Ripon College Days

Media Credit: Photo by Megan Captaine Furry friends. Kittens scope each other out at the Green Lake Area Animal Shelter. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Photo courtesy greenlakeareaanimalshelter.com High energy pup seeks loving owners. Sapphire, a boxer and German shepherd mix breed was transferred to Green Lake's animal shelter from a high volume shelter in southern Illinois. She is six months old and has been housed at Green Lake Animal Sh [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Photo by Megan Captaine Hard to resist. A visit to the Green Lake shelter is sure to tug at one's heartstrings. The animals are awaiting placement in permanent homes and welcome volunteer visits in the meantime. [Click to enlarge]

The Green Lake Area Animal Shelter, formerly known as TriCounty Animal Shelter and Adoption, has existed since its founding in 1993. Though its name has changed over the years, there is one thing that hasn't- problems.

Slight financial shortcomings and a lack of community involvement are among the factors affecting the shelter. Keeping these in mind, the shelter is now reworking a few aspects of their business, trying to better it as a whole.

Despite these minor setbacks the shelter persists. It continues working toward its mission "to provide shelter and care to homeless companion animals in the Green Lake area" and toward the goal of ending animal suffering and homelessness.

Although the shelter is located in Green Lake, its services extend to the town of Ripon, which lacks an animal haven of its own.

Director of Media and Public Relations Scott Wilson is a shelter board member.

"I think a lot of people believe the shelter serves only Green Lake. That's not true. The shelter serves the surrounding communities as well, including Ripon, Berlin, Princeton, and several others," he says.

The shelter's improvements begin with administrative changes. The shelter has taken on new board members and is also under new management.

Janine Rubeck, the new shelter manager, took the reigns of responsibility in March 2005. She worked at the Oshkosh area shelter prior to taking the position at Green Lake.

The owning corporation was looking for someone with more experience and a set of goals to run the shelter.

With these administrative changes, along with the addition of new policies and the elimination of older, less effective ones, the shelter hopes to better itself and ultimately thrive.

The financial problems facing the shelter are relatively minor; what really needs improvement is the community's involvement and interest in the shelter itself.

Students can help in many ways and not just by sending a check.

They can donate aluminum cans and used ink cartridges that can then be turned in for cash. They can include the shelter on their Pick n' Save Advantage-Plus Savers Card as part of the We Care Program, or even donate much-needed items listed on the shelter's Wish List found on its website. Most importantly, they can volunteer.

"If you can't give money, give us some of your time," urges Rubeck.

"It would mean a lot to the shelter employees to have Ripon College students donate their time and come walk the dogs or even just sweep up," says Wilson. "Just that small effort can mean a lot to them."

Rubeck, who volunteered herself at the Green Lake shelter from 1996 to 1997, greatly encourages the idea of volunteering.

She says it's something "fun for college students, especially those away from family pets. They can come play with some dogs or cats and get that warm fuzzy feeling back."

While a trip to the shelter can be a fun and rewarding experience, it's still difficult for the shelter to generate a large base of community interest and support.

"It's a tough [business]," says Rubeck regarding garnering community support, adding, "A shelter is one of those businesses most forget about until they need it."

Rubeck hopes to increase the shelter's effectiveness through new programs in the face of ongoing struggles.

"We're trying to expand services and the area covered, and with that comes increased expenses," says Rubeck.

Improved policies include adoption, animal rendering and admissions.

In previous years the shelter was more strict when taking in animals. They accepted mostly strays they believed would be easy to turn over.

"Shelters run on the principle of 'don't turn any animal away'," says Rubeck. "I live by that."

The shelter now has an open admission policy and has also separated the idea of animal control from that of animal shelter.

"The shelter provides the surrounding communities with a place to house and take care of stray [animals]. Without them those animals would be roaming the streets. That's not good for any community," says Wilson.

Their spay and neuter policy has also changed and now has 100 percent compliance.

Another change is their adoption process. "We tried to make it friendly and easy," says Rubeck.

This change is apparently working for the shelter; according to Rubeck "adoptions have skyrocketed."

Last year the shelter served approximately 250 dogs and over 270 cats in total. These figures include an equal number of owner surrenders and strays, and is a big hike compared to the numbers from previous years.

In 2003, under old management, the total number of dogs and cats the shelter was able to serve was around 200 combined. That's only about half the number reached under Rubeck's management.

The shelter must now increase its annual funds to help accommodate its rise in animals and services.

Not everyone in the area has forgotten the shelter and many generous people are there to donate and give financial help. That doesn't cover everything though, Rubeck stresses.

"We're not trying to get rich, we're just trying to get to a place where we're not scared that we'll have to shut the doors," Rubeck says.

The shelter allows for walk-in volunteers and is very flexible with scheduling. It also provides guidance to volunteers and will introduce them to the pets they will be helping.

"We can be as hands-on with the volunteers as they want," says Rubeck.

The shelter is sure to screen volunteers in order to protect the animals, but more or less allows them to bond freely.

"The future looks bright for the shelter and the board has the organization on a path of unending engagement with the community. However, [it] still needs help in reaching its goals of serving the area in the best ways possible. That's where we need you," says Wilson.

More information can be found on the shelter's website at www.greenlakeareaanimalshelter.com.

Article Tools