Pound Buddies to Participate in Jordan’s Way Shelter Tour
Pound Buddies, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, currently provides shelter services at 1300 East Keating to over 1300 animals annually, in a building owned by Muskegon Charter Township and leased to the County of Muskegon. Built in the ‘60’s the facility has been deemed fiscally unreasonable to update or make the extensive repairs identified to meet building code regulations, and guidelines for effective shelter management.
Kris Rotonda founded the non-profit Jordan’s Way Charities in 2018. Named for his dog and best friend for over 10 years, Rotonda adopted Jordan when he first went to Florida from New Jersey and was feeling alone. “She had been at a shelter for three years,” he said. “The first three years of her life and when I saw her, we had the same kind of mentality. Not depression but kind of down, and we kind of built up together.” Jordan lost her battle with cancer and passed in the fall of 2018.
Rotonda made a promise to her to help shelter animals locally and around the country and is working with his girlfriend Stefanie is on a 50-state mission. “To make the unnoticed noticed. There are a lot of animals that have been in shelters across the country for a very long time,” Rotonda said. “And there’s a lot of underfunded shelters.” And so the traveling began.
“I’m going to all 50 states,” he said. “And I pick five shelters in each state. We have fund raisers for them. They’re all over Facebook…live for four hours. Four-hour fund raisers for them.” Rotanda’s goal along with finding forever homes for thousands of animals is to raise thousands of dollars for each of the 200 shelters and rescues or more he’ll visit.
Since 1998, Pound Buddies has assisted the county with shelter operations, helping reduce the euthanasia rate by 67% and extending length of care for animals in order to increase rescue and adoption opportunities. In October 2019, Pound Buddies’ contract agreement with the County was extended for 10 additional years, authorizing them to continue providing all animal care and control services for Muskegon County communities until at least 2029. These services include rescuing abused, neglected and exploited animals, assisting in hoarding situations, housing lost, stray and surrendered animals and various other duties supporting area law enforcement and public safety agencies. Pound Buddies is Muskegon County’s largest and only open admission shelter, meaning they accept all dogs regardless of age, demeanor, health, or breed.
About Pound Buddies: Volunteers of Muskegon County Animal Control d.b.a.Pound Buddies was founded in 1998 when the non-profit volunteer organization began assisting Muskegon County with animal shelter operations at the 1300 E. Keating Avenue location. Pound Buddies receives partial funding from Muskegon County to provide all animal care and control, and public safety duties required by the State, in addition to operating a comprehensive charitable rescue, shelter, adoption and educational animal center. Pound Buddies is primarily supported by grants, donations, and volunteerism. Volunteers of Muskegon County Animal Control is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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If you would like more information, please contact Jan Jacobs, Pound Buddies’ Campaign Director at (231) 557-8268 or email to jacobs0414@gmail.com.
Website:www.poundbuddies.org and www.unleashingthepossibilities.org and Jordan’s Way