Door County humane society campus takes in 25 dogs to help other shelters

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Lyndsey Bond, animal care technician at the Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus, with one of the 25 dogs the campus took in April 5 from two other shelters in the state.

STURGEON BAY - The dog population quintupled April 5 at Wisconsin Humane Society's Door County campus, but that's OK.

The Sturgeon Bay branch took in 25 dogs from shelters in Sheboygan and Waukesha counties after staff discovered other dogs at those shelters contracted a bacterial infection called canine brucellosis. The two sick dogs were rescued from a Korean meat farm.

The illness is sexually transmitted, contagious to other dogs and can damage reproductive organs. Because of that, state humane society officials ordered all the dogs at the Humane Animal Welfare Society in Waukesha and Humane Society of Sheboygan County, where the Korean dogs went, into quarantine.

Twenty dogs already at the Waukesha shelter and five more from Sheboygan — those not from the Korean rescue — were moved to protect their health.

Enter the Door County campus. With the quality of the facility, plenty of space and only five dogs on hand, the humane society decided it would be an ideal place to take the 25.

"It became really clear to us that the Door County campus would be a fantastic facility to take in these dogs," said Angela Speed, vice-president of communications for the humane society. "It's so spacious. It's already licensed, has a great staff and very low intake (of stray and rescued dogs), so we can safely isolate and quarantine these dogs."

With the new arrivals in quarantine, the five canines that were at the Door County facility were transferred to the Green Bay campus, Speed said.

Still, that's five times as many dogs at the campus now than were there before. However, Speed said the workers there are adjusting well.

"It's certainly been a tough week on the staff, but they're amazing," she said. "They've done some additional training, learned the protocols for cleaning, making sure the dogs get socialized, get three walks a day,"

Dan Miller, shelter operations manager at the Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus, with a pug that is among 25 dogs the campus took in from two other shelters in the state.

Speed said volunteers from other shelters lent aid, including Waukesha, but local dog lovers are welcome to apply to the Door County campus to volunteer, as well.

Along with volunteer help, the dogs can use some items. Speed said dry dog food isn't needed, but donations of dog toys, treats including peanut butter — "The dogs can't get enough peanut butter," she said — and baby wipes would be appreciated.

This isn't the first time Door County has taken in a sudden influx of dogs from elsewhere, Speed said. It's done so when other shelters have been overrun because of floods and other weather phenomena — including Hurricane Florence, which blasted the Carolinas last September — and pet hoarding rescues.

"On a few occasions, Door County has been instrumental in saving dozens of animals," Speed said. "The community should be really proud."

The dogs will remain in Door County for up to eight weeks while testing is carried out on the Korean dogs. For now, the campus is putting a hold on adoptions but will continue to take in surrendered animals.

Once the quarantine is lifted, the dogs probably will return to the Waukesha and Sheboygan shelters. That doesn't necessarily mean the humane society's work with them is done, though.

"The goal of everyone is to find a new, loving home for the animals," Speed said. "They'll likely go back (to Waukesha and Sheboygan) for placement, but if there's an opportunity for us to help, we will."

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.