Julie Beukema has been in rescue in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area for about 10 years. She got into rescue by fostering dogs and puppies, especially heartworm-positive dogs. During the pandemic in March 2022, she decided to start her own shelter.

She had watched how other rescues operated and felt it was time to begin her own. She’d been involved with many rescues in the GR area. She knew rescue could be accomplished differently, fosterers could be treated better, and adopters could also be treated with consideration and flexibility. Moreover, people ready to surrender their pets might be able to keep them if she could help with what they lacked: food, spaying/neutering, etc. And of course, she would take back any animals that had been adopted through her rescue and could no longer be kept, for whatever reason.

Her first rescue animal was a French Bulldog named Fig. She came to Julie a mess and couldn’t walk. Vets encouraged her to euthanize the dog because she was in such bad shape. She returned over  $4,000 in pop cans and bottles (Michigan pays 10 cents for every returnable pop can or bottle) to pay for her spinal surgery on the other side of the state. She also needed physical therapy, for which Julie raised funds. For Julie, Fig epitomizes what rescue is all about.

The rescue started with dogs, but cats outnumber dogs now. She takes in whoever she can; big medical bills don’t scare her. She takes in kittens, pets that were shot, and animals from other shelters and rescues. While Fig & Friends doesn’t have a building of its own yet, she partners with the local Cat Café to adopt out adult cats. Kittens are too fragile to be at the café because they can contract illnesses that adult cats aren’t bothered by.

Her network of fosterers spans the entire county, from Dorr to Comstock Park. The number of fosterers varies from month to month, but generally, there are about 20 foster homes. The rescue also has a board now, including 5 people who help with decision-making. It works with the local low-cost spay/neuter clinic, C-SNIP; a local vet clinic, Family Friends; as well as area animal emergency hospitals.

Julie said, “If I just took calls from family and friends, I’d be busy enough.” However, she fields about 20 calls a day, along with messages, from people needing help with animals. She also receives requests from other shelters and rescue groups across the state almost daily. One of her volunteers drives all over the state to help rescue animals from some of these shelters,  to alleviate overcrowding, or for other reasons. Fig & Friends works with local rescue groups too, including Feral Cat Solutions.

Fig & Friends currently accommodates 15 dogs and puppies and 60 cats and kittens. It hopes to have a building one day. In the meantime, its partnership with the Cat Café is great for adopting out adult cats and, through word of mouth, kittens.

Julie has three dogs (Fig, Rue & Lasso) and three cats of her own (Murdoch, Alanna, and  Vidalia). Julie works as a librarian at the GR Public Library. She loves to read and help people by connecting them to the resources they need. Rescue is connecting people to resources too. Doing the best she can every day might not make a big difference, but it makes a difference for those she helps.

If you wish to help Fig & Friends, please consider donating to this Con’s fundraiser for the rescue. Their website is here. Thank you.

– Amy Venlos