Burton | 1.8.2026
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE M. O’BRIEN
Professional Pet Photographer, Ruff Life Photography, LLC
The Humane Society of Genesee County has always had the community’s support, which is why it was no surprise to see a large turnout for the shelter’s 100-year anniversary celebration on January 8. The shelter has survived 10 decades thanks to the generosity of the people and businesses of Genesee County.
Because of this support, the shelter board thought a little party to thank the community, complete with a ribbon-cutting, was in order.
Attendees toured the shelter and learned about its history.
On January 8, 1926, the Humane Society of Genesee County was incorporated. There was a small business office set up inside a firehouse, but the real work happened in the people’s homes. A small group of friends, led by J. Edington Burroughs, took in animals in need in Genesee County. By 1946, the operation grew to the point that operations moved out of private homes and into a brick and mortar shelter on Dort Hwy, then to a larger structure in Burton in 1968. In 1993, shelter operations moved once more – to the site where it is currently housed on Dort Hwy., in Burton.
