UPPER PENINSULA ANIMAL WELFARE SHELTER, Inc. (UPAWS)
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Animal Adoptions
UPAWS provides care and adoption services for an average of 1600 animals per year, including cats, dogs, other small mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. We also will care for and rehome farm animals from neglect and cruelty situations. The shelter is open seven days a week, including most holidays, has evening hours, does off-site adoption events, has a foster ambassador adoption program, participates in adoption promotions, provides hospice care, utilizes fee adjustments for special needs, elderly, or long-term residents, participates in transfer programs with other shelters and rescues, and allows for donors to sponsor pet adoptions.
Return to Owner
Stray animals arriving at the shelter are posted on a dedicated stray page on our website and on social media. Because UPAWS, through a grant program, has provided all local law enforcement with scanners so that animals can be returned home rather than enter the shelter system, when redeemed, owners are highly encouraged to get them microchipped (which they can do at the shelter at a reduced cost).
Pet Retention
Keeping animals in their homes is a proactive approach that is relatively new and continues to grow as resources allow. Funding is derived from grants to provide resources to resolve issues pet owners are encountering that could result in surrendering their pets to shelters. Examples of ways in which funding has been used has been to help offset the installation of fencing, provide training, and low cost spay/neuter services. A list of pet-friendly rental housing is maintained. A pet food bank is available to the community. The shelter will also provide a short term emergency safe haven to allow an owner time to make arrangements for the care and housing of their pet. Examples of when a safe haven might be used include the hospitalization or death of an owner, incarceration, natural disaster, domestic abuse, house fire, or an owner finding themselves homeless.
Community Services
There is a very strong relationship between UPAWS and the community and every effort is made to respond to the needs in our community. Provides affordable nail clipping and microchipping to community. Low cost community spay/neuter program. Re-homing advertising for community. Serves as impound facility for most of the county and also assists law enforcement in evaluating, transporting, care, and housing of animals in neglect and cruelty seizures. Provides short term care for owned pets in emergency or disaster situations, and works with the local domestic abuse non-profit to assist in short term emergency housing for victims of domestic abuse. In conjunction with the horse community, provides housing for neglected/abused large animals in the Upper Peninsula. General resource center for anything pet related.
Volunteer Program
Volunteers play a vital role in every aspect of UPAWS. At the shelter, they help clean, feed, socialize and provide enrichment for the animals. They do all the fundraising. They serve on committees and provide expertise in areas from law to marketing to finance, to animal behavior. They drive hundreds of miles per trip to transfer animals between UPAWS and other shelters. They foster, serve as foster ambassadors, run errands, perform facility and grounds maintenance, help with administrative/office tasks, work at adoption events, donate grooming services, and much more. UPAWS does not have a fully functioning clinic, however, the local vet clinics participate in our Volunteer Visiting Vets program, taking turns visiting the shelter to exam any animals for which the staff have medical concerns. Volunteers are critical to our operations and allow us to provide a high standard of care, help raise funds, and also help to keep expenses down.
Where we work
External reviews
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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UPPER PENINSULA ANIMAL WELFARE SHELTER, Inc. (UPAWS)
Board of directorsas of 03/28/2023
Leslie Hurst
Lynn Andronis
Retired
Leslie Hurst
Director Database Services, Northern Michigan University
Chris Danik
Northern Michigan University - IT
Brian Hummel
Emergency Services, Marquette County Health Dept.
Hailey Kimball-Dexter
Prosecuting Attorney
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes