HOWARD, Wis. (WFRV) – Sunday morning hundreds of humans and hounds put their feet and paws to the pavement in an effort to fundraise for the Wisconsin Humane Society Green Bay campus during the annual Pet Walk at Pamperin Park.
“The funds that are raised today go toward helping our animals in our shelter. It’s not a cheap thing,” media coordinator Corey Viars said. “All the animals, they get vet visits, behavioral consultations. Even before they can walk out the door they get spayed, neutered, they get microchips, they get vaccinated.”
Despite the high cost of care and the widespread mission the humane society has, it receives no municipal or government funding, leaving the organization reliant on donors.
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“It doesn’t come from the state, doesn’t come from the federal government, so the individual donors are super important to our mission,” Viars said. “And our mission is to love animals and love the people who love them.”
Local 5 is a proud partner in supporting the humane society’s efforts, including hosting the twice weekly Pet Saver segments on Local 5 News at Noon with Jade Henschel. This year, Jade also had the honor of serving as emcee for the walk.
“If you talk to someone who has a pet, they love that pet so much,” she said. “It is truly a member of their family. So to be able to raise funds for an organization that is focused on getting these animals into their forever homes is just awesome.”
The event is more than a fundraiser, it is also a celebration of the animals in our lives. Dog and kid activity zones brought plenty of smiles and laughter, and a Brown County Sheriff K9 unit demonstration gave the public a chance to see the highly skilled animals in action.
“I’ve been coming for probably the last 16 years,” Chrisanne Kuchinski said alongside her stroller-cruising cat. “This is Jolie. He’s going to be 2 this summer. This is his second pet walk, we came last year. He loves his stroller rides.”
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For others, it was their very first time at the event, with dogs jumping for joy and splashing their way through kiddie pools.
“Our dog’s pretty good with everyone,” Carletos Hardamon said. “He’s kind of aroused because he likes to be with other pets. But it shows that we know how to train our dogs in Green Bay.”
And for others, the humane society’s mission traces back generations.
“My mom actually used to work at the Humane Society when I was a kid,” Amber Arnoldi said. “We used to go to the Humane Society all the time as kids and walk the dogs. So at the Humane Society, with my mom being a vet tech, it’s kind of been my whole life.”
As of Sunday evening, it is not too late to donate, and all donations up to $30,000 will be matched by Virginia Kress. If you can give your time, the humane society is always looking for more volunteers to help out at its campus.
