MHS ‘lends a paw’ for animals in need

On Tuesday, Dec. 10th, Milford High School’s DECA chapter hosted its second annual event for students to play with puppies and kittens after a half-day of school. Located in the MHS auxiliary gym, the event featured adoptable pets brought from Adopt-A-Pet Fenton, a local rescue shelter for animals in need. In 2018, the event raised $959.50 for the Humane Society of Livingston County, now combined with the Michigan Humane Society; this year, with the help of the community, $1,004.76 was donated to Adopt-A-Pet Fenton and the Michigan Humane Society. Additionally, the event offers an area where people can create toys to donate to the shelters, like braided fabric ropes, catnip eggs, and cat ribbon wands. In exchange, participants were asked to bring a $5 donation to contribute to the cause. 

Started by now-juniors Riley Coesens and Kristen Schang in the fall of 2018, “Mobile Meet-Up With a Pet” quickly became known among the MHS and local community. It was designed to be a tribute to the hard work of all rescue shelter volunteers, and raise both awareness and funds for loveable animals. On the day of the event, individuals could not only interact with pets, but also with knowledgeable volunteers who educated the public on the functions of animal shelters.

Though many aspects of this year’s event were comparable to the original, some differences could be seen. All Huron Valley students were invited, including younger elementary students. Advertising within the community covered over a dozen local school-supportive restaurants, stores, and businesses, rather than focusing only on people within the school district. Finally, a dozen animals were present, making it easier for larger groups to engage and learn about a variety of pets. 

Coesens and MHS’ DECA chapter are determined to continue to fundraise and support these organizations and their efforts to benefit the lives of rescued animals. With the help of the community, MHS hopes to continue this project for years to come, in order to benefit as many animals as possible.