Interview! Deborah Schutt, Co-Founder Michigan Pet Fund Alliance

"Attending conferences, understanding what other people are doing, and adding to the tool kit is really important."

The co-founder of the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance, Deborah began her journey into the animal welfare field with dog fostering. Time and experience led her to TNR, feral cat welfare, and a passion for exploring different tactics to improve shelters and rescues. She and Stacy discuss no-kill philosophies and goals, as well as the process of uniting home-based rescues and shelters through education and data analysis. With approximately 185 shelters in Michigan, the Pet Fund Alliance produced data-based performance reports that created a deeper understanding of both impacts and needs of shelters across the state. Michigan boasts over 100 no-kill shelters, with fifty four out of eighty counties being no-kill. Deborah's understanding of the many different approaches to the homeless animal dilemma has no doubt influenced these statistics. To learn more, visit michiganpetfund.org as well as the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance's Facebook page.