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MDA’s Companion Animal Program
The purpose of the Companion Animal Program is to work with county and state officials to protect human health, the health and welfare of companion animals and livestock in our state, and consumer interests. This is accomplished through the regulation, registration, identification and licensing of dogs; vaccination and licensing of dogs for rabies; inspection and licensing of dog kennels; remuneration of livestock owners for damage to livestock caused by dogs; leash restraint of dogs; animal control officer training; and establishment of animal control agencies. Some municipalities require the registration of certain breeds and/or known dangerous animals through this program. Many private breeders use this program to register their breeding animals and the offspring that they produce.

Michigan licenses and inspects 188 pet shops, 147 animal control shelters (dog pounds), and 56 animal protection shelters (humane society shelters) statewide. There are also 9,200 tattooed animals and 190 designated animal tattooers in Michigan. Prior to mandatory licensing and rabies vaccinations of dogs, hundreds of rabies calls where handled each year in Michigan. Now most rabies cases occur in bats and skunks, with spill-over to other species. 

While parts of this program are largely enforced by local officials, AID is responsible for program oversight, and serves as a resource for local agents. The program calls for inspections of companion animal facilities based on level of potential risk, with a minimum of one inspection per year. Inspections are also triggered by complaints. Points of inspection include: sanitation, cleanliness, waste management, space allotment, air quality, environmental temperature, food and cleaning agent storage, record keeping, rodent and vermin control, physical plant maintenance, and vehicles (if applicable). 

When complaints come in to the companion animal program manager, a field veterinarian is assigned to follow up on the complaint by visiting the facility and conducting an inspection. Most complaints are made because a citizen is concerned that animals are being neglected or are being kept in unsanitary conditions or cages that are too small. Sometimes, complaints are made because the shelter has not held an animal for the required period of time before euthanizing or giving an animal up for adoption. Animal shelters are required to keep animals for 72 hours before allowing them to be adopted or euthanized, in case the animal’s owner comes to claim it. For animals that enter the shelter with a collar, the mandatory wait is seven days.

A Day in the Field with Dr. Ferguson
When we caught up with Dr. Ferguson, it was her first week back from maternity leave. While she was on leave, her coverage area was expanded to include the Lansing area in addition to her regular facilities in Southeast Michigan, so Dr. Ferguson was visiting a pet store and humane society in the Lansing area for the first time. Because this was her first visit to these facilities, Dr. Ferguson let them know ahead of time that she would be visiting for an inspection. Usually, though, her inspections are unannounced.

Our First Stop – A Pet Store
We started our inspection day at a pet store. We met Dr. Ferguson in the parking lot. Her only tools that day where her clipboard, an inspection form, and a pen. As we entered the store, Dr. Ferguson went right to work, getting a general feel for the layout and cleanliness of the store. She introduced herself to the store staff and said she would find them if she had questions, then began to make her way through the store, unaccompanied by staff. 

Most pet stores Dr. Ferguson inspects have one or more animal species for sale, including cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, snakes, lizards, turtles, birds, fish, and even insects and spiders. Each animal has specific dietary needs, and many require specific temperatures and cage conditions to stay healthy. For instance, Dr. Ferguson checks the eyes and mouth of ferrets to make sure they are healthy. She takes note of whether they are playful or lethargic. Ferrets must be eight weeks old to be purchased by a pet store. They must be in the store for two weeks and weigh at least .75 pound and have a clean bill of health from the pet store’s private veterinarian before they can be purchased from the pet store. Each new owner must also receive a Ferret Health Advisory Sheet from the pet store at the time of sale. Turtles also have special requirements before they can be purchased. Turtles less than four inches in diameter can only be sold for research, and pet stores must also provide new owners with a copy of the Turtle Health Advisory Sheet.

MDA field veterinarians do not have oversight responsibilities for birds, fish or reptiles. Pet stores who sell these types of animals are licensed and inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, when MDA field veterinarians visit pet stores, they still check the bird cages and reptile and fish tanks, to make sure the animals are healthy, that they have access to fresh water, and the cages are clean, large enough. Dr. Ferguson paid close attention to the many fish tanks at the pet store to make sure there were no dead fish floating and that the tanks and water were clean.

This particular pet store sold bulk animal feed. Dr. Ferguson inspected the bins to make sure they were clean and free from spillage that could lead to rodent or insect infestation. She also checked to make sure the containers had airtight lids, to keep the feed fresh and insect/rodent-free, and to keep any errant pets from feasting on the feed.

Next, Dr. Ferguson inspected the kitten, ferret and rabbit cages. The cages were checked for cleanliness, and size. There are specific size requirements for animals in research facilities, but at pet stores, the general guidelines are that the animals must be able to stand, sit and turn around in the cage, without being too over-crowed. Animals must also be able to stay out of their own feces and urine. If there is more than one cat in a cage, there must be a resting perch provided in the cage. Dr. Ferguson also checked to make sure that animals were kept in compatible animal groupings.

The floor around all cages and tanks were inspected to make sure they were clean and dry. Dr. Ferguson also checked the light fixtures in the store for brightness, cleanliness and to make sure they had safety covers, so if the light bulbs were broken, the glass could not fall on or near the animals.

Every pet store must have an area where cages, and food and water dishes can be washed and sanitized. Dr. Ferguson inspected the washing area to make sure the cleaning agents and chemicals were safely stored and kept away from any animals or feed. She checked the animal feed storage area to make sure the bulk feed was stored high off the ground and not opened. If the feed bags were opened, they needed to be in labeled bins with sealed lids.

Before we left the pet store, Dr. Ferguson reviewed the store’s records. Every pet store in Michigan is required to keep health certificates for each animal species, and interstate movement health certificates, if applicable. The health certificates can be generic for each species of animal, unless individual animals have received individual care. Dr. Ferguson checked the dates on all the health certificates. New certificates need to be issued by the pet store’s private veterinarian every 30 days. When the store receives a new animal, the animal must stay in quarantine and can’t be sold until the private veterinarian verifies its health and issues a health certificate for the animal. Health certificates also indicate any medications or treatments an animal has received while in the care of the pet store.
By law, pet stores must keep adequate records of where they purchase the animals they offer to the public for sale. These purchase records must be kept by the pet store for at least two years. This is extremely important in case an infectious disease outbreak occurs in Michigan or another state.

Stop Two - - A Humane Society
Our next stop was a humane society across town from the pet store. Again, since this was Dr. Ferguson’s first visit to the facility, she spent a lot of time with the Executive Director, learning about how the humane society cares for the animals in its charge.

Since the goal of a humane society is to find homes for animals where they will be treated with love, the purpose of the inspection was to make sure the practices they used in housing and handling the animals helped them meet their goal. Dr. Ferguson spent time asking questions about how animals were brought into the facility, and how they were housed, fed, exercised and offered for adoption. As she did at the pet store, Dr. Ferguson checked the cages, food bins, storage areas, wash areas and dog runs for cleanliness and safety compliance. One thing that she makes sure to check on the larger cages is that the diameter of the holes in the fencing and the space between the bars are small enough so animals can’t get their paws or heads stuck. She also checked the animal information posted on each animal cage. 

The day we visited, there were over 40 dogs and puppies, 30 cats, six bunnies and two gerbils available for adoption. There were also some kittens still too young to be adopted. Many of the cages sported donated towels and crocheted blankets. At the humane society, all the animals they offer for adoption are owner-surrendered. Many families have to give pets up because a family member has developed allergies, or the family is moving and can’t take their pet with them.

The humane society has veterinarians and veterinary assistants on staff at the facility. When pets are surrendered to the humane society, each animal is evaluated by facility staff and volunteers for health and temperament. Many animals, especially dogs, have been kept outside, and have received very little obedience or socialization training. With a little TLC from volunteers, many improve greatly while in the care of the humane society. Here is a volunteer giving a kitten some one-on-one time.

Disease issues are always a great concern at facilities that handle large numbers of animals. Dr. Ferguson checked the methods the humane society employs to prevent the spread of disease among animals. The humane society requests that all visitors wash hands before they handle any animals and between each handling. They also have isolation and quarantine rooms for animals that show signs of infection. The most common infections at the shelter are kennel cough and parvo virus in dogs and upper respiratory infections in cats.

Every animal offered for adoption at the humane society must be spayed or neutered. Dr. Ferguson inspected the examination rooms, preparation areas, and surgeries at the facility. The surgery even had a heated operating table to make the procedure easier on the pediatric patients. The humane society in Lansing offers spay/neuter clinics for the public to bring in their animals on Mondays.

Because not every animal can be adopted, due to temperament or health reasons or simply because there are too many unwanted animals, the humane society also employs euthanasia technicians, and maintains euthanasia records.

Dr. Ferguson learned about other programs and activities sponsored by the humane society during her initial visit, including staff meetings, dog obedience classes and CHAT (Children for Humane Animal Treatment) meetings in their on-site education room and conference room; an on-site laundry facility, a foster care program for animals who are recovering from medical treatment or are too young to be adopted, humane treatment investigation program when allegations of cruelty or neglect are received, and free temporary housing for pets when families find themselves temporarily unable to care for their pets (house fires, extended illness, etc.).

As a final step of her initial inspection at the humane society, Dr. Ferguson spent time with the Executive Director reviewing the facility’s record-keeping system. The humane society has a database with information on every animal that has entered and exited their facility since the computer system was installed seven years ago.

We left Dr. Ferguson as we had found her, in a parking lot, where she was preparing to climb back into her truck and head to a cattle farm to check the results of bovine TB tests she administered earlier in the week. Each day on the job, whether she’s inspecting a pet store or testing cattle, Danielle Ferguson works to protect human health, and the health and welfare of companion animals and livestock in our state.