Friends of Michigan Animal Rescue “A God Given Mission” to help local animals

On Saturday, August 7th, I took a drive a little south of Belleville toward Arkona Road in Sumpter. I was headed to the Friends of Michigan Animal Rescue (FMAR) shelter for a gathering that was held for the 75 volunteers.

I was not quite sure where I was going or what this shelter was going to entail. You could say I was feeling rather weary.

Most shelter, pounds, and Humane Societies give me a sense of sadness and grief as soon as I cross the perimeter. Just like the feeling one might feel after seeing an ASPCA commercial on TV.

I received a phone call a week prior from my good friend Gary Marshall. He invited me to check out the shelter, meet volunteers and get the inside scoop. When I arrived to FMAR’s property, I knew I was about to experience a good thing.

I was soon introduced to the founders of FMAR: two ordinary individuals that created a new lifestyle for themselves and started something extraordinary.

Pete and Marcy LaFramboise founded FMAR in April of 2003. They were driven to do so by their involvement in volunteering at the Ann Arbor Humane Society. Soon after, they began giving their time at the local pound in Van Buren where they rescued a dog named Hop-a-long.

Marcy stated, “That set the motion for us to say ‘we need to make a difference.’”

The abundance of homeless animals in the world is depressing. Rescuing animals and finding them new homes through adoption became a priority.

Pete and Marcy sold their dream home to purchase a six and a half acre farm with two well-sized barns and a rundown home. Much time went into renovating the buildings, and it surely paid off.

From there everything fell into place. In 2008, MM Augusta LLC donated a barn to FMAR that is now in the process of becoming a new Cat Haven. When it is fully completed, kittens will be separated from the teen cats and the adult cats will have their own room as well.

“Our goal and mission is to save the animals that are underway to be euthanized and provide a safe home for them,” said Marcy.

When Humane Societies and pounds run out of room to take in new animals, it is first in and first out. In other words, the longest residing animals are euthanized. It does not matter if the animals are adoptable, tiny, old, or young; they are let go.

FMAR works with Van Buren Township, Sumpter Township, and Monroe for their rescues. They occasionally get a dog tied to their fence at night or receive a down-pour-soaked box with a cat inside. Of course their warm hearts take in those animals. For the most part, FMAR works with Animal Control.

Another way FMAR is helping animals is with their new TNR program that was started by Eileen Russell (Weezey).

TNR stands for Trap, Neuter and Release and is used for feral cats that are freely roaming the world. Most feral cats are not vaccinated or spayed/neutered and are pesky to many community members.

A live humane trap is set in the area which the feral cat roams. University of Michigan students donate their time as a part of their curriculum to spay/neuter cats; they perform the procedure. In addition, the cat is given a vet check, shots, and is tested for feline leukemia. Their ear is then tipped so they can be identified as being sterilized.

The most important part about TNR is the release. Because feral cats are part of a colony and are territorial, they are released in the exact location in which they were trapped.

After spay/neuter is performed, the feral cats live healthier lives and the unwanted behavioral problems dissipate.

After speaking with Weezey I was taken on a tour of the kennels and saw the pride that is put into saving the animals.

The space for the dogs to run and play is wonderful.

The room that the cats and kittens are free to roam is their temporary home. When the Cat Haven is complete, their home will be more than twice the size of the current cat facility.

Pete, Marcy and their 75 volunteers provide an immense amount of love for each cat and dog. It was moving and inspirational understanding their work and hearing stories of rescue.

What Pete and Marcy have started is a passion for many. “It is a God given mission. No one ever thought I would be doing this; I never cared for animals. Pete and I are thankful for what we were able to do and the difference we were able to make. Without our fantastic volunteers and donors none of it would have been possible,” Marcy praised.

FMAR is a ‘God given mission’ for sure. There are not enough words to describe the good and generosity that has been put into the success of FMAR.

Next time you are looking to find a new family pet, I highly recommend adopting from FMAR. You can make a difference too by rescuing an animal and doing something extraordinary just as Pete and Marcy did.
For more information visit www.fmar1.org or visit their Facebook page!

By Erica Porzondek

Posted by admin on Aug 18 2010. Filed under FRONT PAGE. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry