Phone: (608) 262-3950 – Please leave a detailed message if your call is not answered. If you do not hear from us by our next open day, please feel free to call back!
Address: 1402 Emil St, Madison, WI, 53713
Email: wiscares@vetmed.wisc.edu
Bus: Madison Metro Transit – Stop 4192
City bus policy states that: “No animals are allowed onboard, except service animals or caged pets that fit on your lap.”
Does your animal require immediate attention?
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HOW TO RECOGNIZE AN EMERGENCY
Emergencies can be scary, and it isn’t always clear if an illness or injury requires a trip to our small or large animal emergency hospitals.
Symptoms that may be life-threatening and require emergency care:
- Trouble breathing
- Seizures (loss of consciousness, paddling of limbs)
- Ingestion of poisons or intoxicants
- Collapse, loss of consciousness or significant lethargy (dullness)
- Trauma
- Straining to urinate or inability to pass urine
- Nonproductive retching or multiple episodes of vomiting
- Eye injuries
- Difficult labor
If you are unsure whether you should bring your animal to an ER, please call WisCARES during business hours at 608-262-3950 or call the UW Veterinary ER after business hours at 608-263-7600.
Are you experiencing a Housing Crisis?
Contact Dane County’s Housing Navigation Line at (608) 299-4128, Ext.1
For more information click here.
Pet Care Clinic Hours
Monday:
- Prescheduled appointments only
- Prescheduled supply pick-up
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Prescheduled appointments
- Some same-day appointments may be available, depending on capacity
- Supply pick-up – make sure you pre-order 2 business days in advance!
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Prescheduled surgeries only
- Supply pick-up – make sure you pre-order 2 business days in advance!
Using our Phone Tree
We receive many messages every day from people who need our services. Our phone tree helps us respond as efficiently as possible. Leave your message in the most appropriate spot and we will respond within 2 business days. However, we often respond much more quickly. Leave your name, your pet’s name, your phone number, and detailed information about what you need.
Line 1: Check-in for an appointment when you’re at the clinic
Line 2: Schedule a new appointment (existing clients)
Line 3: Place an order for food, medication or supplies
Line 4: Qualifications (become a WisCARES client)
Line 5: Foster and boarding program
Line 6: Non-medical questions
Line 7: Medical questions
Line 8: Spanish line
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I qualify? / What do I need to qualify?
We have a short qualification form for accessing our services. Please call us at (608) 262-3950 (select line 4) or email and we’ll help you get the process started!
How do I prepare for my first visit to WisCARES?
- Please bring physical or electronic copies of your previous records.
- Call your previous clinics and ask them to send us records.
- Bring a list of medications, preventatives and supplements that your pet is taking.
- Let us know if your pet needs anti-anxiety medicine for visits.
- Let us know if you have a tight schedule, need accommodations or if your pet needs a carrier or leash.
My pet needs _________ and I cannot afford it. Can you help?
Maybe! We are happy to respond to email or phone messages and to do our best to directly help if we can and brainstorm help if we cannot. We cannot help with security deposits or veterinary bills at other clinics.
What is available through the pet food pantry and donated supplies?
We have dry dog food, dry cat food, wet cat food, and cat litter at our pet food pantry. We also often have pet supplies. Please note that these are the only items we regularly have in stock. We also frequently have an assortment of collars, leashes, litter boxes, and other supplies – these are not guaranteed. We try to keep a small supply of items for humans such as toothbrushes, shampoo, and pocket packs of tissues. (And yes, we take donations of these items–check out our needed donations!)
How do I access the pet food pantry and supplies?
You must be a current WisCARES client with up-to-date physical exams on your pets to access the pet food pantry. We are able to provide free or low-cost pet food depending on your client qualification. Please note that most of the food and items in our pet food pantry are donated. Because of this, supply and availability of specific food varies.
How do I get my pet in your foster program?
You must qualify as a client to use the WisCARES foster and boarding program. Our foster program is intended to allow clients to gain access to the following services for themselves:
- Emergency shelter
- Inpatient health services
- Inpatient mental health services
- Treatment programs
You will need to speak with one of our social workers to determine if you qualify for the program. We do not always have enough foster placements in the community and our social workers can also help you strategize other options if this is the case.
I am a veterinarian at another clinic, seeing a WisCARES patient. Will WisCARES pay their bill?
WisCARES cannot cover bills from other clinics. We have many clients who use us for some services and their regular general practice vet for other services. Clients must qualify for services and complete an annual physical exam with their pet, but then can save money on things like prescription diets, routine labs and more. We are more than happy to help you maintain a valued relationship with your client by helping them through hard times.
I have a client who I believe would qualify for your services. How do I help them get onboarded?
Clients do not need a referral to work with us. However, you are more than welcome to call or email and discuss their situation with us. You can also recommend that they call and go through our qualification survey.