Monday, March 21, 2011
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Angela Speed
Phone: 414.431.6104
aspeed@wihumane.org
Wisconsin Humane Society Ozaukee Campus Opens the Doors to its New Digs
Ribbon Cutting Scheduled for Saturday, March 26
Saukville, Wis. – In 1977, a group of citizens formed the Ozaukee Humane Project in order to provide animal welfare education to area schools. Thirty-four years later, the organization is poised to become one of the most prominent animal shelters in the country.
The doors to the new Wisconsin Humane Society Ozaukee Campus: Victoria Wellens Center will open on Saturday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The shelter is located at 630 West Dekora Street in Saukville.
The 22,000 square foot building will be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building. LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design and construction of “green” buildings. The Ozaukee campus will strive for a LEED Gold certification, making it the only LEED Gold-certified animal shelter in the Midwest.
Situated in a hard-to-find location off Highway W in Grafton for the past 23 years, the Society’s previous location didn’t reflect the impact they had on the community. The previous shelter, which was built as an outdoor theatre concession stand, was outdated and did not provide space for proper housing, a veterinary clinic, or classroom space.
More Community Involvement = More Lives Saved
The Wisconsin Humane Society is excited about the edge that the new building will provide in attracting animal adopters. It features expanded veterinary facilities, cageless adoption suites for the animals, and classroom space for children’s programming and dog training classes. The ‘people friendly’ interior of the facility includes a more comfortable adoption area, interactive educational exhibits and a retail store.
Designed as a destination point for people to spend an afternoon learning about companion animal behavior or an evening perusing the views of the adjacent wetlands, the new amenities will attract more people to the shelter, raising adoption rates and volunteerism.
One-of-a-kind Educational Exhibits
The building’s fun and interactive educational displays will further the Society’s mission of treating animals with respect and kindness and promoting the human-animal bond. These exhibits will teach the community about animals and the importance of being kind to all creatures, including each other.
In addition, educational displays showcase the “green,” sustainable strategies used in the construction and design of the shelter. From a “Green Scene Investigation” game to a Wetland Walk through the adjacent wetlands, there will be ample opportunities to learn about the environmentally sustainable features of the facility.
Mark Your Calendars!
Photo opportunities for media include:
Tuesday, March 22, 4:30 p.m.
The first puppies arrive at the shelter! Transported by the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’®, over forty puppies and dogs from Kentucky will be arriving at their new digs. They will be unloaded from the transport truck, given initial vaccinations, their first collars and ID tags.
Thursday, March 24, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
You are invited to see the puppies from Kentucky as they get bathed, have personality evaluations conducted by our behavior team, are spayed or neutered in the state-of-the-art clinic, and have their adoption pictures taken. These puppies will be available for adoption on Saturday, March 26.
Saturday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
OPENING DAY
Come at 10:00 a.m. for the ribbon cutting, or anytime during the day and tour behind-the-scenes, talk to adopters, and see the interior of the facility. We will be offering public tours, free gifts for adopters, and free puppy kisses all day. You will also have the opportunity to tour the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’® dog transport vehicle.
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Interview/Photo Opportunities: Please contact Angela Speed with any questions at aspeed@wihumane.org, (414) 431-6104 or (414) 202-5539 (cell).
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