Monroe County Dog Shelter & Animal Welfare Department

07/03/2025

Ginger's message to everyone today 🤗

https://www.petfinder.com/dog/ginger-76877821/wi/sparta/monroe-county-animal-shelter-wi126/

07/03/2025

Ghost is starting Dog School today at Fun Fur Pets Training Program ! We can't believe no one has wanted to adopt this sweet baby yet, but at least in the mean time, we can help him learn some extra skills :)

07/02/2025

After almost 7 months in 2 different shelters, Adelaide has been ADOPTED!

Thank you to everyone who helped her along the way!!!!

07/01/2025

07/01/2025

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by the rummage sale last week! 🛍️🐾

THANK YOU to Joanne Bohnert, who hosted the sale and generously donated 50% of proceeds—$500 PLUS an additional $131 of donations given to our shelter, and Leon Country Floors & More Inc. pitched in an additional $500 to help our furry friends!

A total Donation of $1,131 was given!

Ginger was extremely grateful :)

Learn why Leon Country Floors & More is the Sparta, WI area’s most trusted provider of high-quality, affordable flooring products & services for your home | 20548 State Highway 27, Sparta, WI 54656 | (608) 269-5366 |

06/30/2025

FOUND near Yogi Circle, Three Bears Lodge, Warrens

Female
No collar/no chip

Please call 608-269-8775
Stray hold ends 7/4/25

06/30/2025

"That fireworks’ noise and light is disturbing and distressing to animals is well known to most pet owners. Noise phobia in dogs is a well-documented response to fireworks (e.g. Dale et al. 2010).

In a survey from New Zealand, owners reported that 74.4% of companion animals, from horses to small mammals, showed fear responses to fireworks (Gates et al. 2019). Horse owners reported increased running in response to fireworks, often associated with fence-breaking and injury (Gronqvist et al. 2016). Observation of several mammal and bird species in a German zoo before, during and after 6–8 min long firework displays over two evenings showed increased nervousness, movement, withdrawal to indoor areas (Rodewald et al. 2014).

Data from 3 years of weather radar in the Netherlands showed that thousands of birds take flight shortly after fireworks are lit at midnight on New Year’s Eve (Shamoun-Baranes et al. 2011). Hundreds of thousands of birds are disturbed in this way, flushing them from wetlands where they rest. Similar examples are global: in Poland, urban Eurasian Magpies (Pica pica) roost together in larger communal roosts than in ex-urban areas, but roost size sharply and suddenly declines on New Year’s Eve due to fireworks (Karolewski et al. 2014). On Lake Zurich in Switzerland, New Year fireworks can cause a 26–35% drop in swan, goose, and duck numbers overnight, the numbers recovering over 3–10 days (Weggler 2015). At Lake Constance in Germany, a firework display on the 13 September 2010 caused extreme flight reactions in multiple waterbird species, causing over 4000 waterbirds to flee from the area almost immediately. Many waterbird species are in wing-moult at this time of year, so it is significant that even temporarily flightless birds left the area and stayed absent for over 2 days. As Lake Constance is a recognised refuge for moulting waterbirds, this fireworks display has subsequently been banned (Werner 2015). At Beebe, Arkansas, USA, two powerful displays of New Year fireworks in 2011 and 2012 caused the deaths of thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) that were disturbed from winter roosts at night and, in their flight, collided with each other (Chilson et al. 2012).

Fireworks cause pollution, releasing sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, suspended particles, aluminium, manganese etc., in a black smoke of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur (Sijimol and Mohan 2014). The particulate matter released has a profound and immediate negative effect on air quality, but declines rapidly over the next 24 h (Singh et al. 2019). After firework displays, particles released can be five times higher than background levels (Cao et al. 2018). In New Zealand, a steep rise in particulate matter has been reported after fireworks, with much of it coming from small, hand-held sparklers (Rindelaub et al. 2021). Dangi and Bhise (2020) reported multiple respiratory and allergic responses in residents at a site after Diwali celebration. The toxicity of the particulate matter released is high – tests with mice and human cell cultures indicate high inflammatory responses and adverse effects on cells and lung tissue (Hickey et al. 2020). Of particular concern is the presence of the inorganic anion perchlorate (as potassium perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate), which contributes to the explosions and light associated with fireworks (Wu et al. 2011). Perchlorates are water soluble and stable, leaching into water bodies and being taken up by plants after release, and making their way into insects, mammals, amphibians and fishes (reviewed in Sijimol and Mohan 2014). Perchlorate is a major health concern as it inhibits thyroid function in amphibians, reptiles and mammals, decreasing thyroid hormone output – it also has a role in causing reproductive, neurodevelopmental, developmental, immunotoxic, and carcinogenic issues (Utley 2002)."

06/30/2025

REMINDERS for the upcoming Independence Day Weekend:

1) Make sure your pet's collar & tags are on. Name tags, rabies tags, and licenses can all ensure a quicker reunion if your pet goes missing.

2) Ensure that your pet's microchip information is current/up-to-date. Holidays are a very common time for pets to end up as strays or in shelters.

3) Keep your pet safe & secure, especially during fireworks or when visitors are coming & going. Keep fence gates closed, put pets safely away in a separate room or in their kennels if the doors to your house will be repeatedly open. Leave radios or TVs on during the fireworks to drown out the noise, etc.

4) Contact your vet TODAY if your pet needs medication for the fireworks. Do not wait until the very last minute.

5) Keep human foods & beverages up and away from your pet's reach. Holidays are also a very common time for veterinary emergencies because pets got ahold of something they shouldn't have.

6) Avoid taking your pets to parades as they can be loud and chaotic, and a lot of pets find that scenario to be very overwhelming.

Wishing you and your pets a very enjoyable and safe holiday weekend!

06/29/2025

Molly had been let down so many times by her humans in the past. Once she got to us, we were determined to give this senior the best life we could, and we found it! Thank you to Molly's new family for giving a loving home to a deserving senior pup!

06/27/2025

06/27/2025

Adoptable Adelaide has been doing great in Dog School at Fun Fur Pets Training Program with her trainer Haley! Adelaide is wicked smart so this is so great to exercise her brain in a productive way!

06/27/2025

TIP TUESDAY
Dog training, just like life, doesn't always go exactly as we plan. There are mistakes; the plan may not have been the best; we aren't perfect (and neither are our SideKicks); and our goals are sometimes a bit lofty. A few tips to help you manage expectations (and when they butt up against reality):

1) Manage your expectations: take into account the age of your SideKick, the level of distractions, the behaviors you're asking for, etc. There are a variety of factors that get between you and your goals - acknowledge them!

2) Recognize your SideKick's efforts: they're trying and trying hard most of the time - make sure to capture that!

3) Quit while you're ahead: if things are going well, take a break at that point; pushing too hard or too far and giving into the the "just one more" syndrome can get you into trouble, cause frustration or boredom, and make training not as much fun. Leave your SideKick wanting more and they'll be excited to participate in learning with you each session!