Our team at the Humane Society of Macomb goes above and beyond to care for animals that have been abused, surrendered, and abandoned. Their collaborative efforts helped us to achieve a 98.1% save rate for animals we bring in.
One of our team members, Rachel, has largely contributed to this save rate through her training.
Rachel’s impact on our save rate has been remarkable. She has worked with and trained many animals who would not have been adoptable without her assistance. Here are some of the stories:
- Diesel came to the shelter with no bite inhibition, and would not allow the staff to handle him. Rachel fostered him at her home where he learned manners. Now, Diesel has a home with another dog and is happy and healthy.
- Rachel kept a dog named Boston from being euthanized by bringing him to the shelter. Boston was adopted, but feared his new home. This was concerning to his new owners and they were unsure what to do. After contacting the shelter, Rachel volunteered to visit and reassure Boston. Now, he is happy and loves his home.
Rachel has dedicated her life to animals. She has fostered, trained, and found forever homes for sheltered dogs. Currently, Rachel has two dogs that she is fostering:
- A 1-year-old Rat Terrier/Pit named Lola who was surrendered at 6 months
- A 6-year-old Pit mix named Piper
Not only does she care for shelter dogs, but she oversees 5 dogs of her own including Lola and Piper. Rachel helped her other 3 dogs to overcome various issues such as: cancer, anxiety, Lyme Disease, and heartworms.
When asked about her dogs Rachel stated, “My dogs are what makes me whole. I take the dogs that most people don’t want, and love them even more because of it.”
Rachel has been volunteering and fostering for rescue shelters for the past 10 years. She recently received her CPDT-KA, which certifies her as a dog trainer.
Regarding training, Rachel said, “I teach owners how their dog learns, to identify behaviors to reinforce and minimize the reinforcement of behaviors they don’t want.”
Rachel consistently takes on tasks others find difficult. Now, many dogs are living with amazing families because of her efforts.
Here at the Humane Society of Macomb, staff members like Rachel help us to make an impact on the lives of dogs and their owners every day.