The Milwaukee Humane Society has been uniting pets with their new owners for over 130 years! Established in 1879, Wisconsin Humane Society now operates 4 shelters and serves more than 35,000 animals every single year. As a private non-profit the WSH relies on volunteers, private donations, and business sponsorships to bring about 10,000 pet adoptions annually. Roofing in Pewaukee, a local roofing business, who has helped the Milwaukee Humane Society for many years.
The first humane society started in New York City by Henry Bergh after seeing the poor treatment of animals in major cities like Moscow, London, and New York. He founded the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in 1866. The WSH was established as a direct result of Bergh’s actions. Originally WSH was created to meet both the needs of people and animals but over time new organizations were created to help people and the focus was devoted purely to animals.
The majority of animals that come to WSH are volunteer surrender by the pet’s original owners. Usually, there is a financial hardship that makes continued proper caring for the animals difficult or impossible. The WSH also operates as the primary source for animal control services throughout the state.
There are a number of ways the local community can support the WSH. They can volunteer; the most pervasive need the WSH has is for new donations and fundraising campaigns and this is where the volunteer efforts are usually focused. There is a need for litters of kittens to be fostered until they are able to be adopted. And of course, there is the need for continued financial support. One of the primary focus of the WSH is to reduce the pet population’s growth by spaying and neutering. There are many pet owners who cannot afford the cost of the surgery. By providing sponsorships, individuals and businesses can give pet owners the opportunity to love and care for their pets, while not adding to the future burden of the Humane Societies shelters.