Shelter From The Storm

Quiche along with many of his canine buddies will be at Minocqua Brewing Company tomorrow from 2-5PM searching for their forever families! Who doesn't want to spend a fall day relaxing on the patio with a pint and some adoptable puppies? We hope to see you there!

Minocqua Brewing Co - Madison Taproom
2927 E Washington Ave, Madison
Saturday, September 13th from 2-5PM

Another day at the shelter for Hopper. Another adoption meeting ending in disappointment and confusion. Another day wondering when his family will finally come along.

Hopper has been in our care for nearly 175 days. This week alone, he has had 3 meetings with potential adopters, all of which ended in disappointment for our sweet boy. He was stellar for all of his meetings, but each of them "needed to think about it". Although we never want to rush an adopter into a decision, far too often we take the time to schedule meetings, are hopeful we will find a loving family for one of our long-timers like Hopper, and come to realize the adopters aren't really ready to make any sort of decision. We try not to get our hopes up, but for dogs as wonderful as Hopper who have been with us for most of 2024, it's hard not to. Our heart breaks for him, and we want nothing more than for him to finally get the happily ever after he deserves! There HAS to be someone out there for this kid, we just know it.

Some fast facts about Hopper:
🐶~3 years old
🥰MASTER snuggler
🚶‍♀️Walks well on a leash
👶Fantastic with kids
😎Easy going, laid-back, low energy
👍Crate trained
🧻Housetrained
🐾 Single dog home, but manageable on walks passing other dogs if given enough space.
🐱Previously returned for being too playful with the existing cat in the home.
👨‍⚕️Fully vetted, no medical issues

If you think you can make Hopper's dreams come true, please visit sftsrescue.org/adoptable-dogs to fill out an application. Otherwise, please SHARE this post so we can find him a couch to warm, and heart to steal.💕

We LOVE our adopters! Magic stopped by for a for a visit yesterday, and was celebrating his 15th birthday!🤯He was adopted from SFTS back in 2010.

His owners sent us this sweet message after his visit.💕 "Thank you so much for our baby, we know we won’t have much longer with him but it was the best decision!"

THIS is what rescue is all about!😍

Remember our mama and babies we rescued from Missouri a few months ago? Well, look at how big and healthy everyone looks! Now that they look like real dogs(or adorable smoosh balls😍) we wanted to share the results of our name raffle. Thank you to everyone who participated, and congratulations on those who won! All of these pups and mama are officially accepting applications, please visit sftsrescue.org/adoptable-dogs to learn more.

But wait...there's more! We had such a wonderful response to the name raffle, and know how much you all love these little guys, that we've decided to host a Puppy Painting Party! No, you won't be painting puppies...the puppies will be making some artistic creations of their own. We will be spreading canvases and paint all over the ground, and placing puppies two at a time in the enclosure to roll around, explore, and create some artistic masterpieces! All of the paintings will then be auctioned off during our Bark, Scoot, & Boogie event later this month.

But we don't want to keep all this fun to ourselves, we want to invite 5 lucky people to participate in this joyful mess along with us. Winners will get to help create the paintings, and spend some quality time soaking up puppy breath and snuggles. Who wouldn't want to spend an afternoon like that?! Entries are $10 each, and all proceeds go directly towards offsetting the costs of this family and so many other dogs in our rescue.

To enter, comment with the spot(s) you would like 1-50. Payment will be taken via PayPal or Venmo. Once you've commented with the spot(s) you'd like, we will send you a direct message to collect your donation, and we will slowly fill up the spots until all 50 are filled! Date and time for the Puppy Painting Party will be sometime Sun-Tues, as agreed upon amongst the winners.

We are so excited about this, we could burst! Hope many of you are equally as pumped, and good luck to all those who enter.

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Sadly, mama has developed some pretty bad mastitis and needs to be separated from her kittens to prevent further irritation and them potentially taking in the infection. We're disappointed because she was doing such a great job caring for them, but it seems this little family just can't catch a break. So we are now searching for a bottle baby foster for her two kittens! We will provide all the supplies and support you need, and guide you through it if this is your first time fostering bottle babies. Please email [email protected] if you're able to help!

We still have appointments available for tomorrow's Pawdicures event, happening from 4-7PM at our shelter on Blossom Lane! Nail trims, vaccines, and microchips available at an affordable price, with all proceeds benefitting our rescue animals. Choose as many or as few services as you need, and enjoy no appointment fee. Click the link below to register!

https://clinichq.com/online/db2a6362-c698-42c0-bd4c-491ef90f99c3

A big THANK YOU to everyone who sent good thoughts or made a donation towards mama and babies. Everyone is doing well, and mama is getting some much needed rest after an exhausting few days. We will share an update from her foster in the coming days!

Don't miss out on our tie dye station at our Bark, Scoot & Boogie celebration!🌈 This year we've added bandanas so you can match your pup.🐾 We are so excited to see your creations, and hope many of our SFTS alumni will be sporting these adorable bandanas!😍

Get your tickets today at sftsrescue.org/boogie

🚨EMERGENCY🚨

We took on a mama cat this morning in serious condition. This poor mama has been in labor for days, and has had a kitten stuck in the birth canal for over 24 hours. Two of her kittens are alive, but we need to perform emergency surgery in order to remove the third kitten and save mama's life. She is headed into surgery now, but the kitten has been stuck for a while so we are hopeful she will make it out and recover, but her little body has been through a lot of trauma. Her surviving kittens also appear to be premature, and one seems to have a birth defect affecting his hind limbs.

We need your support to help offset the costs of this emergency surgery, as well as supportive care in the coming days if mom makes it through surgery. Please consider donating to their care, by making a contribution to our Road to Recovery Fund at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NP536CN86M4HY&ssrt=1718492877805&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2ddGnme-dvLbCGsjPn8fKK6YDdQywBZgd2kFStURtWcbybmTN9xahDRok_aem_JQQJcNl4OwMnTbsW5W47Cg

Adoptable Cooper recently got to enjoy a doggy day out with one of our volunteers! He explored some of the local parks showing off his new leash, thanks to Petfinder Foundation. We are very grateful to be a recipient of their 2024 Petfinder Leashes Initiative Program Grant, and home many more adoptable pups will get to go on some fun adventures thanks to their generosity.

Pawdicures Plus registration is OPEN for this Wednesday's event! Take advantage of low cost nail trims, microchips, and vaccines with no appointment fees. All proceeds go directly back to our nonprofit rescue. Link in below to register!

https://clinichq.com/online/db2a6362-c698-42c0-bd4c-491ef90f99c3

A little more than an hour left of our Clear the Shelters Adoption Fair! Stop by our shelter on Blossom Lane before 4PM to adopt your new buddy. String Bean is hoping his family will be arriving soon!

The bottle babies keep coming! We took in three baby kittens this week, and are almost completely out of kitten formula. One of our favorites is on sale right now at Menards for only $6.67! Can you help us restock our pantry and keep these kittens' bellies full? Click the link below to order online, or you can pick up in store and drop it off at the shelter from 9AM-7PM daily. If you do go to the store, be careful as the puppy formula canister looks almost identical. Thank you in advance for your support!

https://www.menards.com/main/pet-wildlife/cat-supplies/cat-supplements/vet-worthy-reg-milk-replacement-for-cats-12-oz/0094/p-1553149845054-c-8284.htm

Clear the Shelters participant, adoptable Scout!

This handsome man came to us a few months ago from Lakeshore Humane Society. He quickly self appointed himself to the king of the cat room. Scout lives up to his name and likes to “scout” out the best bed and comfiest lounging spot. He’s estimated to be about 2 years old, and while he does well with other cats Scout does not appreciate the company of dogs. He’s incredibly social, and quick to make friends with everyone he meets!

The big thing that’s standing between Scout and a happily ever after is he’s FIV positive. However, a LOT of research has been done And the recommendations regarding FIV+ cats have changed slightly. It is not a death sentence, and does not mean that he hast to go to a house as an only cat. FIV is transmitted through biting and sexual contact, so as long as introductions are slow and appropriate, there is no reason he can’t live along happy life with other cats in the home. Scout’s diagnosis does not require any additional care, and he is a young, happy, healthy cat, just waiting for someone to scoop him up and enjoy his loving personality! 

Scout’s adoption fee has been reduced to $37.50 as part of our event through September 10th. To learn more about Scout, and fill out an adoption application, please visit sftsrescue.org/adoptable-cats

We have many Clear the Shelters participants still available for adoption! Join us this Sunday from 10AM-4PM for our adoption fair. Adoption fees are 50% off for dogs and cats who have been in our care for over a month, and all guinea pigs and rabbits are only $15! Help us find loving homes for these deserving animals, and free up some space for more souls in need.

1602 Blossom Lane, Madison

We are searching for a foster or foster to adopt home for our sweet girl, Echo. She came to us from Texas with a broken leg, and is an extremely nervous and shy dog. The stressful shelter environment is no place for a dog like Echo, especially while she’s attempting to recover. She’s anxious, overwhelmed, and needs a break. We are a bit worried the stressful shelter setting is affecting her ability to heal, and we are trying very hard to save the leg but are unsure it will be successful if she doesn’t find a foster or foster to adopt home.

Echo is currently on crate rest, meaning she needs a home with a spare bedroom, office, or a crate where she can spend her day to limit movement and ensure the best chance at her leg healing properly. She needs a patient foster, who will allow her time to decompress, relax, and in time show her true colors. Can you help by providing this girl a soft place to land? Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or are interested in helping!

Clear the Shelters participant, adoptable Morgan!

This sweet girl came to us from Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) back in spring, and had to have her leg amputated due to an injury. She instantly stole our hearts, and quickly became a staff favorite. Morgan was adopted out and we were hopeful she had found her forever, but sadly she was returned about a month ago. Since her return, Morgan has not received a single adoption application.

The previous adopters said their main reason for returning her was due to her separation anxiety, which resulted in her eating things and being destructive. We offered resources, but unfortunately they had waited months to reach out and we had no idea they were experiencing issues, and they were no longer motivated to try and make it work. Since returning to the shelter, we have not had any issues with Morgan.

When given proper tools to manage shelter stress, such as being crated when she cannot be supervised, proper enrichment, and giving her appropriate things to chew she has fallen right back into her schedule. As is true with all shelter animals, they need time to relax, decompress, and learn the new schedule when adopted. Structure does wonders to help manage stress, and keep our dogs safe. We are confident with the right adopter, Morgan will thrive in a home. She is good with other dogs, does well with kids, is potty trained, and really is the most loving, gentle dog who just wants someone to love.

Morgan's adoption fee is reduced to $175 as part of our event! We are hopeful a patient, understanding family will come forward and give her the love she so desperately deserved. To learn more about Morgan and fill out an application, please visit sftsrescue.org/adoptable-dogs

Tickets are now available for our annual Bark, Scoot & Boogie fundraising event! Many ways to have fun with your family, and enjoy the day with your pup while supporting our nonprofit rescue. Visit sftsrescue.org/boogie for more information and to purchase your tickets!

We are still looking for bottle baby fosters for these cuties! Ideally we'd like to send two with one family and three with another. Please email [email protected] with any questions or if you'd like to help!

Moo Cow wishing everyone the happiest Labor Day!😎 How did you enjoy the last weekend of summer? Did you and your pup go on any fun adventures? Share some photos of your pets from the holiday weekend in the comments.📸⬇️

Don't forget, we are open for walk-in adoptions until 5PM today! Spend the holiday weekend with your new best friend.😍

Vaporeon and Flareon are hoping their forever family scoops them up today! We are baffled these adorable little boys are still with us. The shelter is no place for a puppy to grow up! Reminder that we are OPEN for walk-in adoptions until 5PM. 1602 Blossom Ln, Madison. Stop by and adopt one of these cuties!

We were lucky enough to have WMTV 15 News stop by the shelter yesterday to see how we combat the heat and keep our animals safe.

Animal shelter searches for heat relief for pets Excessive heat can cause health problems for people as well as pets. Animal shelters searched for solutions when temperatures spiked, to keep all of their animals safe and cool.

In honor of Clear the Shelters we are reducing adoption fees! A 50% discount will be applied to any dog or cat who has been in our care for a month or longer. Adoption fees for all of our rabbits and guinea pigs have been reduced to $15. To view our available animals, please visit sftsrescue.org/adopt

We have also added more days this week for walk-in adoptions! Our shelter location on Blossom Lane will be open for walk in adoptions Wednesday to Friday from 10AM-5PM. If you’ve ever considered adopting, now’s the time! Help us so we can make room for more animals in need!