Pound Buddies is located at 3279 East Laketon Avenue, Muskegon, Michigan, formerly owned by Hughes Builders. The building is now owned by Volunteers of Muskegon County Animal Control (DBA, Pound Buddies)

Pound Buddies is Muskegon County’s largest and only open admission shelter. We admit all dogs regardless of breed, age, health or disposition-not just dogs that are excellent candidates for adoption. Many dogs need medical treatment, behavioral training, and socialization to be considered “adoptable” which Pound Buddies provides.

In addition, Pound Buddies also provides all Animal Care and Control for Muskegon County. All Michigan counties are required to either perform-or contract with an organization who is qualified and licensed to perform-duties involving animals and public safety concerns. For example:

• Animals involved in traffic accidents where owner/occupant was incapacitated or hospitalized

• Animals seized from situations involving domestic violence, hoarding, owner death, unlawful activities, such as the drug trade and dogfighting

• Animals acquired through law enforcement identified as strays, neglected, abused, or abandoned

• Animals quarantined due to bite or disease incidents

Pound Buddies is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) rescue and adoption agency relying heavily on grants and donations to operate. Pound Buddies does receive funding from the County of Muskegon to provide the added services of Animal Care and Control as required by the State, which includes training and maintaining deputized animal control officers who are Pound Buddies staff members, owning appropriate vehicles, extended business hours and additional duties described above. Only 26% of Pound Buddies’ revenue is from the County.

Pound Buddies provides rescue, shelter and medical services and care for over 1300 dogs each year.

Pound Buddies remains committed to not euthanizing healthy, adoptable dogs. However, because Pound Buddies is an open admission shelter, there are instances where health, aggression, severe shelter stress and the results of abuse and exploitation when a dog cannot be considered adoptable due to public safety concerns and the long-term welfare of the dog.

The term “no-kill” is often misinterpreted, as it refers to the percentage of live-release rates and many rescues and shelters do not euthanize onsite. The “no-kill” rate is described as a 90% live release rate, a 10% euthanasia rate. When every option for a dog has been carefully assessed and adoption is not a safe and viable option, then trained Pound Buddies staff may need to humanely euthanize a dog.

However, even under these circumstances, Pound Buddies has been able to maintain 80-85% live release rate, through reuniting lost pets, adoption to new homes, or release to other shelters or rescues.

Yes, to a certain extent. Pound Buddies is licensed to care for 25 cats on the premises. Because Muskegon County has several qualified feline rescues, who are better equipped to care for cats than Pound Buddies, it has become policy that options such as Faithful to Felines, Heaven Can Wait, and others, are better first resources for the public.

There are cases where Pound Buddies shelters cats and provides medical attention and care until they can be adopted or transferred to other feline rescues. There are no provisions for cats in Pound Buddies’ service contract with the County of Muskegon, however Pound Buddies is becoming more active in controlling the feral cat population through the Trap, Neuter and Release concept.

Covid-19 has impacted Pound Buddies only from the perspective of shifting procedures to align with safety protocols and limiting adoption access. The use of masks by staff is done carefully because many dogs do not respond well to this practice and it can endanger both the animal and staff members. However, overall, Pound Buddies has remained open and operational, considered an essential business, because of the need for consistent Animal Care and Control duties for Muskegon County. Pound Buddies has maintained the required hours of business (8 am to 8 pm) and has maintained staff and volunteers to provide care for animals in need.

Pound Buddies does not address excessive barking complaints. These are noise ordinance complaints should be reported to your local municipality.

Pound Buddies is licensed only to address domestic animal welfare situations. Wildlife concerns of any kind should be addressed by calling local wildlife the Wildlife Rehab Center in Grand Rapids at (616) 361-6109 or Great Lakes Nuisance Animal Control at (231) 830-6538.

Pound Buddies does not handle deceased dogs or cats except on a case-by-case basis where microchip information needs to be secured in order to contact the owner of record.