About HSMC

The Humane Society of Marathon County (HSMC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been established in the Wausau area since the 1950’s. The vision of HSMC is a cruelty free community enriched by the special bond between people and animals. Our mission is to inspire and engage the community to end animal suffering and commit to responsible pet ownership. We achieve that mission by visiting schools to educate children on responsible pet ownership, hosting low cost vaccine clinics on a monthly basis, offering discounted microchipping services and more.

HSMC has a county contract for the impound of stray dogs and contracts out non-dog stray services on a per municipality basis. HSMC is also the designated facility for bite quarantine, in addition to having service contracts with several area law enforcement agencies for neglect/cruelty investigations and/or when animals need to be taken into custody after owner arrest.

HSMC is an unlimited intake facility which means we service the community as a place to house stray/abandoned animals in addition to taking owner surrenders. We have an adoption program in place to find qualified and permanent homes for our animals based on an application process that involves background, veterinary and reference checks. Animals leave our facility vaccinated, sterilized and microchipped. We are privileged to be able to provide additional veterinary care as needed when an animal comes in with manageable medical needs. During their stay with us, animal lives are enriched by our caring staff and dedicated volunteers.

It is our goal to place 100% of the adoptable animals we receive but not every animal that comes through our doors meets that criteria, due to the scope of services we provide. In addition, an animal may be delivered to us at the end of their life as the result of the owner being unable to make the difficult decision to euthanize. When an animal does not meet the criteria to be placed in our adoption program based on behavioral reasons, we may seek placement with a different shelter partner/rescue or seek advisement from a local trainer or veterinarian. When an animal does not meet the criteria to be in placed in our adoption program based on a threat to staff or public safety or medical needs that exceed the care or treatment we or the average household can provide or manage, we may humanely euthanize the animal to end their suffering.

There is no time limit as to how long a pet can stay at HSMC and we will house our healthy and adoptable animals as long as it takes to find them a forever home.