The Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, MADACC, is currently overwhelmed with homeless pets.
According to a Facebook post from MADACC, there are currently over 100 animals available for adoption at the shelter. In an effort to help reduce shelter overcrowding and find homes for animals in need, MADACC has lowered adoption fees for all adoptable dogs to just $4 through Sunday, July 14. Adoption fees typically range from $75 to $300.
All of MADACC’s adoptable animals can be viewed on the shelter’s website. The usual $12 licensing fee still applies to all adoptions. Adoption hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The non-profit Friends of MADACC is subsidizing all of the $4 adoptions, but MADACC community engagement coordinator Kate Hartlund said money is not the shelter’s primary concern.
“A shelter is no place for an animal to be, let alone a very crowded shelter,” she said. “So, the faster we can get them out of here, the better. That’s why, even if we did lose money, it would be worth it.”
MADACC’s overcrowded kennel rooms have caused dogs to experience lack of sleep and increased anxiety, whining and stress, Hartlund told the Journal Sentinel in May.
“There’s a nationwide shelter crisis; shelters are filled to the brim. There’s an adopter shortage right now, and the economy has a lot to do with it. Everything is expensive right now, and owning a pet has kind of become a luxury.”
Unable to adopt? You can take a dog home for the weekend or five days
MADACC offers multiple short-term foster programs aiming to get dogs out of the shelter.
Milwaukee County residents can take an adoptable dog home for a weekend sleepover through MADACC’s Weekenders Club program. Weekender dogs and their necessary food and equipment are picked up Friday evening and returned to MADACC mid-day Sunday. Of course, if you fall in love with your weekend guest, adoption is an option.
You can learn more about the Weekenders Club program at madacc.org/weekenders.
In May, MADACC introduced its Sign and Foster Test Drive program. This program allows Milwaukee County residents to foster an adoptable dog for five days to see if they’re a good fit for their family. If a foster parent decides their foster is their forever dog, they’ll receive 50% off the regular adoption fee for participating in the program. If the dog isn’t the right fit, program participants can foster again until they find the right dog for them.
“To get them out of the shelter for a night or five days or the weekend really helps their behavior and health,” Hartlund said. “Extended stress and anxiety can cause lifelong health issues, both behavioral and medical.”
MADACC hopes the test drive program will lead to fewer dogs being returned after adoption.
“By giving people these five days to feel it out first, we’re hoping they’ll be able to make a more educated and correct decision for their family,” Hartlund said.
“You still won’t know the dog’s full personality after five days, but you’re going to have a better understanding of it. Getting married on the first date is usually a little scary, and that’s kind of what you’re doing when you adopt a dog. You’re making a lifetime commitment in a very short amount of time.”
Learn more about the Sign and Foster Test Drive program at madacc.org/2024-sign-and-foster-test-drives.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.