The Emergency Pet Food Bank is a temporary assistance program that helps pet owners provide essential supplies for pets during a short-term hardship.
- PET FOOD BANK HOURS -
TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Emergency Pet Food Bank
When pet owners experience financial hardships, pets often suffer.
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Owners can be faced with having to choose between food for themselves or food for their pets.
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In some cases, owners will substitute pet foods for human foods that pets cannot digest, leading to health problems caused by poor diet and improper nutrition.
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Others will surrender beloved pets to shelters or rescues and in more severe instances, pets are turned loose or neglected when they can no longer be cared for.
Emergency Pet Food Bank Impact
Numbers from 2019 Program Statistics
705
Unique clients served in 2019
3,613
Visits to our Emergency Pet Food bank in 2019
51,157
pounds of food and cat litter distributed through the Emergency Pet Food Bank in 2019
7
Dog houses provided to pets living outdoors without adequate shelter.
The 2019 total distribution of 51,157 pounds included:
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734 cans of wet cat food
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250 cans of wet dog food
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1,666 bags of cat litter
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2,905 bags of dry dog food
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2,578 bags of dry cat food
KHS is feeding approx. 50 local cats and dogs each day!
Get help for your pets:
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Visit our office with your ID during open hours.
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On your first visit, there is a form to fill out so that we can register you and your pets in the program.
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We can provide dry dog food, cat food and cat litter. Other items like wet food, treats, leashes, collars and other basic pet supplies can be provided as available.
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You will leave with supplies on your first visit.
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If you have a special request beyond basic food and litter, please call our office at 269-345-1181 to see if your needs can be met.
Victims are referred to KHS from the YWCA, although other agencies have also referred clients to us. If you are working with the YWCA, a case worker, a police agency, or a court can validate your need by contacting our office at 269-345-1181.
If you are not working with any agency but would like more information, call us at 269-345-1181, and we can assess our availability to assist on a case-by-case basis.
If an adult victim isn’t willing to leave, you can’t do much for them, but if pets or children are involved, you can take steps to ensure their safety.
For children, please get in touch with Child Protective Services at 269-337-5046
For animals, please call Kalamazoo County Animal Services at 269-383-8775
If you live outside of Kalamazoo County, contact the Child Protective Service or Animal Control department in your jurisdiction.
The length of time for each case is different and is based on how long it takes the pet owner to find safe housing. We can hold animals based on your needs as long as you are actively looking for a place for you and your pet. If you find a friend or family member willing to accept your pet before you have found a new residence, we are happy to release the pet to someone you trust.
All dogs four months of age and older must have a license in Michigan. Licenses are for each dog and cannot be transferred from one dog to another. If you have just moved to MI, you have 30 days to get your new dog license. Dog licenses are different from the rabies tag provided by your veterinarian.
A dog license is a metal tag that goes on the collar of the dog it belongs to. The primary purpose of this tag is to verify that the dog has a current rabies vaccine. The dog license is the only tag required to be kept on the collar of the dog. Any dog without a tag can lead to citations and fines. The dog license can be purchased for 1 or 3 years depending on the county’s policy in which you reside.
In Kalamazoo County, licenses can be purchased year-round at Kalamazoo County Animal Services. The office is at 1316 Lamont Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49048, and is right next to the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds. Tags are also available between December 1 and March 1 at most local vet clinics and all City, Township, and Village offices. Southwest Michigan Area dog licensing agencies can be reached at the following numbers:
• Allegan County residents call the Allegan County Treasurer’s Office at 269-673-0260 • Barry County residents call the Barry County Animal Control at 269-948-4885 • Berrien County residents call the Berrien County Animal Control at 269-471-7531 • Branch County residents call the Branch County Animal Control at 517-639-3210 • Calhoun County residents call the Calhoun County Treasurer’s Office at 269-781-0807 (Residents in the Battle Creek City Limits must purchase from the Battle Creek City Offices) • Cass County residents call the Cass County Treasurer’s Office at 269-445-4468 • Kalamazoo County residents call Kalamazoo County Animal Services at 269-383-8775 • Kent County residents call the Kent County Animal Control at 616-632-7100 • St. Joe County residents call the St. Joe County Animal Control at 269-467-6475 • Van Buren County residents call the Van Buren County Treasurer’s Office at 269-657-8228
Residents needing help determining where to get a dog license should contact their county administrative offices to find out which department they need to reach within their county.
Dog licenses serve many purposes, but it’s essential to understand the history behind the law. The Dog Law of 1919 requires each dog to be licensed. At the time the law was enacted, rabies was a devastating disease. Still, to this day, there is no cure for rabies. While pets can be vaccinated for rabies, the vaccine is only a preventative and is no guarantee that the pet cannot contract this deadly disease. The State of Michigan requires that all dogs be rabies vaccinated. After vaccination, owners were further directed to apply for a dog license, which would prove to the State that the dog was vaccinated. Individual vet clinics do not report rabies vaccine records to the State of Michigan, and it was important for there to be a more centralized record-keeping system for which dogs were vaccinated and licensed. Since the requirement for rabies vaccination and licensing were adopted, Michigan has been lucky to have very few animals testing positive for the rabies virus. The reduction of rabid animals in Michigan has been in direct response to its licensing policies. Rabies is much more common in southern states and other countries where rabies vaccines are not required closely monitored. Part of the added benefit of having a dog licensed is that your pet always has an ID tag on it. Countless dogs are returned to their owners without ever having to go to the shelter because of their dog license. If you need more than that to inspire you to obey the law, consider the fees, fines, and possible court/jail time if you don’t get your license.
Owners who fail to properly rabies vaccinate and license a dog are subject to a misdemeanor and can be issued a citation for one or more license-related violations. Citations may result in an appearance in court, court fees, late fees and delinquent license fees.
Trust us, it's best to take care of this on time!
You must bring a copy of your most recent, unexpired rabies vaccine with at least 30 days remaining. In addition, you will need to bring a driver’s license or other state or government-issued ID. You must be 18 or older to license a dog in your name. You’ll also need payment, which can vary from one county to the next.
A spayed or neutered dog may qualify you for a reduced dog license fee. If you have your proof of spay or neuter, bring that with you.
Other optional things to bring with you to put on your dog’s record include:
1. Microchip number - in case your dog goes missing
2. Current photo - to provide identification in case your dog goes missing
3. Name of your veterinarian - in case your dog is ever found sick or injured
4. Name of an emergency contact - in case you are unavailable while there is an emergency with your dog
Michigan dog licenses must have the issuing county’s name on them. When you know the name of the county that issued it, you can call the county's animal control or administrative offices to find out who the dog belongs to.
If you have found a dog wearing a Kalamazoo County-issued tag, you can look up the tag number online using the Kalamazoo County website here --> https://ase.kalcounty.com/
Other counties may also have an online lookup tool, so feel free to check the website for the county named on the license tag.
Some dogs may also be wearing a microchip tag, rabies tag, or other personal identification tag. Sometimes, these can look like a dog license, but they are not the same as a county-issued dog license tag. These identification tags do not fulfill the dog license requirement for dogs four months of age or older.
Neutering is the removal of an animal’s reproductive organs, either all of it or a considerably large part. "Neutering" is often used incorrectly to refer only to male animals, but the term applies to both sexes. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. You may also hear "fixing" or "altered" in reference to neutering.
The Kalamazoo Humane Society offers neutering for cats and dogs only.
Currently, our program is open to the public with no residential or income requirements or limitations.
Our program is intended for low-income pet owners who want to spay or neuter but cannot afford to pay the total cost of surgery at a local veterinary clinic. To keep the cost to our clients down, we used donations and grant funding to subsidize the cost of surgery. The actual cost of each surgery we perform is greater than the cost our clients pay.
Our low-cost service is streamlined so that we are able to perform as many safe and efficient surgeries as possible each day. In many cases, our clients have never been to a veterinarian before and may never see one again, depending on the financial limitations of the owner. Our service is designed to make neutering affordable for all pet owners, regardless of income.
While our service is safe and effective, we recommend using your own veterinarian to neuter your pet if you are able to afford to do so. Your vet can offer more one-on-one care before and after your pet's surgery and throughout the life of your pet. Pets at an increased risk for complications during or after surgery would benefit greatly from more personalized service at a local veterinary clinic. Having a good relationship with a veterinarian is very important.
The Kalamazoo Humane Society can safely neuter kittens and puppies as early as 8 weeks old, as long as the pet weighs a minimum of 2 lbs.
Senior pets may still be able to be safely neutered but are not ideal candidates for the procedure through our program. We recommend you contact your own veterinarian to determine if your pet can be neutered.
Calling to check on a pet is highly discouraged. If there is something you need to know before you pick your pet up, we will contact you and discuss that with you.
Interruptions to check on pets can cause unwanted distractions for our surgery team, and can also slow down our process. We know you love your pet and want to make sure he/she is doing well, but the best thing you can do for your pet during surgery is to wait patiently and be assured that our staff is giving each pet their undivided and uninterrupted attention.
We will call you when your pet is ready for pick-up, or if anything needs to be brought to your attention. Please keep your phone available, and make sure it is able to accept voice messages.
Your female cat or dog can still be spayed if she is in heat, possibly pregnant, or obviously pregnant. Unless you have personal or ethical objections to moving forward with the procedure, there is no need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. In most cases, we can still safely do the spay surgery.
If your cat or dog is pregnant, there may be an additional fee for the surgery. For questions about fees, please see our price list or contact our office for more information. If you choose to cancel an appointment due to your pet being pregnant, you can be refunded or rescheduled. Your pet will need to be done lactating in order to be spayed.
Undescended testicles (also known as cryptorchidism) is a condition in which one or both of the testicles have not moved down into their proper place in the scrotum.
In many cases, we can still do the surgery on a cryptorchid cat or dog. A pre-surgical examination will determine if your dog is a good candidate for surgery through our program. In the event we cannot do the surgery, your prepaid fees will be refunded to you, and we will recommend that your regular veterinarian neuter your pet.
Drug interactions can be very dangerous. Please be honest about any medications or supplements your pet is on. We can tell you if you must postpone surgery or if it’s safe to proceed.
If your pet is on any kind of steroid, your pet’s surgery must be postponed to a later date.
If you are giving your pet CBD supplements, we highly recommend discontinuing the use of any CBD products at least a week before surgery.
"Pet owners should be cautious when considering the use of a cannabidiol product. The label should be checked for a common artificial sweetener called xylitol, which is extremely toxic to dogs. CBD can alter the metabolism of many commonly used veterinary prescription drugs, including fluoxetine, gabapentin, ketoconazole, and phenobarbital. Regular use may also alter the effects of common anesthetic drugs. One of the recent studies has found that CBD can impact the liver and cause an elevation in a liver enzyme called alkaline phosphatase in dogs." - Dr. Lauren Bury, Westgate Pet Clinic (April 2019, click for full article)
There are a few things you’ll need to do before your pet arrives for surgery. The most important things to know are:
Your pet does not need to fast overnight. Please feed a small meal (about one-third of the regular meal) in the morning, up to about two hours prior to arrival at the clinic. Arrival time is 7:30 AM, so your pet can have food until 5:30 AM. Drinking water must remain available until your pet gets in the car to come to KHS. Please note: if your pet is under 6 months of age, they should NOT FAST. Pets under 6 months should not go longer than 4 hours without food.
Your pet must arrive with a sturdy leash and collar or a hard-sided pet carrier.
If you apply flea product, groom or bathe your pet, do that a few days prior to your appointment. Pets will not be able to be bathed for up to 14 days after surgery.
Have a secure and safe place for your pet to recover. A crate, spare room, or other area free of debris or hazards is essential.
If any of these apply to you on your scheduled surgery date, please make arrangements to have someone else bring your pet to KHS or call us to reschedule:
You have new symptoms, including a dry cough unrelated to a chronic health condition, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, diarrhea, chills, or sore throat
You have had close contact with a person that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 through a positive test result in the last 14 days
You had a fever of 100.4° or greater in the last 24 hours
For check-in, please follow these guidelines:
Arrival time is 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM
DOGS: Please leave your dog in the car until further instructions are provided during the check-in process.
CATS: All domestic cats must arrive in a clean, secure carrier and may come in the building for check-in with you.
Any additional services or products will be added during check-in.
During check-in, you will be asked if you want to receive any additional services or vaccinations. If you wish to receive vaccinations, please come prepared with your pet’s previous vaccination/veterinary history, which will affect which vaccines your pet can receive. Our staff will not have time to contact your previous vet(s) for you on the day of your surgery.
All surgeries will require a signed surgical consent form. If you were unable to sign your online form, you will need to sign it during the check-in process. Depending on the age and health of your pet, you may also be asked to sign a high-risk or hospitalization form as needed. Our staff will notify you if additional forms need to be signed.
Due to COVID-19, our check-in procedures have recently changed.
If any of these apply to you on your scheduled surgery date, please make arrangements to have someone else pick up your pet at KHS:
You have new symptoms including a dry cough unrelated to a chronic health condition, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, diarrhea, chills, or sore throat
You have had close contact with a person that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 through a positive test result in the last 14 days
You had a fever of 100.4° or greater in the last 24 hours
For discharge, please follow these guidelines:
All pets must be picked up by 4:30 PM
Our staff will review discharge instructions during the checkout process
Payment is due at the time of discharge.
Payment for all services is due in full at the time of pick-up. If you have provided an email address or text number, your invoice will be sent to you once your pet(s) services are complete. Paying in advance saves time during check-out but is not required. You are welcome to pay in person.
If you use grant or subsidy funding, those funds will be applied at check-out. You are responsible for any amount over the grant or subsidy funding.
Payments may be made with cash, check, or card.
Most cats and dogs recover without too much intervention on your part. The most critical aspect of recovery is that your pet is calm, and is not overactive. Overactivity is the number one cause of complications after surgery.
Guides to help you care for your pet after surgery are available on our website. We will also provide you with the appropriate guide on your pet’s surgery day. You may review the guides here:
E-collars are a very inexpensive tool to aid in recovery. The purpose of the collar is to prevent your pet from being able to lick the healing area. Just one lick can lead to a severe infection. Infections can result in additional surgery, treatments, and even death.
E-collars are available for purchase at our office. View our price list for details.
Wearing an E-Collar
There is no need to purchase anything more expensive or unique, but you may choose to buy a fabric or inflatable collar from a pet retailer.
The collar should stay on for the entire recovery period of 10-14 days, 24 hours a day. While your pet can eat and drink normally with the collar on, he/she should not be able to reach or lick the healing surgical incision. Do not cut or modify the collar in any way. A properly fitted collar will not need any adjustments.
Surgical Suits
Do not purchase a surgery suit for your pet. These suits have resulted in severe infections and complications, and do not allow the surgery site to drain appropriately. Your dog can also still chew and bite the healing tissue through the suit which can cause complications and delay proper healing.
KHS posts all emergency and weather closures on our social media, website and the WWMT Closings.
To see WWMT closures, or to sign of up for text-alterts if we close from WWMT, please visit the WWMT Closings webpage here --> https://wwmt.com/weather/closings.
As a general rule, if WMU closes, our office will also be closed. Whether or not we close, of the driving conditions are beyond what you feel safe driving in, please just call us to reschedule. We don't want our clients risking themselves and their pets if you feel you should not be driving in inclement weather or other emergency.
2272 River Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
We are located on River Street between E ML Avenue and the 94-BL in Comstock Township. Our entrance is the first driveway south of the 94-BL, on the west side of River Street.
KCASE is a department of the Kalamazoo County Government. This agency operates the only stray animal shelter in Kalamazoo County and offers humane law enforcement and other services for residents of Kalamazoo County.
KCASE enforces local ordinances and state laws relating to animals and animal welfare, except for barking dog complaints. Barking dogs are considered a nuisance noise violation to be handled by the police agency for your jurisdiction.
1316 Lamont Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Phone: (269) 383-8775
Website: https://www.kalcounty.com/ac
KCASE is a department of the Kalamazoo County Government. This agency operates the only stray animal shelter in Kalamazoo County and offers humane law enforcement and other services for residents of Kalamazoo County.
KCASE enforces local ordinances and state laws relating to animals and animal welfare, except for barking dog complaints. Barking dogs are considered a nuisance noise violation to be handled by the police agency for your jurisdiction.
1316 Lamont Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Phone: (269) 383-8775
Website: https://www.kalcounty.com/ac
KCASE is a department of the Kalamazoo County Government. This agency operates the only stray animal shelter in Kalamazoo County, as well as offers humane law enforcement and other services for residents of Kalamazoo County.
KCASE enforces local ordinances and state laws relating to animals and animal welfare except for barking dog complaints, which is considered a nuiscance noise violation to be handled by the police agency for your jurisdiction.
1316 Lamont Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Phone: (269) 383-8775
Website: https://www.kalcounty.com/ac