What is WisCARES?
- We are an innovative veterinary and social service organization!
- We offer subsidized veterinary care for low-income individuals.
- We offer subsidized veterinary services and free social services for families in Dane County experiencing homelessness.
- We offer foster and boarding to WisCARES clients who need their own in-patient medical care or temporary safe shelter that does not allow pets.
Wisconsin Companion Animal Resources, Education, and Social Services (WisCARES) is a University of Wisconsin program 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 sees over 3,000 appointments annually. We are proud of our foster program’s 90% reunification rate.
WisCARES provides services via six full-time staff members, 1 part-time employee, devoted student employees, volunteers (veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary, pharmacy, and social work students) and wonderful support from the community! The program focuses 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 in gaining access to the social support services and healthcare they need.
Our program provides concrete services in the following areas:
- Preventive, wellness, and urgent veterinary medical care
- Basic surgeries and dental procedures
- Animal boarding and foster placement
- Case management assistance
- Housing resources
- Provision of pet food and supplies
- Education
Our Staff
Thanks to Melanie Renee Photography for working with us on our staff photographs!
Our Contributers
We are grateful for the support from and partnership with the following organizations, businesses, community collaborators, and foundations. Interested in joining the list? Contact us at wiscares@vetmed.wisc.edu to learn about opportunities!
WisCARES is a Proud Project of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Veterinary School and exists with assistance from the following schools:
News and Media
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share our story! The more people hear about WisCARES, the more animals and humans we can help.
Media inquiries can be directed to our main email at wiscares@vetmed.wisc.edu.
Barajas, who has experienced homelessness in the past, says that if it came down to it, as is the case for many WisCARES clients, she would rather be homeless again than lose her dog China. “She’s a family member, not just a dog,” Barajas says.
In addition to veterinary medical care, WisCARES offers a pet food and supply pantry, stocked by donations, with items ranging from foods and safe toys, to collars and harnesses, carriers and crates. The items not only support pet nutrition, they also aid healthy animal behavior. Combined with training resources provided by the clinic, this helps ensure pets don’t pose an extra risk for eviction or a barrier for leasing.
MaGee and her son decided to move out of a Madison apartment complex a few years ago when she said it became too dangerous. Now they live with two dogs. She says one dog, Kane, also acts as as a support dog for her son and it protects both of them.
“When you sleep on the streets, he protects us, he really did protect us, if somebody comes to the car he going to make sure they don’t get in there,” MaGee said.
MaGee couldn’t bare with parting with either of her dogs, and WisCARES helps her keep them.
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