Detroit Dog Boss | Margo Butler

We’re diggin’ on Detroiters who are the top dogs in the animal care industry. These entrepreneurs, innovators and educators are what make our community a top notch place to own our pups. We hope you enjoy learning about Detroit’s Dog Bosses as much as we enjoy working with them.

Margo Butler is an executive board member of Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control, the sister organization to the city’s municipal shelter. She has played a key role in implementing life-saving programs, such as Detroit Dogventures and Slumber Parties, as well as supporting volunteer and fundraising programs. FoDACC has helped save the lives of thousands of animals in the past two years, helping the shelter raise live release rates to 80% so far in 2019.

Q: When did you know you wanted to work with animals and how did you get there?

A: I’ve always wanted to work with animals. In preschool, I dressed up as a dog walker for “what do you want to be when you grow up?” day. It happened pretty naturally – I was lucky enough to collect donations for a local shelter for my birthday as a kid, which meant that I got to play with puppies and kittens every year. I started watching neighbor dogs at twelve, volunteering for a local rescue at sixteen, then working at various dog daycares at nineteen. When I adopted the love of my life, a very “special” dog who has needed a lot of behavioral support over the years, we took a class with K9 Turbo Training, which somehow turned into my day job in July 2017. I also joined the founding executive board of Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control in February 2017. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive some amazing opportunities in the animal welfare community, and I do my best to take advantage of them all.

Q: What do you like the most about working with dogs?

A: Surprisingly, it’s the people. The opportunity to help create a more compassionate, well-educated community is nothing short of an honor. Whether it’s helping someone find their new best friend or helping someone give their dog a better life through resources or education, we are creating an animal welfare culture that isn’t just about making the lives of the animals better – it’s about improving the lives of the people that love them, too.

Q: What’s the most exciting thing happening in your organization this year?

A: Detroit Dogventures, our one-day foster program that allows the public to take a dog out on the town. There are two things that I love about this program: one, we get a ton of valuable information on what the dogs are like outside of a shelter environment, which has significantly increased adoption rates; two, we are not only reaching the people in our immediate community, but bringing people who may not know much about Detroit into the city for an incredibly positive, fun experience. It’s a win-win-win for the dogs, shelter, and community.

Q: Favorite dog breed, and why?

A: I love a good Detroit Special. They are the perfect representation of this city – diverse, resilient, and worthy.

Q: What’s one thing you want dog owners in Metro Detroit to know?

A: There are so many dogs in need in our community, and there are so many easy ways to help them. If you can’t adopt or foster a dog long-term, consider coming down to DACC to take a dog for a one-night Slumber Party or one-day Detroit Dogventure. You don’t have to come to the shelter to make a difference, though – there are a variety of things that you can do from home, too, like answering emails or helping with social media campaigns. You can join our facebook group, Detroit Animal Care and Control Volunteers, to learn more about our volunteer opportunities.