Can a partnership with local veterinarians save orphaned kittens’ lives? You bet, when they’re moved from foster care to local veterinary practices, where they’re provided with love, socialization and care. That’s what the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin (HSSW) did, and they share how you can, too, in our latest MaddieTalk: Vet Pets!

“We were struggling with how best to house the very youngest kittens when they came to our shelters, and we decided we need to take a blended approach,” said HSSW Executive Director Brett Frazier.

Their blended approach included utilizing the fosters in the community, but also identifying a way to make those kittens visible sooner than eight weeks old (adoption age).

“The Vet Pets program places them in view of the public at about five weeks old, so it not only takes them out of the shelter and decreases our euthanasia rate, but it also gets them adopted more quickly once they do reach eight weeks.”

The kittens and mamas are seen by the veterinarian’s clients – and adopted right from the clinics!

What’s more, most of the kittens who are adopted through the Vet Pets program actually end up staying with that vet for their future veterinary care. “Good partnerships are a win-win,” said Frazier.

Watch their short MaddieTalk to learn how the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin implemented this innovative lifesaving program, their results and how any shelter can implement it! The video is about 5 minutes long.