Welcome to WisCARES
What is WisCARES?
- We are an innovative veterinary and social service organization!
- We have subsidized cost veterinary care for low-income individuals.
- We have further subsidized cost services for individuals in Dane County experiencing homelessness.
- We have free social services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Wisconsin Companion Animal Resources, Education, and Social Services (WisCARES) is an outreach partnership at the University of Wisconsin that provides basic veterinary medical care, housing support and advocacy, and other support services to Dane County pet owners who are low income, currently experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, as well as those who are unable to pay for veterinary medical services needed for access to housing. WisCARES started in 2014, and we have grown every year! Now, we see over 3,000 appointments annually. Over sixty pets entered our boarding and foster program, with a rate of reunification of families of 90%.
This was achieved through the efforts of five full-time staff members, devoted student employees, volunteer veterinarians, veterinary techs, and veterinary, pharmacy, and social work students–and of course, with the help of our community of donors! Our services and programming focus on keeping pets with their owners, preventing surrender to animal shelters, empowering people to care for their animals, providing housing resources and aiding animals and their people to gain access to the social support services and healthcare they need.
Our program provides concrete services in the following areas:
- Veterinary medical care
- Animal boarding and foster placement
- Case management assistance
- Housing resources
- Provision of pet food and supplies
- Education
We are located at 1402 Emil St, Madison, WI 53713.Our phone number is (608)262-3950. Our hours are currently as follows:
Mondays 11:00AM-4:00PM (Pre-scheduled veterinary appointments)
Tuesdays 9:00AM-4:00PM (Pre-scheduled veterinary appointments and walk-in social services)
Wednesdays 9:00AM-4:00PM (Pre-scheduled veterinary appointments and walk-in social services)
Thursdays 9:00AM-4:00PM (Pre-scheduled surgeries and walk-in social services)
Fridays 9:00AM-4:00PM (Pre-scheduled veterinary appointments and walk-in social services)
Mission Statement
Safeguarding human-animal families by providing veterinary care and social services to economically
disadvantaged populations
Teaching Mission Statement
Training students to practice with confidence, respect, and compassion towards people experiencing
resource constraints.
Vision Statement
A Dane County where all pets and all families have equal and consistent access to veterinary medical
care, social support, and human health services.
Strategic Plan
View our 2023-2025 strategic plan
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