Little Traverse Bay Humane Society

What Little Traverse Bay Humane Society does

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society (LTBHS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1951 and headquartered at 1300 West Conway, between Harbor Springs and Petoskey, Michigan. It operates a comprehensive regional animal welfare platform combining animal rescue, adoption, a full-service veterinary clinic, boarding, grooming, training, and community programs such as Trap-Neuter-Return for community cats, Snout 'n About pet visitation, and De-Stress with Pets animal-assisted stress relief. In 2025, the organization reported rescuing 1,008 animals, adopting out 842, performing 1,617 spay and neuter surgeries, and distributing 13,880 pounds of pet food, with 65% of animals served originating from Emmet, Cheboygan, and Charlevoix counties and 97.5% from within Michigan.

The organization's revenue model is a hybrid of earned service fees and contributed support. Transaction-based revenue streams include adoption fees, veterinary clinic services (including high-volume spay/neuter), boarding, grooming, and training. Recurring and contributed revenue streams include individual donations, the PAWS Partner monthly giving program, annual memberships, corporate sponsorships (notably Best Friends Animal Society, Bissell Pet Foundation, and approximately eleven local business sponsors), legacy planned giving, and merchandise sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization distributes its services through direct on-site delivery at its Harbor Springs facility, a community outreach and foster network across Northern Michigan, an informational website, and partner-mediated transfer relationships with other shelters and rescue organizations.

LTBHS holds a Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating, a GuideStar Transparency Seal, and a 2025 No-Kill Badge, signaling recognized accountability and operational standards. It is governed by a Board of Directors and employs 11-50 staff, supplemented by a volunteer and foster network. Strategic priorities center on sustaining regional no-kill rescue capacity, expanding community programming, and broadening recurring donor and corporate sponsor support.

Name

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society

Legal name

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society

Website

https://ltbhs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization in Northern Michigan that rescues, adopts, and provides veterinary, boarding, grooming, and training services for pets in Emmet, Cheboygan, and Charlevoix counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Animal shelter services
• Veterinary care services
• Pet adoption services
• Animal rescue operations
• Community pet programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Harbor Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that relies on donations from individuals, including one-time gifts, monthly giving programs (PAWS Partner), and legacy planned giving.
2. Adoption Fees: Revenue generated from animal adoptions, placing approximately 842 animals annually.
3. Veterinary Services: Revenue from spay/neuter surgeries (1,617 annually), veterinary clinic services, boarding, grooming, and training.
4. Memberships: Annual membership program providing ongoing support with various benefit tiers.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from business sponsors including Best Friends Animal Society, Bissell Pet Foundation, and local business sponsors.
6. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise through the organization's storefront.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that rescues and adopts out approximately 842 animals annually and operates a full-service veterinary clinic that performs more than 1,600 spay and neuter surgeries per year. It supplements these core offerings with paid pet services including boarding, grooming, and training, alongside community programs such as foster care, Trap-Neuter-Return for community cats, pet food distribution, and animal-assisted stress-relief activities.

Product overview

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society operates as a single unified non-profit organization offering integrated animal welfare services. The core portfolio centers on animal rescue and adoption (rescuing 900+ animals annually) paired with a full-service veterinary clinic providing spay/neuter surgeries and medical care. Additional service modules include boarding, grooming, and training, which complement the core animal care mission. Community engagement programs include foster care, community cats (TNR), Snout 'n About visitation, and De-Stress with Pets therapy programs. The organization also offers multiple giving channels including PAWS Partner monthly giving, memorial donations, and legacy giving for donor engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Rescue and Adoption Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,008 animals rescued in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Best Friends Animal SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational animal welfare organization partnership. Best Friends is a leading nonprofit working to end the killing of pets in America's shelters. Partnership provides resources, network connections, and support for LTBHS's rescue mission.
• Bissell Pet FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPet foundation focused on reducing the number of pets in shelters and supporting pet adoption. Partnership helps fund spay/neuter initiatives and adoption events.
• Amelia Fettig CounselingminorOthersLocal counseling service providing emotional support resources, possibly related to pet loss support or human-animal bond counseling services.
• Ruff Life PhotographyminorOthersLocal photography business providing professional photos of adoptable animals to support the adoption process.
• Nubs NobminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business (Putts Sponsors 2026) providing event sponsorship and marketing support for fundraisers and community events.
• Dickinson WrightminorOthersLaw firm providing legal support services, likely pro bono or discounted legal counsel for nonprofit operations.
• Evening Star JoineryminorOthersLocal woodworking business providing in-kind services or products for shelter operations.
• Petoskey Harbor WearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal apparel business providing merchandise support and marketing exposure for the organization.
• LS DesignminorOthersDesign services provider supporting shelter marketing materials and branding needs.
• Quiet MooseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor providing marketing support and community event sponsorship.
• Subaru by the BayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional Subaru dealership providing corporate sponsorship and marketing support for animal welfare initiatives.
• Healthy AlternativesminorOthersLocal business sponsor, likely providing pet-related products or services as part of corporate support.
• Tres Belle Interior DesignminorOthersInterior design business providing in-kind services to improve shelter facilities and spaces.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• VCA Animal Hospitals: Largest national network of veterinary hospitals offering primary, specialty, and emergency care. Comparable as a competing veterinary services provider in adjacent Michigan markets where LTBHS operates its clinic.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National animal welfare nonprofit and LTBHS's core strategic partner; operates the largest no-kill network in the U.S. Comparable in mission (no-kill, adoption, spay/neuter advocacy) but operates at vastly greater geographic scale.
• Humane Society of the United States: Largest U.S. animal protection organization with national advocacy and shelter-support programs. Broad incumbent in the same animal welfare space, though primarily an advocacy and grantmaking body rather than a direct shelter operator.
• Petco Love (formerly Petco Foundation): National animal welfare foundation funded by Petco that supports adoption events and lifesaving programs at shelters nationwide. Comparable as a sector ecosystem participant with overlapping donor and partner base.
• PetSmart Charities: National animal welfare charity that funds adoption, spay/neuter, and rescue programs at shelters across North America. Comparable as a sector-level funder and ecosystem partner in the same animal welfare category.
• ASPCA: Large national animal welfare organization with shelter, adoption, and veterinary programs. Operates at significantly greater scale and geographic reach but in the same category of multi-service animal welfare nonprofits.
• Bissell Pet Foundation: National pet welfare foundation and LTBHS partner that funds shelter adoptions, spay/neuter, and pet-related causes. Comparable in mission alignment and as a funder/partner within the same animal welfare ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Kent County Animal Shelter: Michigan-based county animal shelter providing adoption, licensing, and low-cost spay/neuter services. Comparable as a regional government/contracted shelter with overlapping adoption and population-control programming.
• Michigan Humane: Michigan-based animal welfare nonprofit operating shelter, adoption, veterinary, and cruelty-investigation services across the state. Closest direct peer given overlapping service portfolio (shelter + vet + community programs) in the same state.
• Humane Society of Huron Valley: Regional Michigan humane society operating shelter, veterinary clinic, training, and community programs. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized multi-service humane society serving a defined geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ltbhs231

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Little Traverse Bay Humane Society