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They often say “it takes a village” in reference to raising a child but I think the same goes for raising a shelter. There are so many moving parts and pieces that help to make us successful. The animals might be the reason we come to work but we couldn’t care for them without our staff, our volunteers, the veterinary team we work with and the public who supports our mission. But there are other key players involved, too. Such as the officers who bring strays in, the deputies who work cruelty cases and the Humane Officer.

We are always trying to find new and creative ways to showcase our shelter pets and teaming up with our local law enforcement agency seemed to be the perfect fit! We feature an adoptable animal with a law enforcement officer and help you to see them both in a different light. The sessions take place every few months (currently with more of a gap between shoots due to the pandemic) and are posted to our Facebook page.

We’d love for you to check out this month’s feature, Officer Paul Piskoty of the Wausau Police Department and our very own adoptable Moose!

“It’s that time again!

HSMC has partnered with Wausau Police Department to feature adoptable pets with our men and women in uniform. We find value in highlighting the individuality of our four-legged shelter guests and the two-legged members of our community who are protecting and serving us each day.

Let’s get to know Officer Paul Piskoty and adoptable Moose!

Officer Paul Piskoty has been a Patrol Officer with the Wausau Police Department for 28.5 years and is also a Field Training Officer. His favorite part of the job is the variety of calls and the people he gets to work with- that’s why he’s still doing the job at almost 59 years old! When he isn’t out protecting and serving, he enjoys camping, fishing and hunting (when he finds the time to do them!). Officer Paul supports pet adoption and was happy to be able to take some time out of his day to get to know Moose.

Moose was recently surrendered to the shelter and is a 9.5 year old Cocker Spaniel/ Sheltie mix. He and Officer Paul have something in common- they’re both looking forward to retirement! Officer Paul will be retiring from the department on 4/4/22 and we truly thank him for his years of service to our community. Moose is hoping to retire to a quiet home to enjoy his golden years; he loves everyone he meets but would do best in a home with older children. He is dog and cat friendly but treats will always be number one in his book.

Thank you Officer Paul for your service to our community and for giving your time (and treats) to Moose.

We are back to our regular business hours at HSMC and no longer requiring appointments for casual visits to the shelter. COVID-19 taught us a few valuable lessons that we will carry into how we operate on a regular basis so some things may look a little different the next time you visit us.

The biggest change is that we are no longer allowing the public into our adoptable dog kennel area. There are a number of reasons for this change, the biggest being the safety and well being of the canines in our care. This is the only space the dogs have at the shelter that is considered “their own” and it can be very stressful when they feel that space is threatened. Some dogs have poor kennel behavior in the stress of the shelter and we do not feel this should have a bearing on whether or not they will get picked for adoption. We would prefer to bring them out for you to visit with after they have had a chance to go potty and decompress from the kennel environment. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these changes that will ultimately improve the experience for the animals in our care.

We will also continue to require applications ahead of visiting with animals for adoption. We put a lot of time and effort into finding wonderful matches for our shelter pets and want to make sure we can devote the time and attention you need. If you are not looking to adopt but wish to visit with shelter pets, we strongly encourage you to join our volunteer program so you can help us, help them.

Masks are not required but are encouraged for visitors, staff and volunteers according to CDC guidelines:

• Everyone 2 years of age or older who is not fully vaccinated should wear a mask in indoor public places.
• In general, you do not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings. (In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
• People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including waring a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.
• If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.

In addition we ask that if you have any cold-like symptoms regardless of vaccination status that you wear a mask when interacting with our staff or volunteers.

We are looking forward to moving back into fundraisers and more of our normal activities and are happy to be seeing you on the other side.