By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Ortonville — A Brandon High School junior is looking to make a lasting impact on the Ortonville community and their pets.
Madi Waatti, 17, is an ambassador-level girl scout with Troop 70649 and is initiating a project for her Gold Award to make Ortonville more pet friendly.
“I’m a pet owner,” she said. “When I go up to Boyne, I see a lot more pets everywhere because they’re more pet friendly. I was just thinking that there are a lot of animals in Ortonville, so pet owners would enjoy it.”
The program would follow the principals outlined by Mars, Inc’s better cities for pets program. She plans to work with the Ortonville Downtown Development Authority to launch the project. Local businesses that wish to participate could receive a water dish with the DDA logo for outside the business, a leash hook either for outside the business or at the checkout counter to allow people to pay for their items while their pet is secured, a treat box outside or at the counter, and window clings to indicate a pet-friendly business. It would also provide leash hooks at the pavilion and other locations, a public toy box with chew toys at Crossman Park and signage regarding pet safety in parks and sidewalks. She also hopes to advocate for pet-friendly plats in the Heritage Garden and other public spaces. Business owners would just fill out the survey that she would provide by emailing mwaatti24@users.brandonschooldistrict.org. They could also request a donation jar to help
“We’re currently getting a milk crate with toys in it so pets can have fun downtown, or places that families can go downtown and have fun with their pets,” she said. “The Gold Award is basically, it can’t be a bench or anything, it has to be something that people can upkeep later on, it has to be community based,” she said. “Some have done like gardens that someone maintains, or like the pride festival. It’s your legacy on the town basically.”
Waatti said her main goal is just to bring the community together with their pets. For fundraising, or to request a survey, contact her at mwaatti24@users.brandonschooldistrict.org.