Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Animal Shelter Rescues Texas Dogs For Local Adoption

    DELAVAN, WI, March 19, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Lakeland Animal Shelter saved nine homeless dogs from Texas last month by flying volunteers to Texas who then drove the dogs back to Delavan, Wisconsin for care and eventual adoption. Lakeland Animal Shelter already has a solid reputation for caring for and adopting homeless dogs and cats from southeastern Wisconsin, but now they are opening their doors and services to animals in need beyond that service area.

Lakeland Animal Shelter Executive Director, Kristen Perry says, "Our Shelter took in more than 3,000 animals in 2014 with an adoption rate of more than 98%. We are proud to be a no-kill adoption guarantee facility that refuses to use euthanasia as a means of population control and yet also provides animal care and control services to all of Walworth County, Wisconsin. We do limit our intake to those that will be easiest to place quickly into new homes, but have been very successful at placing dogs into homes in the past two years, which means we have consistently experienced open kennel space. Several rescue groups outside of Walworth County, and even at times outside of Wisconsin, have requested we consider accepting homeless animals from their region. We have decided it is time we do that on a larger scale than just one or two dogs here and there."

Meet the dogs the Lakeland Animal Shelter are calling the "Texas 9". Ginger, Annie, Bocifus, Lenny, Squiggy, Hooch, Bella, Pepsi Girl, and Nina. These are who the shelter hopes to be the first of many that will be able to be saved through this new transfer program. All nine are sweet and highly adoptable dogs that just needed a chance to find homes in a region that was not as overpopulated with dogs. These dogs have all been adopted, and plans are being made for another life-saving trip down south.

Lakeland Animal Shelter Director of Programs and Special Services, Lynn Sabo, coordinated the road trip with a rescue from the Houston area that takes in homeless dogs. Reportedly more than 85,000 homeless cats and dogs are euthanized annually in that region due to overpopulation. Lynn and another shelter volunteer flew down to Texas in early February and drove back 19 hours straight through five states to bring these 9 little lives to the safety and care of the Lakeland Animal Shelter. Regarding her experience Lynn states, "I'm truly honored to be a part of this new program. Being able to help these dogs and welcome them into a new life is something words can't describe. Seeing them go from living on the streets to living in a home, it's the best feeling in the world, and I'm honored to be a part of helping them find their way."

The Lakeland Animal Shelter is working to help fund the expenses associated with this new transfer program with their "Operation Rescue" fund. For more information on the program or to give to the fund and be a part of giving these dogs a new life, please go to www.gofundme.com/nb0k4o.

Lakeland Animal Shelter is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1968 for the care of abandoned and neglected animals in Walworth County, Wisconsin. More information can be found on their website at www.lakelandanimalshetler.org or by calling 262-723-1000.

# # #