fairytale ending of a life happily ever after ❣️

This special is running from Thursday 2/13 until Saturday 2/15 - we hope to see YOU 🌹come expierence the true love of a KCAS companion!

02/12/2025

Missing your pup?? We've taken in 20 stray dogs the last 24 hours. Yep, you read that right 🤯 Here are the first few steps we take when a stray animal comes to us. 1. We scan for a chip. Make sure to keep your pet's microchips up to date! 2. We check for tags. Even a phone number written on their collar can help. 3. We bribe them with treats to pose for a picture 😬 Pictures of all our stray animals can be found on our website. Just click on "lost and found" and scroll down.

Please help spread the word to anyone who may be looking for their beloved companions by sharing this post. The cuties in these pictures are just some of the dogs waiting to be reunited with their families!

We know that leashes break, and collars slip off. We know that some dogs are mischievous escape artists, some like to wander, and some even know how to open windows (yeah, that actually happened one time). No matter how your fur babies wound up with us, we're here to help reunite in any way we can 🫶

02/07/2025

Did you know every dog that is adopted from us goes home with their first month of heartworm prevention and flea and tick prevention for free? 💗 All dogs are given preventions on intake (if possible) and kept up to date while at the shelter. When we send them home, we send them with one extra month so that their new owners have time to get them to the vet and keep them up to date!

Heartworm disease has become more common in the northern states, and with the warmer winters you need to make sure to keep your pets up-to-date year-round ❄️

"Heartworm treatment in dogs is a multiple-step, three-to-four month process that involves injections and oral medication to kill the heartworms, as well as prolonged periods of exercise restriction." It can be very very expensive to treat and is not fun for the people or the dogs!

Our main man Dante came to us heartworm positive. He was treated in a southern shelter and after a few months we tested again, and he had been cleared! Not all pups are so lucky, and heartworm can be fatal if not caught and treated.

So, be a cool pawrent and keep your dogs up to date on their preventions! 😎❤️

02/06/2025

Would you like to own your very own Pawblo Pidawgso? 🎨 Look no further! If you adopt this art prodigy you can make your very own art masterpieces with the one and only, Dante!! (And as a bonus, you can even take home his works of art that are currently on display, we just ask that you please don't resell these priceless pieces).

Dante had a great time painting with peanut butter and then getting some sticky pawprints done for good measure. This activity is always super fun for the dogs and the humans! Take a blank canvas and put a few drops of your dog's favorite colors down. Apply a nice coat of peanut butter or other spreadable snack to a plastic bag that the canvas will fit into. Carefully slide the canvas into the bag. Tape the bag onto the floor or whatever surface you want the dog to perform art on. Let them at it!

Once finished carefully remove the canvas from the bag, and voila! A work of art like no other.

Try it out with your pup and show us the results! We'd love to see if anyone can compete with Dante's beautiful pieces. ;)

02/05/2025

Checkout this PAWsome 1 year update on one of our very favorite best boys, Tank! 😍💋

"Hi! Since it will be one year on the 9th since he was adopted, I thought I would give everyone an update on Tank 🙂

Tank is doing GREAT! Bringing him home was a big adjustment, but he quickly became part of the family. He is no longer medicated, is able to be left alone for a few hours (big accomplishment!) and has gained weight. Tank now weighs 95 lbs, but he still thinks he's a lap dog. Snuggles are his favorite thing. He loves going for walks, destroying tennis balls, playing tag with my kids, and eating all the treats he can get. He is 100% spoiled and we love him so much!"

Thank you so much for sticking it out with this very good boy.

02/04/2025

🌟 Meet Gus! 🌟

Gus is another one of our available pups currently in a foster home. He was hanging in there before we moved but the new building proved WAY too stressful for this poor boy. Gus loves to use his nose to sniff out all of the things, scent work is a great pastime for this boy! Out of the shelter and in a home, he is cool, calm, and collected (until he gets to go outside and sniff around for some pesky squirrels of course, then it's play time 🐿)! Gus loves his people, loves a good snack, and loves a good walk. Could he be the perfect pup for your family? Reach out to us by phone or email!

Checkout our other available pets here:
https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/AnimalShelter/adoptable-animals.htm

02/03/2025

Amazing Grace 🌟

Grace is a girl who will tell you how it is. She is full of sass and knows exactly what she wants, when she wants it (give her those treats, she's been sitting LONG ENOUGH kind of style ;) ). She would make someone an awesome adventure buddy as she has lots of energy to burn. Once she has had her fun, she ~might~ be willing to 'grace' you with some cuddles. Only if she feels you are worthy. :P Grace is like many people, she has her acquaintances, and then she has her TRUE friends who she will show you her whole goofy, sweet personality to. 🫶

Think you can empathize with Grace? Shoot us an email so we can arrange a time for you to meet with her! She is currently living the good life in foster as she was starting to get really stressed at our shelter. She has been in our care for three months and ready to find her forever home. 🥰

02/03/2025

Check out the Animal Shelter section of the new Kent County, Michigan website!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new and improved county website: kentcountymi.gov! The site offers:

✅ Easier navigation
📱 Mobile-friendly design
♿ Greater accessibility

You may see an error message if you’ve bookmarked pages from our old site. Don’t worry - the site isn’t down! Visit kentcountymi.gov to find the updated pages and update your bookmarks accordingly.

02/02/2025

💋 This pretty lady is Marina. 💋
Marina has been in our care since July of 2024. She can be a little shy of new people but once she warms up, she's a bundle of snuggles, play, and goofiness. The way to this lady's heart? Through her stomach, of course. 😉 Marina was already getting stressed at our shelter so we knew she would NOT enjoy the move to a new building. One of our volunteers stepped up to take her into his home during this time and she has been doing great!! Marina is still available for adoption; we just ask that you reach out first so we can arrange a time for her foster to bring her in so you can meet her. 🫶

You can email us here:
[email protected]

02/01/2025

We're all settled into our new space and ready to tell you about our available pups!

This awesome boy is Duke (or Sir Dukington as you may call him). He is a spunky senior at 9 years old. He looooovvveeesss his people but is not a big fan of other pets. Because of this the shelter environment is very very stressful for our boy and he spends a lot of time in foster with our volunteers. In foster they say he is, "a very good boi with exceptional manners and also fully potty trained." We would expect nothing less from such an exceptional line of royalty!

Please note that during this time we will likely have less dogs and cats available for adoption than usual due to our AMAZING transfer partners being able to take dogs on a nearly weekly basis. We currently only have 34 kennels, compared to our usual 80! We are still taking strays in daily, but with the help of our partners, and the community, we are confident we can make it through this transition period without reaching capacity. Please check our website to see what available animals we have before coming to visit us at our temporary location:
https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/AnimalShelter/adoptable-animals.htm

New Address:
2055 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, Grand Rapids

01/23/2025

CHEERS to these pups for surviving this crazy move! 🦴🎉 We're finally settled into our new building, so they got special treats this morning for being so resilient. 🥹

If you listen closely, you can hear how quiet our kennel area is 🤫 We've worked hard to ensure their living area is as peaceful as possible, and one way we do that is with canine enrichment! Giving them something to work on, especially during a quieter moment of the day, can be extremely helpful. Something to chew on (like the treats they got today), a properly filled kong, or even a paper towel roll filled with treats can encourage them to use their brains AND their sniffers. With proper enrichment, in the right
environment, they may end up almost as relaxed as they would after a nice walk. Pretty cool right?

Some of our favorites include peanut butter paper plates, frozen ice cream cones (usually filled with whipped cream or mashed potatoes😅), and food puzzles filled with kibbles. Let us know in the comments if your dog gets any fun enrichment!

01/22/2025

KCAS CLOSED TODAY - due to us continuing to set up the new temporary building. Staff is hard at work setting up an entire building.

We WILL be open tomorrow Thursday 1/23/25 for full operation. Thank you for working with us through this change!

01/19/2025

Happy weekend everyone!

As a reminder - We will be closed this Tuesday, January 21, as we move to our temporary location at 2055 Oak Industrial Dr. NE.

Through mid-March, our shelter will be sprucing up our space with some much-needed facility improvements, including new floors.

To learn more about the temporary move, read the full press release here:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KENTCOMI/bulletins/3cb5efd

01/17/2025

As temperatures drop this weekend and early next week, don’t forget to keep your pets and other animals safe. 🐾

Following these guidelines can help protect your pets:

* Bring pets indoors whenever possible. Many pets are not equipped to handle the effects of freezing temperatures for extended periods.
* Provide adequate outdoor shelter. For pets that must stay outdoors, ensure they have access to a structure with three sides and a roof, that is appropriately sized, insulated, and ventilated.
* Use proper bedding. Provide dry bedding, such as straw, when temperatures fall below freezing. Avoid using blankets or cloth bedding as these materials can absorb moisture and freeze.
* Ensure access to fresh water. Check water bowls frequently to ensure they are not frozen, and refill with safe, drinkable water as needed.
* Support free-roaming cats. Simple shelters made from storage totes lined with foam and stuffed with straw offer a safe haven for community cats during harsh weather conditions.

01/17/2025

Ever wondered about the adoption process at KCAS? Let's go through the most frequently asked questions ⬇️🐾

🐶What's the first step in the adoption process?
You'll want to fill out our adoption survey, which can be found on our website or in our lobby. And don't worry, our survey is less like an interview and more like a dating website. We just want to match you with the best fit 😉

🐱How long does the adoption process take?
Generally, the process is fairly quick. We will introduce you to the dogs you've picked, and if you decide you'd like to adopt, you'll be out of here with your new pup within the hour!

🐶What information will you go home with?
Before a decision is made, we will chat with you about any known history, medical or behavioral. Once you pick your new furry friend, we send all medical history home with you, including vaccines, preventions, and anything noted on the physical exam.

🐱What does your new furry friend come with?
All dogs and cats are vaccinated, heartworm/FeLV tested, spayed or neutered, up to date on preventions, and examined by our shelter veterinarian. We will send you home with a temporary leash, and their first month of preventions for once they've been adopted.

🐶What's the best way to learn more about an animal I'm interested in adopting?
The best way to get up to date information about each animal is to come in person. You can speak with an experienced adoption counselor and get a firsthand look at their personalities. Please feel free to give us a call but know that not all information will be available over the phone.

Our adoptions are first come first served and SAME DAY, no appointments needed! We strive to make the process as easy as possible to match you with your new best friend and get them home.

01/15/2025

The cats out of the bag or more so, the dogs out of the shelter.

Misha after YEARS of living at KCAS has been ADOPTED ‼️ 🥰 There was a small party for her departure, full of celebration and tears from the staff, volunteers and new adopters alike. ♥️

Her new family has everything our sweet Mishie needs to thrive and they have reported she is fitting in wonderfully. The couple said they felt like they were taking Misha from family but this is the exact end goal we hope for all of the dogs in our care - people excited, patient and dedicated to their new companion in a safe, happy, loving home! The KCAS crew could not be any happier that she’s finally gotten her happy ending (and that we have gotten lots of awesome updates as to how she’s doing!). We are told Misha has been full of full face kisses, great bed time snuggles, lots of in house zoomies, great trail walks and of course, yard exploring.

Thank you to her new family for giving her the chance and working with her! We are SO HAPPY for everyone involved. A huge thank you to everyone who spent time with misha - from her getting to be the long term office dog, getting her own special dog bed, always getting the biggest dog toys we got, getting her pancakes and burgers from McDonald’s, taking her out to sniff spots for field trips, sleepover nights, special pet store outings where she was the special guest of honor, dressing her up for every holiday because she let you and every walk and snuggle that helped maintain her week after week. It takes a village and the reward is so sweet 🎂