Page coming soon – stay tuned!
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Behavior Video Library
Watch as our WHS behavior experts demonstrate how to handle many of the most common behavioral challenges and provide preventative tips to help set your pet up for success.
Video topics include:
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Home to Home Adoption
Adopt Directly From an Owner
If you haven’t found your match at the Wisconsin Humane Society yet, we recommend visiting the Home To Home website to view local animals in need of new homes. This third-party website helps animals find new families while they’re still in their current homes, rather than surrendering them to a shelter or rescue group.
The pets on Home To Home are not animals in the care of the Wisconsin Humane Society, and WHS is not involved in the adoption process. Instead, this is a courtesy listing of animals out in the community who are remaining in their current homes until their guardians can find them new families. If you have questions or are interested in adopting any of the animals featured on the site, please click on their photo and send an inquiry to the current owner directly through their profile.
The Wisconsin Humane Society is not responsible for any health or behavioral concerns these animals may have.
Are you looking to list your animal on Home To Home? Visit our Virtual Rehoming page for more information on how to get started.
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Behavior Tips Library
Whether your cat is avoiding the litterbox or your puppy won’t stop chewing your shoes, we’ve got resources to help you navigate a wide variety of common behavior challenges! Created by our behavior experts using science-based approaches, all of our resources utilize positive reinforcement and strengthen the bonds between humans and their companions.
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Virtual Rehoming
Home To Home is a third-party website that helps animals find new families while they’re still in their current homes, rather than surrendering them to a shelter or rescue group.
Rehome Your Pet
When it comes to finding a new home for your animal, their best resource is often you! Since you know all their preferences, habits, and routines, your insight can be incredibly helpful in finding them a great match. Plus, through virtual rehoming, your animal gets to stay in a familiar environment (your home) while you search for an adopter or foster home, rather than coming to a shelter.
Home To Home is a direct-to-adopter online tool for pet guardians looking to rehome their animals:
- All species are welcome on the site, as long as they are legal to have as pets in Wisconsin.
- All listings are reviewed and approved by a Wisconsin Humane Society volunteer to dissuade any misuse of the site. Once your listing is live, you will work one-on-one with potential adopters to determine who is the best match for your animal and complete the adoption yourself. Check out our Rehoming Guide for more info, support, and questions to ask potential adopters.
- WHS is not responsible for the medical or behavioral condition of the animals listed, nor the outcomes of your conversations with potential adopters or foster parents.
Adopt an Animal
If you haven’t found your match at the Wisconsin Humane Society yet, we recommend visiting the Home To Home website to view local animals in need of new homes.
The pets on Home To Home are not animals in the care of the Wisconsin Humane Society, and WHS is not involved in the adoption process. Instead, this is a courtesy listing of animals out in the community who are remaining in their current homes until their guardians can find them new families. If you have questions or are interested in adopting any of the animals featured on the site, please click on their photo and send an inquiry to the current owner directly through their profile.
The Wisconsin Humane Society is not responsible for any health or behavioral concerns these animals may have.
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Pets for Life
The Wisconsin Humane Society’s Pets for Life program reaches animals and families in underserved Milwaukee neighborhoods with little to no access to pet care resources. We maintain a consistent community presence and build relationships through door-to-door outreach, provide free pet care services, and remove barriers like transportation and cost so families can provide important care to the animals they love.
Our Pets for Life program serves people and animals in Milwaukee’s 53206 and 53205 zip codes and Amani, Franklin Heights, Halyard Park, Harambee, Metcalfe Park, Midtown, and Walnut Hill neighborhoods, where not a single veterinary clinic currently exists. Through door-to-door outreach, our team provides free spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, and other resources while building trust and relationships with community members.
Support the Program
You can make a contribution to support our Pets for Life program using our secure donation form. Your gift of any size directly helps us keep pets in the homes where they’re loved and leaves more room in our shelters for animals who don’t already have an advocate. Thank you for your support!
We are tremendously grateful to the following donors for their support:
Humane World for Animals
Laura J. Niles Foundation
Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust
Ralph Evinrude Foundation
Anon Charitable Trust
Old National Bank
James E. Dutton Foundation
Athletes 4 Animals -
Animal Surrender
We understand there are circumstances that may prevent you from being able to keep your pet, and the Wisconsin Humane Society is here to help!
If you are struggling to keep your pet:
- Check out our Pet Resources page to see if we offer a program or service that could help you keep your pet.
- Contact our Community Resource Navigator to talk through possible resources and alternatives to surrendering your pet at 414-431-6115 or petresources@wihumane.org.
- Explore online re-homing to find your animal a new home without having to bring them into the shelter.
- If you have not had success with the options above, the Wisconsin Humane Society is here to help. See below for information on our surrender process.
Surrender Process
Surrendered animals are accepted on a walk-in basis at all WHS campuses during open surrender/arrivals hours. No appointment necessary.
When you bring your pet to WHS for surrender, he or she will receive a health and behavior assessment. There are no time or space limits at our shelters, which means that if we are able to place your pet in our adoption program, he or she will remain with us until they find a good match.
- Please bring a government-issued photo ID (such as a drivers license)
- If you have them, please bring your pet’s medical records and list of any medications/supplements they may be on
- For everyone’s safety, all dogs must be leashed, and all cats must be in carriers. If you do not have a leash or a carrier, please leave your pet in your vehicle and request one from the shelter.
- Please complete and print the appropriate form below (form can also be filled out at WHS if a printer is unavailable to you):
- Dog Intake Profile
- Cat Intake Profile
- Bird Intake Profile
- Reptile/Amphibian/Invertebrate Intake Profile
- Small Animal Intake Profile (rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, ferret, etc.)
These fees go toward the care of animals while we help them find new homes.
Fees can be reduced or waived if they are a barrier; we will never turn an animal away due to financial constraints.
Animal Single Animal
(Fee Per Animal)Multiple Animals
(Fee Applied to Group)Dogs $40.00 $75.00 Cats $40.00 $75.00 Rabbits $30.00 $55.00 Small animals $20.00 $35.00 Exotics $75.00 No group discount There are some circumstances where animals cannot be placed up for adoption at WHS.
All safe, healthy animals are placed into our adoption program and have as long as it takes to find a new home. Whether or not we can place other animals into our adoption program is determined based on several factors. These include the severity of the medical or behavioral condition, quality of life, risk to other animals in our care, public safety, and the ability to manage significant medical or behavioral issues. Click here to learn more about our outcome decision-making philosophy. Upon surrendering, you can choose whether or not to be notified if we cannot place your animal in our adoption program.
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Shelter for Domestic Violence Survivors
Safe Haven Foster Program
The Wisconsin Humane Society Milwaukee Campus and Sojourner Family Peace Center have partnered to provide the Safe Haven program, which offers up to 60 days of shelter for animals from families affected by domestic violence.
Research finds that 75% of abused women who have companion animals report a history of their companion animal being threatened or intentionally harmed by their intimate partner*. Abusers often use animals as pawns to manipulate and control the survivor, taking advantage of the survivor’s concern for his or her animal. Abusers may threaten, harm, or kill animals to intimidate survivors, demand silence about the abuse, or prevent them from leaving.
Many survivors are unable to leave an abusive situation because they fear for their animal’s safety. The Safe Haven program makes it possible for survivors to leave an abusive relationship without losing their companion animal. Animals provide companionship, comfort, and unconditional love to survivors and their children affected by domestic violence, and preserving the bond between families and their animals is vitally important.
Get Support for Your Pet
Milwaukee-area
To enroll in the Safe Haven program, contact the Sojourner Family Peace Center at 414-933-2722
Outside of Milwaukee
Services vary by community. Click here to find resources available near you.
Support the Program
Thank you for your interest in helping survivors navigate their journey to safety. Your generosity will help save lives – both human and animal.
- Volunteer as a foster parent | Fostering an animal for the Safe Haven program not only provides a comfortable home environment for the animal, but also peace of mind for their family, so they can focus on leaving a dangerous situation. Find more information and apply here.
- Donate | You can contribute directly to the Safe Haven program to help offset the costs of feeding, supplies, and daily care for animals during their stay with us.
“Our friend Joe Pabst has been a driving force in our ability to offer this important program, and we’re so appreciative of his partnership. This program is one of the many ways we are able to fulfill our mission of making a difference for animals AND the people who love them. We are grateful to the Sojourner Peace Center for helping accomplish that, by offering families in these unthinkable situations a safe place for their pets while they find safety themselves.”
-Alison Fotsch, WHS President & CEO
“I come from a family that loves animals. One of my sisters was a victim of domestic violence, and I believe that her pets were an obstacle to her ability to leave. They were very important to her. Despite our efforts and many interventions, we couldn’t save her. In the people the Safe Haven Foster Program helps, I see my sister. I see a survivor. I see a person with another chance.”
-Joseph Pabst
*McDonald, S. E., Collins, E. A., Maternick, A., Nicotera, N., Graham-Bermann, S., Ascione, F. R., & Williams, J. H. (2019). Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Reports of Their Children’s Exposure to Companion Animal Maltreatment: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(13), 2627-2652. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516689775
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Pet Food Pantry
The Wisconsin Humane Society’s pet food pantry helps keep people and their pets together by providing food, treats, and litter to bridge gaps in access to these important resources.
WHS Pantry Information
- Available at all six WHS Campuses: Milwaukee, Racine, Ozaukee, Kenosha, Green Bay, and Door County
- Open to the public during adoption hours at each location, or you can call to arrange an alternate pick-up time.
- Availability of dog food, cat food, pet treats, and cat litter is dependent on donations from the community.
Donate to the pantry
By contributing to the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Pet Food Pantry, your generosity helps keep animals in the homes where they’re loved and leaves more room in our shelters for animals who don’t already have an advocate.
PET FOOD PANTRY NEEDS:
- Dog food (wet or dry)
- Cat food (wet or dry)
- Dog treats
- Cat treats
- Cat litter
We accept donations of all kinds, but we can only use unopened bags of food/treats/litter for the pet food pantry. All sizes, brands, and types of food are greatly appreciated! Donations can be dropped off at any WHS shelter during our regular operating hours.
DONATE FROM HOME:
We offer steep discounts on pet food, treats, and cat litter through our online store! Simply select a product to donate, check out as usual, and we’ll stock the item in the pet food pantry. It’s that easy!
On behalf of the many animals and families served by WHS, thank you for your contribution!
Other pet food resources
Pet food and/or supplies may also be available from the following community partners. We recommend calling ahead to ensure availability, hours, and qualifications.
- Community Paws Pet Food Pantry | Open Mondays 4-6pm, Thursdays 1-3pm | 1410 South Webster Ave, Green Bay | Click here for eligibility criteria
- Animal Foundation & Pet Pantry of Wisconsin | Contact for availability via email or text 920-428-7387 | Website | Facebook
- Ozaukee Food Alliance | 100 E Green Bay Ave, Saukville | Ozaukee County residents can learn more at ozaukeefoodalliance.org
- Feed and Clothe My People of Door County | 204 N 14th Ave, Sturgeon Bay | Door County residents can call 920-743-9053 to make a pick up appointment | Click here for more information
- Racine County residents can call 211 for directions on which pantry to visit. Income qualifications do apply.