We have made a few changes to the Policies and Procedures for Community Service volunteers who wish to complete their service at MARL. Anyone wishing to gain community service hours, whether court-ordered or for school or leadership programs, must complete an online volunteer application. Volunteers should fill out the form completely and include a brief description of the school or project they are working on. Following are some additional requirements for both current and new community service volunteers:

• Community Service volunteers must sign in by 8:00 a.m. to receive their hours;
• Volunteers who require a letter at the completion of their service must give the office at least three days notice;
• Volunteers must track their own hours, which will be verified and cross-referenced by the office upon completion;
• There is no smoking on the premises at MARL.

If you're getting ready to hunker down for the blizzard this evening don't forget to watch MARL tonight on Animal Planet's "Confessions: Animal Hoarding" at 10:00 p.m. MARL rescued 17 puppies this summer from a home in Detroit and you can see us in action!

In August of 2011, The Michigan Animal Rescue League was chosen by the producers of Animal Planet's documentary series Confessions: Animal Hoarding to rescue several dogs from distressing conditions at a Detroit residence.

A total of 17 dogs were treated and 14 puppies were taken to the MARL shelter for care.  All of the puppies that were rescued were taken into care at MARL, treated and eventually adopted by loving families right here in metro Detroit.

Tune in to see how donations from community members like you allowed MARL to give these adorable puppies a new leash on life.   

Thanks to all the volunteers who supported us for Mutt Madness! Whether you formed a bowling team, donated an auction item or helped us out at the event, we thank you for taking part in this fun-filled event.

We've had a great response for our Wish List Location Managers and at this time we are all set! Make sure to check in here for an upcoming detailed list of locations and think about visiting our sponsoring retailers through the Holiday Season! And while you're finding that perfect gift, don't forget about all the new "MARL Wear" items available for purchase. We've got some very cool Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Satchels and T's which I know I'd like to find in my stocking this year...

Please let me know if you can't make your shift over the Holidays...or if you can spend some time with us, we would love to have you. You can e-mail marlvolunteers@aol.com. Happy Thanksgiving!

We are very excited about Mutt Madness this year! We have fantastic auction items including a Red Wings package that includes a meeting with Mickey Redmond in the broadcast booth! You do not want to miss this party! See you there.

Do you have your Pooch's costume ready yet? You still have some time to get ready for the Howl-O-Ween Pooch Parade scheduled for Saturday, October 29th in the village of Clarkston from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Pets and their owners are welcome to parade down Main Street and stop by the Village shops for treats! Watch for the Orange and Black balloons.

Best Costumes will be judged at Depot Park Gazebo. Register for the event from noon - 1:00 p.m. at the Clarkston Flower Shoppe.

MARL will have adoptable animals and a Pet Expo will take place in the Clarkston Mills parking lot. See you there! 

Between Mutt Madness at Thunderbird Lanes in Troy on November 11, and the kick off of our annual Wish List Campaign the weekend after Thanksgiving, we are busier than ever in our fundraising efforts. Many volunteers have expressed interest in helping with these events and now is the time to rally! We need help with the following activities so please take a look and let me know when you can join us!

• One of the best things our volunteers can do for us is to form a team and Bowl at Mutt Madness! This is a family-friendly event and a great opportunity to support MARL while having a blast. Download a registration form, get on the MARL Web site and set up your team page where you can watch the donations GROW!
• We need help stuffing wish list cards for the Wish List campaign. If you can help stuff envelopes, please join us on Mondays over the next few weeks from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the shelter. PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU CAN! Send me an e-mail and let me know if you can make it at marlvolunteers@aol.com. We will be stuffing Oct. 24, Nov. 7 and 14.

The Annnual Wish List Campaign will kick off the weekend after Thanksgiving and we could use some volunteers to help us manage our Wish List locations! Location Managers are in charge of the displays at almost 30 locations around town. They collect items and bring them to the shelter, or fill tabletop displays at various locations. The event wraps up in mid-January. If you think you can help us out, please contact marlvolunteers@aol.com. 

Following is a list of locations where we could use your help! 

Hollywood Market
Starbucks
Busch's
Tresses