The Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan is expanding, with a new building. After two years of making this happen, the board unveiled plans this week for a new 6,000 square foot building, named the Mary C. Grish Community Pet Center.
The building will be adjacent to the shelter and used as a pet community center for training, education and shot clinics, in addition to including a specialty kennel, new conference room, and extra space for both staff and animals.
Board President Ronald Klemm said they want to keep the shelter operating as a shelter, but still help the community.
“(The new community center) is all about retaining animals and not releasing them to shelters because they’re bored with (their pets).”
The new facility will also safeguard shelter animals from hazardous weather conditions such as extreme heat and cold, and allow the extra space needed to exercise the animals and keep staff safe in a temperature-controlled environment.
“Having this building, we can just take them across the walkway, let them run free inside the building for a half hour to get their energy out and then just rotate animals around.”
Before her passing, the building’s namesake, Mary Grish, donated all funds towards the new building. Klemm tells us the groundbreaking date for the new building is still being discussed, but they would like everything done by summer 2025.
