Archives for Speaking of Compassion

Who can we trust with our pets?

Who can we trust with our pets?

March 12, 2026 | Comments Off on Who can we trust with our pets?

I want to share something that’s been weighing on me because pet parents deserve honesty. There has been a shift in the veterinary field, and its consequences for animals and the people who love them are serious. You may have noticed that veterinary medicine used to feel different. It was local. Relational. Not perfect but built on trust that the person treating your pet was guided by medical judgment and compassion — not corporate growth targets. Over the past decade, the veterinary industry has been quietly but rapidly consolidated by corporate giants and private equity firms. An estimated 25–30% of
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Beavers: Nature’s Climate Heroes

Beavers: Nature’s Climate Heroes

September 11, 2025 | Comments Off on Beavers: Nature’s Climate Heroes

  Why Protect Beavers? Beavers are partners in building climate-resilient communities. Coexistence strategies harness their benefits while preventing property damage.  See beaverinstitute.org for more information.   1. Natural Water Storage Tanks Beaver ponds store millions of gallons of water, keeping landscapes hydrated through dry spells – helping sustain plants, wildlife, and human water needs.   2. Flood Prevention Engineers By slowing down rushing water, beaver dams reduce the severity of downstream flooding — protection homes, farms, and communities from costly disasters.   3. Groundwater Guardians Beaver wetlands help rainwater soak into the ground, recharging aquifers and keeping wells and springs flowing long
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We Can—and Should—Coexist with Urban Wildlife

We Can—and Should—Coexist with Urban Wildlife

June 16, 2025 | Comments Off on We Can—and Should—Coexist with Urban Wildlife

Local governments are increasingly facing challenges from urban wildlife. As we expand into natural habitats—and restore green spaces and waterways—encounters with animals like deer, coyotes, and beavers are inevitable. What’s troubling is how often the response is reactive, violent, and uninformed. The recent killing of a family of beavers at Ann Arbor’s Leslie Park Golf Course is a case in point. Beavers are remarkably intelligent and ecologically vital—nature’s engineers. But when conflict arose, the only response was lethal removal – reportedly using gruesome Conibear traps that are illegal in Ann Arbor.. It was stated that there was a search for
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What’s Next for Animals in 2025?

What’s Next for Animals in 2025?

February 3, 2025 | Comments Off on What’s Next for Animals in 2025?

As you may know, the 2024 Michigan legislative session closed with a wail of despair. Near the end, the State House was unable to vote due to intentional member absence, leaving hundreds of bills to die — including a long list of important animal protection bills such as: Pet license plate (funding for spay/neuter and support for shelters) Cat declaw ban Animal Bond and Forfeiture (allowing a better process to get cruelty case animals out of shelters and into loving homes) Queenie’s Law (ending painful experiments on dogs) Veterinary telehealth expansion (to better help people and pets) Ban on pet
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Laying it out there – Why eggs are expensive

Laying it out there – Why eggs are expensive

January 20, 2025 | Comments Off on Laying it out there – Why eggs are expensive

The current egg shortage and skyrocketing prices have left folks confused and upset. While some blame inflation or humane farming practices, the primary cause is a bird flu outbreak, exacerbated by factory farming practices. Bird Flu and the Egg Crisis Since early 2022, the H5N1 strain of avian influenza has devastated U.S. poultry farms, resulting in the culling of over 130 million birds, including many egg-laying hens. This sharp decline in production has caused prices to surge. Yet, the poultry industry’s response has been baffling. To save costs, the agriculture industry has reportedly resisted implementing effective biosecurity measures, allowing the
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Should animal cruelty victims be “jailed” for years while their abusers walk free?

Should animal cruelty victims be “jailed” for years while their abusers walk free?

May 8, 2024 | Comments Off on Should animal cruelty victims be “jailed” for years while their abusers walk free?

I can’t imagine anyone answering “yes.” Most know even the nicest, most loving shelters, like HSHV, are not suitable homes. Long-term sheltering, where an animal spends most of their day caged, is damaging both physically and mentally. That’s why Michigan has an animal forfeiture law. To protect animal cruelty victims from further suffering, a prosecutor’s office can request a hearing that’s presided over by a judge who reviews the evidence, and decides if the animals can be released for adoption while the slow wheels of justice turn. However, many Michigan counties, including Washtenaw County, don’t pursue animal forfeiture. At HSHV,
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What’s Glyphosate doing in our neighborhood?

What’s Glyphosate doing in our neighborhood?

March 19, 2024 | Comments Off on What’s Glyphosate doing in our neighborhood?

I recently saw this disturbing sign in the park & nature area next to my home in Ann Arbor. I’ve lived here for roughly 25 years and have never seen such a sign. This lovely natural haven contains protected wetlands and is filled with furry wildlife, bats, songbirds, ducks, an owl or two, and a variety of trees, plants, and wildflowers. It is also a walking path for folks with dogs, the occasional orange kitty, moms with strollers, and kids going to and from school. If you are unfamiliar with glyphosate, I encourage you to do your own Googling to
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Teddy’s Law:  The good, the bad, and what we should do next

Teddy’s Law:  The good, the bad, and what we should do next

January 21, 2024 | Comments Off on Teddy’s Law:  The good, the bad, and what we should do next

Teddy’s Law, recently signed into law by the Governor, was drafted so that dogs and cats used in laboratories can be adopted, instead of killed, when no longer of use. Big thanks to the lead sponsors, Senators Hertel and Polehanki, for working their hearts out to save animals who sacrifice so much. However, there were changes made before final passage that need our attention. Two bills were written to create Teddy’s Law: HB 148 requiring basic reporting on the number of animals used and released for adoption HB 149 requiring adoptions of research dogs & cats when no longer of
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After Detroit child killed by dog, a call to boost animal control services

After Detroit child killed by dog, a call to boost animal control services

December 20, 2023 | Comments Off on After Detroit child killed by dog, a call to boost animal control services

[Originally published on Bridge Detroit, 12/29/23] In October, we learned of another tragic death in Detroit due to a dog attack. Though the details remain sketchy, we know that a four-year-old lost his life and surely experienced horrific pain and fear during his last moments. And a family is now grappling with the worst trauma and grief imaginable. All of whom now deserve an open and honest examination of the system that may have failed them and how we can better protect others. Immediately after a severe injury or death by a dog, there are calls to ban “pit bulls.” We should search for solutions, and
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From trash to treasure

From trash to treasure

September 12, 2022 | Comments Off on From trash to treasure

A cat was desperately trying to open a plastic bag on the sidewalk. A caring passerby stopped to look; someone had thrown her five kittens in there and tied it up. Fortunately, the Good Samaritan brought them to us, and now Mama and her family are treasured!
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