Grant County Humane Society's New Home

Dr. Cari Schaffer Doreen Hlavaty, Dr. Schaffer, and President Bob Hundhausen

Doctor Cari Schaffer of the Lancaster Veterinary Clinic and the Grant County Humane Society spoke about the history of the Grant County Humane Society. Years ago, the state of Wisconsin mandated how each county was supposed to deal with at-large dog issues. Grant County asked the Lancaster Vet Clinic to be the designated place to have animals taken and housed until they could be claimed or rehomed.

In 2014, a new clinic was built that had 6 dog and 6 cat kennels designated for housing at-large animals. They also filed for 501(c)3 status so they could become the Grant County Humane Society (GCHS). This allowed them to take in surrendered animals as well as strays. The 'nonprofit' status allowed them to apply for funding and also allowed donors to use them as a tax deduction entity. They are staffed with a combination of volunteers and paid employees. They operate as a No Kill for Space shelter. They have outgrown their 12 kennels and need of a separate shelter building with a budget and a staff.

Last year 137 animals were admitted, of which 61% were dogs and 38% were cats. The average length of stay is 34 days for dogs and 50 days for cats.

In 2023, thanks to a very generous commitment of a private donor, receiving the proceeds from the Freudenreich Animal Trust Fund, as well as borrowing and other donations the GCHS has been able to purchase a building in Platteville. Their dream in addition to being able to take in more animals is to have the community involved in programming to promote the human-animal bond.

They are now fundraising to complete the necessary renovations to the building. The first step is to complete 1/3 of the building for administrative offices and a cat room. Donations would be greatly appreciated. The CGHS has $50,000 matching funds campaign in progress.

To donate contact the CGHS at www.grantcountyhumanesociety.com/donate