Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County: Other Animals Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County, Inc. (HAWS), founded in 1965, is an open-admissions shelter that has been leading the community and southeastern Wisconsin in animal welfare since its inception. Each year, HAWS assists over 10,000 animals and welcomes more than 35,000 visitors, which includes over 12,000 adults and youth in our humane education and behavior programs. Our mission and goals include guiding the community in educational initiatives to promote a shared responsibility where children learn and practice compassionate, empathetic skills in a safe, encouraging environment via humane education involving respect and care for all life.
HAWS operates an innovative, solution-oriented animal shelter. HAWS recently added a 77-acre site to its facilities, the Schallock Center for Animals, allowing the expansion of programs to an additional site. HAWS is committed to programs and policies that will make a difference, help for the long term and are showing results.
In addition to canines and felines, HAWS has an active small animal adoption program, and we incorporate education about small animal care in all of our humane education programs for youth. HAWS is in need of new hiding houses for our guinea pigs. Our current wooden hiding houses are worn out after frequent sanitizing washes, which are necessary to combat potential contagious illnesses. Furthermore, HAWS often has reptiles available for adoption. Due to the housing and care requirements for potential adopters, these reptiles usually have longer shelter stays compared to other adoptable animals. As a consequence, we regularly need replacement bulbs for heating their enclosures.
We used the Petfinder Foundation Other Animals grant funds to purchase more high-quality, durable hiding houses for our guinea pigs, as well as bulbs for lighting and heating the enclosures of our adoptable reptiles. Through efficient use of funds, we were also able to purchase new enclosures for our reptiles, which were in need of replacement.
Accounting report:
Fluorescent bulbs for lighting reptile enclosures (21): $386.52
Heat lamps for reptile enclosures (6): $95.43
New enclosures for reptiles (2): $366.72
New hideouts for guinea pigs (11): $181.39
TOTAL: $1,030.06
How many pets did this grant help?
156
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Onyx and Luna (first and second photos) were originally surrendered to HAWS as a bonded pair in December 2023 due to a change in their owner’s living situation. They were adopted out two weeks later to a family that returned them in late February 2024 after determining they did not have the time to properly care for them.
After Onyx and Luna had spent about six weeks back in the shelter, a new family came in because they had an elderly guinea pig and wanted to find a younger pair to help with the transition. The family was drawn to Onyx and Luna because they were both very sweet and had good personalities. One is more reserved while the other is more friendly. Both are doing incredibly and have transitioned well into their new household.
Noodles (second photo) was surrendered on March 30, 2024, after being purchased at a pet store and not getting along with the other guinea pig in the house (both were unaltered). After being neutered at HAWS, Noodles was adopted on April 20, 2024. The adopters came in specifically for Noodles; they had been looking for a single male guinea pig for their resident guinea pig. Noodles and his new buddy are doing really well; they are caged together now and doing great! Their family loves to just watch them have fun.
Ashanti (third photo) is a juvenile African Sideneck turtle who came in as a stray(!) at the end of September 2023. As with many reptiles/amphibians at HAWS, it took time to really get to know her and find the right home.
Ashanti finally found the right home and was adopted on May 15, 2024. The adopters actually came in looking for a puppy, but saw Ashanti online. They had a 100-gallon fish tank and thought that it would be super cool to have a turtle in it. They had no previous experience with turtles but were up for the challenge (especially with the support and knowledge provided by HAWS) and things have been going incredibly.
Mickey (fourth photo) is a 7-year-old ball python who was surrendered in November 2023 due to a change in living situation. After spending time in foster care gaining weight and coming out of his shell, Mickey was adopted on April 21, 2024. The adopters came in specifically for Mickey; they had adopted another boa a few months prior and wanted to get another! Mickey’s coloring is stunning and is what initially drew them to him. Their favorite thing about him is how active he is! He moves all over his tank daily and loves when they add new items to it!
Avocado and Bean (fifth photo) were surrendered as a bonded pair on May 11, 2024. They were originally from a pet store. Their previous owners were unable to take care of them and did not handle them very much. HAWS has attended to their care needs and given them lots of handling, so they are ready for their new home!
Meet Bean here.
Meet Avocado here.
Rafi (sixth photo) is a 2-year-old bearded dragon who was surrendered on June 12, 2024, due to his previous owner moving. Rafi is eating and adjusting to life at the shelter, and looking for a new home! Meet Rafi here.
