No living animal should go unwanted. Yet, every day
across America, they pour into
animal shelters…their eyes reflecting the fear and uncertainty
in their lives.
At a glance, can you tell what they have been through?
Suffering has many faces…a dog spending countless nights
searching for a warm place to shelter them…a mother cat seeking
solace and food for her family in an abandoned building…a lonely
senior animal given up by its family, not knowing why it has
come to this unfamiliar place.
We live in a state known for its beauty, yet the plight of
unwanted animals is far from beautiful. Over 5,000 animals
are homeless in Washington County alone, and the numbers
continue to grow. We need your help to continue to carry
out our important mission. We can’t do it alone.
Our Mission
The mission of The Washington County Humane Society is to
protect animals from suffering and cruelty, to provide care
for animals afflicted by neglect and abandonment, and to
enhance the lives of animals and people through education,
adoption and compassion.
The WCHS...
Rescues and cares for nearly 3,500
animals each year
Is a private, nonprofit
organization serving animals and people since 1968
Does not euthanize for space and
does not put a time limit on
adoptable pets
Receives no government funding or tax
dollars and is not a United Way agency
Receives no funding from, and is not
affiliated with, any state, national, or other humane
organizations
Relies heavily on the generosity
of our supporters
Inspected and
licensed by the Dept. of Animal Health-DATCP. License
#266935-DS.
We Need Your
Support Because We...
Take in
surrendered and stray animals, providing them with inoculations
and testing
Reunite lost animals with their loving guardians
Treat illnesses in-house with outside veterinary support, and
provide emergency veterinary care for animals in need
Perform low cost spay/neuter surgeries with our
Barn Buddies
program and Feral Cat
TNR
(Trap/Neuter/Release) program to reduce pet overpopulation
Work extensively with potential adopters to ensure the best
possible matches, and provide follow-up consulting services to
those families as well as others calling for assistance
Offer
educational programs to schools at no cost to teach children
about responsible pet care and bite prevention
Provide teachers and students with access to our Resource Room
for research materials (videos, books and lesson plans) on
animal-related issues
Offer presentations to community groups about the role of the
Humane Society in our community
Brighten the lives of nursing home and hospital residents with
our Pet-A-Pet Therapy program
Are contracted with Washington County for stray dog pickup,
and contracted with 12 out of 20 municipalities for stray cat
and injured/ill wildlife pickup
Provide free care and shelter for the companion animals of
domestic abuse victims in our Safe Pets/Safe People program
Act as an animal sheltering facility for the Red Cross in the
event of a local disaster
Provide dogs at no charge to Service Organizations such as
Dogs for Independence, PAWS With a Cause, and U.S. Customs
Work closely with wildlife rehabilitators prior to re-release
Are a driving force for greater legislative protection for
animals throughout Wisconsin
Programs & Services
Barn Buddies
Barn Buddies
offers an inexpensive opportunity to protect the health and
well-being of your outdoor barn buddy, while helping to limit
cat overpopulation in our county. For just $50 (male) or
$60 (female), your lovable mouser will get spayed/neutered,
receive a parasite treatment, and rabies and distemper
vaccinations.
Washington
County
cats are spayed/neutered, receive a rabies vaccine, and have
their ear tipped for identification purposes. Please check
with us before bringing cats in because some municipalities do
not allow TNR.
Purina Pets for Seniors
This program allows senior citizens (60 years and older) to
adopt an animal at a reduced price or no charge at all!
Buddy System
Take two wonderful, loving cats home for the price of one!
We will be happy to help you find just the right pair you are
looking for.
Dog Training
We provide year-round, low-cost
dog training classes
to assist dog owners and prevent pet relinquishment.
Crematorium – “A Lasting Memory”
The passing of a family pet is never easy. To help ease
the pain during this difficult time, we offer private,
modified private, or group
cremation services. We also offer
beautiful urns
as a memorial for your beloved pet.
Mornings are spent cleaning, feeding and
caring for the animals. Please respect our animal viewing
hours.
Mondays
1:00 p.m. -
7:00 p.m.
Tuesdays
1:00 p.m. -
5:00 p.m.
Wednesdays
5:00 p.m. -
8:00 p.m.
Thursdays
1:00 p.m. -
5:00 p.m.
Fridays
1:00 p.m. -
5:00 p.m.
Saturdays
1:00 p.m. -
5:00 p.m.
Sundays
Closed
Stray & Donation
Drop-Off Hours
Mondays
8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesdays
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesdays
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursdays
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Fridays
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturdays
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Staff
Administrative Staff:
Marnie Brown, Executive Director
Chris Fleischmann, Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Kathie Jaster, Canine Behavior Specialist/Humane
Officer/Event Coordinator
Kerry Kasten, Volunteer Coordinator
Front Office Staff:
Terri Mennicke, Receptionist
Judi Vranich, Receptionist
Animal Care Staff:
Tina Duris, Operations Manager
Amber Alhasan
Tracie Baker
Katelyn Bonlender
Sarah Hartwell
Shana Kirschbaum
Chrissie Perkins
Kim Peterson
Erica Schwechel
Jessica Wermager
Nichole Zdanczewicz
Board of Directors
The Board meets the third Thursday of every other month at
5:30 p.m. at WCHS
Linda Buntrock, President
Chris Cowles, Vice President
Dale Stockhausen, Vice President
Rick Fox, Treasurer
Barb Pfeifer-Woog, Secretary
Barb Heiligenstein
Todd Kolosso
Paul Kolosso
Jean Rogers
Chris Hohner
Dawn Bradley
Todd Fiorentino
Michelle Nelson
History of the WCHS
The Washington County Humane Society was formed in West Bend
in January, 1960,
when twenty-six people who were concerned about the well
being of the county’s animals got together. It was a
totally volunteer organization whose members responded to
lost or stray animal calls. In 1968, the organization
was incorporated.
WCHS originally shuttled strays to the Milwaukee shelter,
but because of the large number of animals in Milwaukee, the
chances of adoption were not good. In 1978, the
shelter opened its present 2-acre site beside the Polk Town
Hall on State Road 60 sandwiched between Jackson and
Slinger. Animals now had a home where they were
protected and cared for, and where owners could reclaim
their lost pets. During its first year of operation,
the shelter cared for less than 1,000 animals, and for many
years, this facility adequately served the animal population
of Washington County.
The needs of the shelter continued to grow, and in 1994, a
capital campaign began. The animals moved into the new
addition in August 1996. The facility is now energy
efficient, safe for the animals and staff, and welcoming to
the public. The building is constructed of concrete
and steel, and kennel size for the dogs was increased.
An enclosed courtyard allows canine residents to freely run
and play with staff, volunteers, and prospective owners.
The administrative offices are located in the old portion of
the building which was renovated in 2002, and the original
dog training facility continues to provide a source of
income through low-cost training classes, fundraisers, and
room rentals. A crematorium was added in 1998, and we
offer group and private cremations to the public, as well as
area veterinarians.
The Washington County Humane Society recently celebrated our
42nd anniversary, and feel we have accomplished so much over
the years. We are a member of the Wisconsin Federated
Humane Societies, and are proud of our cooperative
relationships with shelters around the state. We
believe that working together strengthens all of us and
continually moves us closer to a better world for the
animals in our care. We couldn’t have done any of this
without our amazing supporters, so we are eternally grateful
for their continued support.
