Stand outside the laundry room at the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Milwaukee campus and before long you will see a stream of employees tossing leashes, toys and blankets in to be washed. While laundry may not be the first task that comes to mind during an animal shelter visit, it is a key part of keeping animals healthy and ready for adoption. Volunteers run 30 to 40 loads per day at the Milwaukee location alone and items exposed to certain diseases are thrown away instead of taking on additional risk.
There are around 4,000 volunteers across the Wisconsin Humane Society’s five locations, but there is also a staff of 250 employees. Their work includes rehabilitating wildlife, vaccinations, spay or neuter surgeries, dog training, managing foster care and more.
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- Wildlife rehabilitator Lex Rivera feeds a red-tailed hawk that was brought to the Wisconsin Humane Society.
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- A specially designed syringe makes it easier to feed squirrels.
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- Vet assistant Nichole Desrosiers draws blood as Stretz holds Molly.
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- Vet assistant Nichole Desrosiers weights a neonatal kitten brought in for a check-up.
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- Foster coordinator Memo Fachino manages more than 1,000 foster families and 3,500 foster animals annually.
Photos by Arthur Thomas
