Mackinac County Animal Shelter

06/19/2026

Special thanks to Jessica at BIGGBY COFFEE for the Friday pick-me-up! We appreciate you!! ❤️

06/17/2026

To the person or people responsible for leaving very young kittens at trailheads and nature preserves, we want you to know that there is another option.

With permission from the Little Traverse Conservancy, a temporary shelter has been set up on the right side of the parking lot of the ski trail at the Oliver and Edna Birge Nature Preserve on Pt. Brulee rd in Hessel. This shelter is meant to be a safer alternative for those who are unwilling or unable to bring kittens to the animal shelter, and it will be checked three times a day by MCAS staff and volunteers.

We would much rather people contact us for help, as there are resources we can provide them with. But for those who can’t or won’t, we’ll meet you halfway.

This photo is of four of the eight kittens who were left on the side of the road at the Birge Nature Preserve. They are doing well, and will be available for adoption in the next couple of weeks.

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

Brittany (don’t have last name on gift receipts) you have out done yourself yet again!! We have to say a HUGE Thank You to Brittany for the enormous Amazon order!! Wow!! We are so blown away!!! THANK YOU!!!

06/17/2026

Why Shelters Need Foster Families:

The first photo was taken at intake when this young kitten arrived in fragile condition. The photos that follow were taken after one week in foster care.

Just one week can make a huge difference.

Here are three reasons shelters need foster families:

1. To free up shelter space.
When shelters are full, people sometimes resort to abandonment. Our goal is to make sure we have room to take in kittens who might otherwise be left to fend for themselves.

2. To keep vulnerable kittens healthy.
Many kittens who enter care are too young to be vaccinated and may have underdeveloped or compromised immune systems. Foster care allows them to grow in a home environment with less risk of exposure to common illnesses they may not be strong enough to fight off.

3. To provide extra time and attention.
Foster families can give animals the individual care they need to thrive. Something as simple as cuddling or playing with a kitten while watching a movie can make a big difference in their well-being, and it’s beneficial for your mental health too!

To learn how you can become a foster family, please send us a message or call us at 906-643-7646. You can also stop by the shelter between 10am and 2pm. Our address is 980 Cheeseman Rd, St. Ignace, and we’re open seven days a week!

06/15/2026

Snow enjoys the little things, like stopping to smell the flowers! 🌸

Moments like this are one of the many reasons our dog walkers love volunteering. If you’d like to spend time with dogs like Snow while taking them out for fun and exercise, please stop by the shelter and sign up to be a dog walker.

Our address is 980 Cheeseman Rd, St. Ignace, and we are open to the public from 10am-2pm, seven days a week!

06/14/2026

It’s Where Are They Now weekend, and this post is about one of the puppies who, along with Daisy, was rescued from a hoarding situation in December. (To learn more about Daisy, check out the May 16th post!)

Scruffy was around two months old when he was brought to us by Animal Control, and like Daisy, had never been outside of the house he had been born in.

Scruffy was in the shelter for 3 weeks, and during that time he was bathed and brushed, dewormed, vaccinated, and socialized. He had made a lot of progress, but was still very nervous and needed a kind, patient owner who would help him gain confidence while also teaching him what was expected of him.

And he found just that! On January 6th, he went home with his new mom, who named him Tucker.

Here’s an update from Tucker’s mom:

“Tucker spends a good portion of his day laying next to or under my desk, on my lap or playing with his 3 fur siblings. The other dogs are 40-70lbs and they all adore each other. He love balls, treats, chew toys, and playing out in our big backyard. When I was working, I would take him on Fridays. All my coworkers loved “Tucker Fridays!”

He is still very cautious with strangers. He’s much more comfortable being pet by new people if I’m holding him but is coming out of his shell more and more. He has a ton of personality! Everyone that meets him loves him.

Potty training took some time but I think a lot of that had to do with it being our first winter in Michigan. We weren’t really prepared for what it was going to be like.

He’s very good at communicating what he wants with little grumbles and huffs. If I try putting him off, he gets pushier and barks a bit. I will often tell him, “you aren’t the boss of me”. My husband laughs and says “oh yes he is!”

For me, he has been better than any antidepressants. In 2021, I had to have my Bichon mix to sleep. He was 19 and had cancer. We have other dogs and I love them all but Tucker fits into a spot I forgot I had.”

Thank you, Kristy, for choosing Tucker and for being such a great mom to him! He needed you as much as you needed him, and we are honored to have played a part in your story. ❤️

Here are some pictures of Tucker. The first was taken during intake, the second was taken after his first bath, and the rest show him enjoying life in his new home, followed by the results of his DNA test!

06/14/2026

While on the way to work this morning, shelter staff passed by a beautiful medium-long hair orange female cat who had tried to cross the I-75 business spur just after Young St in St. Ignace.

She had been struck by a vehicle, and unfortunately, did not survive. Staff brought her back to the shelter to check for a microchip but she didn’t have one. If she belongs to you or you know who her owners are, please give us a call at 906-643-7646. Our thoughts are with her family. 💔

06/13/2026

We introduced you to Jan earlier this week, now meet her sister, Marty!

Marty is a beautiful little spitfire who’s as sassy as she is sweet! She tends to overwhelm the other kittens with her tendency to play rough, and would be best suited as a playmate for an older male kitten or young male cat. She’s a bit of a diva and definitely likes to have things her way!

Marty loves to be cuddled and has the loudest purr! She’s inquisitive and wants to be part of whatever is going on. If you would like to meet her, please stop by the shelter any day of the week from 10am-2pm.

06/12/2026

The LOTR kittens having a blast in the playroom today! Arwen and Frodo (the little brown tabby) have pending adoptions, but the others are still available! Stop in to meet them and fill out an application before these cuties are all spoken for! ❤️