WHS and MADACC launch Home Stretch
MILWAUKEE – Officials with the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) and the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) are launching a new joint foster program, “Home Stretch,” in order to save more stray animals in Milwaukee County.
Animals at MADACC who are not claimed by their owners may qualify for the program if they are too young or too sick to be transferred out of the facility for immediate placement. They will instead be sent to recuperate in volunteer foster homes. Once they are healthy, they will enter the adoption program at WHS. The program will also be available to healthy unclaimed animals if the organizations simply need more space to house them before adoption.
“We are excited to partner with the Wisconsin Humane Society in an effort to save more of Milwaukee’s stray animals, especially as our busiest season approaches. In open intake facilities like MADACC, illness can be quite common due to the nature of animals entering, and the stress of being in a new environment, but we still want to help those vulnerable animals find homes,” said Karen Sparapani, the executive director at MADACC.
MADACC already transfers thousands of animals to WHS and other rescue organizations with adoption programs, but animals who are sick pose special challenges.
“We’ve been working to find a way to take more animals from MADACC,” explained Anne Reed, WHS’s executive director, “but when animals are sick, we risk infecting our own population of animals – illness can be so devastating for any shelter. This program will allow sick animals to get well in foster homes before entering our adoption program, keeping WHS animals healthy and freeing up space at both MADACC and WHS to accommodate more animals.”
The program needs new volunteers and is currently accepting volunteer foster applications. People can also help by donating non-clumping cat litter and food for the animals in the program, or by making a donation online. To volunteer or donate to Home Stretch, please visit www.wihumane.org orwww.madacc.com.
“The success of the program will depend on how many people in the community are willing to open their hearts and homes to become a foster parent for a needy animal,” Sparapani said.
About the Wisconsin Humane Society
The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) is the oldest and largest shelter in Wisconsin.
The non-profit organization was founded in 1879 and currently operates shelters three shelters: the Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Racine Campuses. WHS offers adoption services, educational programming, spay/neuter clinics for animals from low-income households, retail products, volunteer programs and dog training classes. The Milwaukee shelter also houses the state’s largest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The organization annually cares for 20,000 domestic and wild animals. For more information, please call (414) 264-6257 or visit wihumane.org.
About Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission
MADACC provides animal regulation and care services which protect the health, public safety and welfare of people and animals in Milwaukee County.
MADACC rescues and assures safe, temporary shelter, veterinary and humane care for nearly 13,000 stray, unwanted, abandoned, mistreated and injured animals each year — more than any other animal care and control shelter in Wisconsin. MADACC provides a central location for owners to find and recover their lost pets, rescues strays and removes dangerous animals from public areas, providing effective animal control services by active enforcement of Wisconsin State Statues pertaining to animal welfare. For more information, please call (414) 649-8640.
- Thursday, April 4, 2013
- For Immediate Release
- Media Contact: Angela Speed
- (414) 431-6104
- aspeed@wihumane.org
