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WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Humane Animal Welfare Society in Waukesha needs help finding homes for a bunch of long-term guests. Five older dogs have been at the shelter for a combined 700 days.
Long-term shelter dogs
Big picture view:
Drako has been at the shelter since January. Leaders at HAWS said it's sad because the average stay for adult dogs at the shelter is less than 10 days.
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HAWS currently has 23 dogs that have been at the shelter for longer than that. Drako was a stray and has worked extensively with the staff and the volunteer behavior team at HAWS.
Drako up for adoption at HAWS Waukesha
Sophia Nijem is the canine behavior manager there. She said it is sometimes difficult for prospective adopters to consider older dogs – especially ones with special needs.
Drako needs anti-seizure medications and consistent routines and exercise. Rosie was a stray in 2023 and was adopted out twice, but she returned to HAWS soon after because her owners just could not give her the time and attention she needed.
Rosie up for adoption at HAWS Waukesha
HAWS behavior team
What they're saying:
That is when Nijem comes in. She works extensively with the dogs at HAWS to make sure all of them have a plan for success. She said people just need to give them a chance.
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"These dogs are coming in needing more support. From the moment they come in, some dogs require behavior plans, some dogs require medical intervention," she said. "It’s unfortunate, but it’s not surprising, but it is hard to know that we have a lot of great dogs and they are just waiting."
How to adopt at HAWS
What you can do:
All dogs at HAWS currently have adoption fees of $100. That includes spay/neuter, microchipping and vaccines. There is a link to adoption information on the organization's website.
The behavior team continues to work with families after dogs are adopted. HAWS even offers a "foster-to-adopt" program for adult dogs.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from HAWS and Sophia Nijem.