Little Traverse Bay Humane Society receives two grants this fall

Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review
·2 min read
Danielle Blasko, executive director of the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, brings a rescued dog into the shelter.
Danielle Blasko, executive director of the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, brings a rescued dog into the shelter.

HARBOR SPRINGS — The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society recently received a $10,000 grant from the Pedigree Foundation to create a sensory garden on their campus to be used by both shelter dogs and owned animals in the community.

The grant is one of 81 total grants awarded to shelters and rescue groups across the country. The grant will be used to create a multisensory garden with the goal of providing a place for shelter dogs to decompress while they await their forever homes. The space will also be available to the public as a place where dog owners can bring their pets.

The organization also received a $11,800 grant from the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation. The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation awarded $158,850 in grants to 19 local organizations as part of their Fall 2022 grant cycle.

The grant will fund the humane society with a drone with thermal-imaging capabilities along with 40 GPS tracking dog collars. This will help keep shelter pets and those in the community safe should they get loose. All shelter dogs who are placed into foster homes will receive a GPS tracking collar to help ensure their safety. Most animals who go into foster care are those recovering from illnesses or other issues. The humane society will also offer their drone search and rescue services to the public for lost owned animals.

“We are incredibly excited for the opportunity to help more animals and individuals in the community with these two grants,” said Little Traverse Bay Humane Society Executive Director Danielle Blasko. “We are grateful to the Pedigree Foundation and to the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation for the chance to expand our programming and the ability to impact more animal lives.”

The sensory garden will be constructed in spring 2023 while the organization will begin utilizing the thermal imaging drone and GPS collars this winter season. For more information, go to www.ltbhs.com or call (231) 347-2396.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Little Traverse Bay Humane Society receives two grants this fall