Justin Passick
Contributing Writer
(Justin Passick/TCJ – Big plans bring big challenges for Friends of Eaton County Animals, a non-profit that wants to help shelter and care for lost and abandoned pets.)
Eaton County Animal Control operations have been scaled back since mid-2025 with the defeat of a public safety tax millage. The cuts left one staff member on duty.
As a result, there is no official shelter for lost and abandoned pets roaming the streets.
That oversight is something District 12 County Commissioner Nicole Christensen and her husband, Charlotte City Council Member Jeffrey Christensen, plan to correct.
In 2025, the couple launched the Friends of Eaton County Animals (FECA) nonprofit in the hope of one day creating and staffing a full-service shelter for the community.
The challenge of establishing this shelter is, first and foremost, funding. Nicole reports that unless a municipality or individual donates property, it is expected to cost $2.5 million to purchase and equip a building to serve as the base of operations.
The mission doesn’t end there, with further funding being required to keep it running and properly staffed with at least one or two paid positions alongside plenty of volunteers.
FECA already has some ideas for how the eventual shelter operation would function, but it has kept the focus on raising funds for this massive undertaking.
Organizers are also encouraging the community to help the cause with a variety of events over the coming months, suitable for everyone from small children to rowdy adults.
The second annual Woofstock event will be held Saturday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the courthouse square in Charlotte. Embracing a carnival theme, the event will include games, vendors, raffles, food trucks and a dog costume parade. The group is still searching for vendors and raffle prize sponsors. The official cutoff for vendors and food spaces is Saturday, Sept. 1, though latecomers will be accommodated.
On Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Eaton County Fairgrounds, FECA is hosting a daylong concert called Until Every Paw Has a Home. A variety of musical performances will include Atomic Annie, Next Out 6, Dew South and Slick Jimmy. The event will also feature vendors, auctions, drawings and food trucks. With an expected attendance nearing 1,000, Nicole hopes businesses will aid in sponsoring the event.
Fundraisers continue with a Princess, Paws and Pancakes event, to be held Jan. 9, 2027, at the Eaton Area Senior Center. The plan is to start around 4:30 p.m. for children to meet and greet their favorite Disney princesses before a pancake dinner at 6 p.m. The group is searching for a few superheroes to participate as well.
When not hosting events, FECA sells items like customized candles and limited-time T-shirts through their website to help fund the mission. Food donations are also welcome, as Nicole runs a pet food pantry from her home, something she hopes to continue at the eventual shelter.
For information, or to assist with donations, volunteering, sponsorship or a vendor space, contact the group via Facebook, by phone at 517-588-9920 or at foeca.org.
