FdL Humane Society looking to expand

FOND DU LAC - The Fond du Lac Humane Society is looking to expand with help from the community.

The shelter wants to triple its size. That would cost an estimated $600,000.

Every year the Fond du Lac Humane Society takes in close to 2,000 animals, but shelter manager Renee Webb told FOX 11 it's not always easy to find room for them.

"It's really difficult to manage and maintain and I mean, I do have a really creative crew," said Webb.

But creativity can only go so far.

Fundraising coordinator Maranda Abitz told FOX 11 the shelter needs to expand from three thousand square feet to nine thousand and it needs donations to do so. The humane society gets no government funding.

"We sent out a large mailer.  We also have had a couple different meetings with the public," said Abitz.

Webb says the expansion is particularly important to meet the animals' medical needs.  Especially when a lot come in at once like the 69 huskies rescued from a local farm last spring.

"You need to be able to provide areas where you can separate the sick from the healthy, otherwise you're really, really struggling to get and keep them healthy," said Webb.

One example of why the shelter needs more space is the kitten intake room: the healthy kittens are on one side and the sick kittens are just about 5 feet away on the other side.

"It's very stressful on the animals," said Webb.

Webb said the expansion would ease some of that stress on the animals, and the humans caring for them.  She told us the shelter already has land on its west side for the addition.

"Three isolation areas for the dogs and then add an additional three to four isolation areas for the cats," said Webb, describing the expansion, which would also include a small medical facility.

But Abitz told us it won't be possible unless the community comes forward. She added it always has in the past.

"They definitely step up in times where we need a lot of people or support. They're wonderful," said Abitz.

So far the shelter has raised a little more than $100,000 toward its ultimate goal.

If you would like to help out, you can send your donation to the following address:

Fond du Lac Humane Society
652 Triangle Rd.
Fond du Lac, WI 54935

Please note “Capital Campaign” on the check.

You can also find the shelter on Facebook or call the shelter (920) 922-8873.