Stacey Abbs

Stacey Abbs is a counselor at Garber High School and the Director of Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue. She has loved dogs her entire life and now loves that she gets to spend her time helping them find their forever homes. While she absolutely adores the dogs, Stacey was surprised to discover that her true joy lies in building a community of like-minded volunteers who share her vision.

Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue is hosting a free vaccine clinic at Bay County Animal Service on October 12. This program is possible thanks to the memorial fund of a long-time Mitten Mutts volunteer, Karen Klamer, who wanted to ensure that all pet owners can care for their furry friends. SVSU Alumni are volunteering at the event to help it run smoothly. If you want to volunteer at the event, you can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/mittenmuttsalum.

Before Mitten Mutts

Stacey started at SVSU with no idea what she wanted to study. She followed the advice of a friend who told her to take classes that sounded interesting and then pick a major based on the classes that she liked. This worked for Stacey, and she soon declared a Criminal Justice major. At SVSU, Stacey found the content so interesting that she was looking forward to attending class.

After graduating and working at Bay Area Community Foundation and Delta College Admissions, Stacey realized she wanted to work with students more directly to help them discover and plan what they want to do after their k-12 education. So she went back to school to become a school counselor. She now works as a school counselor at Garber High School. She loves working with the students and feels she is able to make a difference.

Stacey has always been a dog lover, and she knew that she would get a dog as soon as she got her first "real job “after graduating from SVSU. She adopted her first dog, Charles, from Saginaw County Animal Control in 2013 and became hooked on rescuing. She began fostering dogs in 2018 and discovered Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue on Facebook in 2019. Stacey reached out to the director and asked how she could help the rescue, and after becoming close and talking about the needs of the rescue, she became the director of Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue in 2020.

Mitten Mutts

Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue was founded in 2019. In just a few short years, this all-volunteer organization has found forever homes for over 500 dogs—and they're just getting started. Mitten Mutts doesn't have a physical shelter. Instead, it rely on a network of dedicated foster families who open their hearts and homes to dogs in need.

Stacey thought her favorite part of being the Director of Mitten Mutts would be the animals, but she was pleasantly surprised when she discovered that it was the people who volunteered to help make the rescue a success. She is filled with joy when she loves volunteering alongside others who care about the dogs as much as she does.

On October 12, Mitten Mutts will host a free vaccine clinic for dogs and cats at Bay County Animal Services – thanks to one special volunteer's generosity. Karen Klamer was a devoted Mitten Mutts volunteer who left a lasting legacy when she passed away. Her sister, Kelly Klamer, a fellow Mitten Mutts volunteer, wanted to honor Karen's memory and continue her work. So, she used the funds raised in Karen's name to create a free vaccine clinic. The SVSU Alumni Relations Office is helping by providing volunteers to check people in and keep things running smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, sign up at https://tinyurl.com/mittenmuttsalum.

If you are interested in volunteering with Mitten Mutts through fostering, driving to vet appointments, or helping at events, or you are interested in adopting through Mitten Mutts, follow them on Facebook at Mitten Mutts Dog Rescue.

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