Northville Resident Cheryl Phillips Earns Best Friend to Cats Award

Today, Michigan Pet Alliance (MPA) proudly announces that Cheryl Phillips, Northville, Michigan, is the recipient of the Best Friend to Cats Award. MPA invites all Michigan pet lovers to join the nonprofit association and lend their voice.

“This annual award honors a nominated individual (or organization) who goes above and beyond to save, to provide care, to find homes or to advocate for Michigan’s homeless cats,” said Joe Dobesh, MPA CEO. “In this award category, Cheryl was a standout nomination for her dedication to TNVR and community cats.”

Phillips has spent the last 10 years providing trap, neuter, vaccinate, return (TNVR) services to more than 1,150 cats in Michigan. She has been instrumental in helping communities understand how to help community cats.

“I am humbled and honored to be the recipient of the Michigan Pet Alliance Best Friend to Cats Award. It is a labor of love, and it takes a village; together, through TNVR, adoption and humane education, we are making a difference in our communities for our fabulous felines, saving lives and reducing overpopulation,” said Phillips. “I am proud to be a member of MPA, a leader in advocating and making changes to improve the standards of care for our pets.”

In 2016, Phillips became the founder and executive director of GG’s Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to reduce overpopulation through TNVR and to fund spay/neuter, vaccinations, and medical care for homeless, neglected, abandoned and abused community cats and to assist others’ efforts to care for and place these rescued animals in suitable homes or other appropriate environments.

“Education and advocacy are pillars of our mission, to speak with one voice to improve lifesaving and standards of care for our state’s pets,” said Deborah Schutt, MPA chairperson. “Cheryl is one of our members who exemplifies these qualities in support of our mission.”

In May 2021, Phillips was named Humane Hero of the Month by the Humane Society of Macomb. She is also the author of “GG’s Journey: From Lost to Loved,” a book about a rescue dog named GG and how she overcame sickness and breed discrimination to find a loving home.

Cheryl, her husband Patrick Thill and their pampered felines Pepe and Diva Mac “DD” reside in Northville, Michigan.

2022 award categories and recipients:

Karen Brocklehurst Volunteer of the Year
Anne Grzywacz, Ph.D., CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, St. Clair Shores

Community Outreach Program: $3,000 grant
Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance, Douglas

Fundraising Program: $2,000 grant
Paws for Life Rescue, Troy

Elected Official’s Friend of Homeless Animals Award
Representative Tommy Brann, Kent County

Best Friend to Dogs Award
Jennifer Clarkson, Bloomfield

Best Friend to Cats Award
Cheryl Phillips, Northville

On-Site Cat Training Grants: $1,000 value to each
Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, Harbor Springs
Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, Gwinn

Grant awards are made possible thanks to the generosity of the Humane Society of Macomb Foundation. For more information on the 2022 awards program and recipients, visit www.michiganpet.org.

Best Friend to Cats Award
Every year, this award is bestowed up a person or organization that has gone above and beyond to save, care for, home or advocate for Michigan’s homeless cats.

Michigan Pet Alliance
Michigan’s only professional trade association of animal welfare organizations, the mission of Michigan Pet Alliance is to work in collaboration and to speak with a single voice to eliminate abuse and neglect of Michigan’s companion animals and to save all healthy and treatable homeless companion animals through training, technical assistance, education and advocacy. For more information or to become a member, please visit MichiganPet.org and follow @MichiganPetAlliance on Facebook.