News

Our 9th Annual Fall Banquet tickets are available at LCHS now! The Banquet will be held at Les & Jim's Lincoln Lanes in Merrill on October 13. Doors open at 4:30pm, dinner is at 6pm.

Tickets are $40 per person if you purchase by October 3. If you purchase your ticket after October 3, the price will be $50 per person. 

The price of the ticket includes the meal and entrance into the drawing for the Grand Prize! 

 We would like to thank Gigi Heinz of Be Well Yoga for her recent fundraiser! Gigi's Yoga in the Garden class raised $160 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home! Thank you, Gigi! 

 We are happy to announce our partnership with Riversedge Art Gallery and Gifts! Our cats love the catnip from there and its an awesome price for a good amount of catnip for your feline friend especially, when you come and get a buy one get one 1/2 off coupon from us! Thank you, we appreciate your support!

Did you know that you can support LCHS by shopping through the Amazon Smile Program? Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the Lincoln County Humane Society Inc whenever you shop on AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.

Check it out at - https://smile.amazon.com/ch/39-1278307

Check out a few more of the great prizes for our upcoming Fall Banquet on October 13!

The Fall Banquet will be held at Les & Jim's in Merrill. Doors open at 4:30pm, dinner starts at 6pm. Tickets are $40 per person until October 3. After October 3, the price will be $50 per person. The price of the ticket includes the meal and entrance into the drawing for the Grand Prize!

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in June! Their generosity resulted in more than $1,500 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home! 

Amber Florzak

Grace Witulski

Maddie McCormick

Cecil Ballou

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Marianne & Lawrence Ekdahl

Bonny Graap

Dennis & Betty Jane Klimps

Steve Buckhart

Chris Gano

Mariann & Steve Hanig

Jo Ann Hidaka & Alan Stankevitz

VanDerGeest Gold Medal Cattle Corp.

Robert & Delores Koepke

Network for Good

Ronald Carpenter

Diana Berenz

Cheryl Sherman - In hnoor of Dennis Miller & Barbara Dombeck

Pamela Welch

Tasha Wassink

Amy Hameister

Sponsoring animals for adoption is a way to contribute to the adoption fee or care of a specific animal. Sponsoring an animal can help increase the chance of adoption by helping to promote them for adoption. We would like to thank the following supporters for sponsoring animals in June: 

Rogene Janik - sponsored "Luigi" the cat

Claire Charbarneau - sponsored "Pretty Girl" the cat

Jude Charbarneau - sponsored "Bentley" the cat

Jenni Schoneman - sponsored "Cat Clyde" the cat 

Rhonda Kanitz-Henrichs - sponsored two feral cat spay/neuter surgeries

Check out some of the awesome prizes for our upcoming Fall Banquet on October 13! 

The Fall Banquet will be held at Les & Jim's in Merrill. Doors open at 4:30pm, dinner starts at 6pm. Tickiets are $40 per person until October 3. After October 3, the price will be $50 per person. The price of the ticket includes the meal and entrace in to the drawing for the Grand Prize! 

LCHS is closed July 18 & 19 but will be open for normal business hours July 20 at 12pm.

If you have an animal related emergency or have found a stray or lost animal, please contact the local Sheriff's Department at 715-536-6272.

We would like to thank everyone who donated in honor of a loved one in June! Your support resulted in $700 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home!

Laurie Peterson by Anna Alanko

Renee Weaver's Birthday by Karry Kudronowicz

William H. Morris by Arnold Lange

Marlene Borelli by Rogene Janik

Philip Mattson by Wayne & Beth Houle, Weinbrenner Shoe Company Inc, Leah Henkelman, Gail & Dennis Abegglen, Donna Dietrich, David & Susan Smith, Catherine Sparbel, Angie Merkel, John Pagac, Donna Petruzates, Debra Henkelman

Misty the dog by Peggy Bauman

Buck the dog by Peggy Bauman

Jim Peterson by Al & Judy Elliott

Darlene Anderson by Mike Vonya Ellsworth 

LCHS is closed July 11th. We will reopen on the 12th at 12pm. Have a safe holiday! 

T.B. Scott Library is offering their "Summer Readers" a wonderful incentive if we can reach the group goal of 50,000 minutes for July! If we collectively make this goal, T.B. Scott Library will donate an additional $100 to purchase supplies! Contact the T.B. Scott Library at 715-536-7191 to get involved! 

We have decided to continue our Adopt a Cat Month Special in July! All adult cats at LCHS will be 1/2 off for the month of July! 

To celebrate "Adopt a Cat Month," LCHS is offering 1/2 off on all adult cats! All cats 6 months & up will be $25! This includes the spay/neuter, feline leukemia test, rabies vaccine, distemper combo vaccine with booster, and microchip with registration! 

Did you know more pets go missing on July 4^th than any other day of the year? Below are some tips to keep your pets safe this Fourth of July.

• Don’t bring your pets to the fireworks

• Never leave your pet in the car during fireworks

• Don’t leave doggie doors open or pets outside in the yard

   

• Take your dog on a long walk before the fireworks

• Leave your pet at home in a safe environment

• Provide plenty of water, toys, and a safe chew

• Close windows, lower blinds, and play some soothing music

• Microchip your pets

• Keep collars with ID tags on your pet at all times

We would like to thank all of the wonderful people who made our 2018 Crusin' for Critters a success! We appreciate all the donors, volunteers, and attendees - without you, this event would not be possible! Thank you!

2018 Poker Hand Winners

1st - $300 Cash - Stubby Thayer - We would like to thank Stubby for donating half his winnings back to the shelter! 

2nd - $200 Cash - Tina Novotny

3rd - $100 - Dennis Jensen 

  We would like to thank the generous family and friends of Phil Mattson for the incredible amount of donations! Phil tragically passed away after a motorcycle accident. Because of his life-long love of animals, Phil's family requested donations for the shelter animals in Phil's memory. Phil's generosity and kindness showed over the years as a supporter of events for the Humane Society but also in his on-going donations whenever he heard the shelter was in need of supplies.

Phil's family and friends originally hoped to "Phil-up" the truck owned by the Mattsons but there were so many donations, the family had to arrange for multiple vehicles to transport all the supplies to the shelter! We are deeply saddened by the loss of this wonderful man and send our condolences to Phil's many friends and family during this difficult time. 

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in May!

Washington Elementary School - Annual Donation Drive

Schenck SC

Nadine Appel

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

David & Sarah Pfarr

School District of Tomahawk 

Sheila & Thomas Kluxdal

Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Cecil Ballou

Ava Romatoski

Easton Romatoski

Keith & Melissa Omernick 

Dave & Kay Hackett

Sandy Salisbury

Marianne & Lawrence Ekdahl

Joy Anderson

Hilda Bukovic

John & Vicki Kuester

Hannah Hansen

Laureate Alpha Delta - Beta Sigma Phi

Philip & Virginia Giese

Leonard & Delores Ditsworth

Salon Envie

Amazonsmile

Mary Leyk

Lori Weiderhoeft

Gleason Community Club, Inc

Philip Hamlin

Kimberly Freund

Peter Palmer

Diana Berenz

Pamela Welch

Tasha Wassink

Kimberly Freund

Amy Hameister

Our shelter kitty, Pilcher, would also like to thank the following supporters for contributing to the cost of his special food! Thank you:

Kaitlin Kopplin

Cari Sauter

Brian Mclenithan

Laura Reichelt

LCHS will be closed Sunday 6/17. We will reopen for normal business hours at 12pm on Monday June 18.

If you have an animal related emergency or find a stray/lost animal, please contact the local Sheriff's Department at 715-536-6272. 

We would like to thank everyone who donated in honor or memory of a loved one in May! Your support resulted in $1,550 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home!

Darlene J. Anderson by Russel Nyberg, Sandra Meidam, Jane Stahnke, Lynn Mai, Elaine Johnson, Dona Jahn, Sue Geisie, Family of Darlene, Sandra Sommers

Don Hoffman by Mariann & Steve Hanig, Mary Ann Rehwinkel

Marie Helmstadter by Rodger & Donna Thompson

Jean Fredrich by Kim Voigt, John & Linda Huss, Elizabeth VanDerGeest

Ray Fredrich by Richard Stine

Virginia Gremler by Colleen & Larry Woller 

Earl "Bud" Schuman by Peggy Longseth McCauley, Richard Stine, Family of Earl "Bud" Schuman

Marie Hagemeister by Janet Beyer Thums, Jean Osness

Mary Leyk's Birthday by Susan Weith

Maddy Odegard by Rocky & Laura Kolka, Shirley Ziemke, Brenda Ziemke, Lana Odegard

Val Grunenwald's 90th Birthday by Laverne & Marilyn Grunenwald

Marlyn Helmstadter by Nicole & Donna Thompson 

Brenda Ziemke by Gus & Archie Ziemke

Clarence Mayer by Tanya Mayer

Ted Kolka by William & Joanne Wengeler

Fundraisers for LCHS are always a heartwarming experience. It's incredible to see the generosity of so many people. At our Poker Run this year, one of the most touching moments was from our Annual Veteran's Raffle. Each year, a small prize is set aside specifically for any of the veterans at the event - they are given a ticket to enter the raffle as a thank you for their service. This year, the prize was $20 and a bottle of maple syrup. Suddenly, members of the audience were donating additional money to donate for the Veteran's Raffle. The prize rose from $20 to $240! The prize was split in order to allow for three winners. Each veteran that received a prize immediately donated the money back to the homeless animals calling the shelter their temporary home! It was an incredible moment of kindness and generosity - from the members of the audience donating for the Veteran's Raffle, and from the generous veterans themselves. Thank you, Tim, Jimmy, Jeff, and Dennis, for your service and your generosity! 

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in April! Their generosity resulted in more than $2,500 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home! 

Merrill Vet Clinic

Ron Geier

Elizabeth Vehlow

Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Cecil Ballou

Dennis Gourlie

Judy Hall

Candice Jacobson

John & Vicki Kuester

Jerry Zastrow

Rick Rose

Heidi Haltinner

Joy Anderson

Network for Good

Give With Liberty 

Prairie River Middle School

Gloria Jean Ziolkowski

Jennifer Ingman

Lisa Heise Family

Corporate Giving Program

Carol Nelsen

Diana Berenz

Pamela Welch

Duane & Wendy Jarvis

Tasha Wassink

Lynn Johnson

Amy Hameister

Kari Kercher

Jodi Wolff

We are happy to report that $52.68 was transferred into the humane society's account from AmazonSmile! Amazon.com donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to LCHS whenever you shop AmazonSmile for LCHS.

Sign in to amazon using this code to support LCHS - https://smile.amazon.com/ch/39-1278307

 We would like to thank the Pine River Peppers 4-H Club for their continued support! Together, the club members created nearly 50 cat and dog toys from fleece! They also held a supply drive for much-needed items like cat litter and cleaning supplies. The club members also spent time at the shelter, distributing treats and toys to the animals calling the shelter their temporary home. Thank you, Pine River Peppers! 

LCHS will be closed Saturday May 19. Visit our staff at the Petsmart Adoption Event in Rib Mountain! We will be open for our normal Sunday hours from 12pm-2pm. 

We would like to thank everyone who donated in honor of a loved one in April! Your support resulted in almost $1,400 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home!

Dan Nelson by Judith Ruppert, Cynthia Guenther & Janeen Laborde

David Hinke by Journey Church

Ellis Wendt by Dale & Patricia Zuelsdorff

Lisa Berndt Fischer by John Fischer, Arlo & Eunice Berndt, Scott & Linda Doerr

Marjorie Rajek by Catherine Lemay-Brown & Richard Brown

Kim Witz by Patti Schroeder

Earl "Bud" Schuman by Cynthia Cross, Bonnie & Mark Hoedel, Thomas & Sherry Hoffman, Dianne Belling

Delores Heise by Scott Clark

Darlene Anderson by Merrill Steel Complex Fabrication, Spirit Valley Riders ATV Club, Theresa Johnson

Brianna Maas by Lincoln County 4-H Leaders Association

We would like to thank everyone who made our 2018 Walk for Whiskers a success! We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined the walk, as well as all the volunteers that made this great event continue! This year, we raised over $2,000! A special thanks to:

Merrill Iron 

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Advantage Insurance Services, LLC

The Riverbend Trail

Eagle's Club

Lynn & Eddie Wisniewski

Trina DeLasky & Vince Howard

Mary Moscherosch

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in March! Your support resulted in almost $2,500 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home! 

Amy Hameister

Tasha Wassink

Pamela Welch

Diana Berenz

Laurie Rozmenoski

Klint Trevino

Steven Willis

Kaitlin Kopplin

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

Rose Lynd

Anonymous

J. Adams Jr

Lori Wiederhoeft

Nadine Appel

Hilda Bukovic

Kenneth & Jane Brokaw

Katelin Bradley

Lincoln County Sports Club - In Memory of Derek Fravert

Joseph & Vickie Yelle

Network for Good

Marth Giving Back Committee

Merrill Youth Hockey Association

William Maki

Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Cecil Ballou

Marianne & Lawrence Ekdahl

Ethan Engel

Kerry Hass

Mark Mesarch

Susan Zastrow

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

Kendall Rutter

Jean Perkins

Josh & Karen Johnson

Rick & Judith Lombard

Robert & Judith Robida

Laura & Thomas Frigo

Northwoods Mounted Search & Rescue 

We would like to thank everyone who donated in honor of a loved one in March! Your support helped to raise almost $1,000 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home!

Lilac the Cat by Kronenwetter Veterinary Care

Bruce Giese by Pat Woller, Beverly Dietz

Faye Osness' Birthday by Janet Beyer Thums

Mike Bierbrauer by Scott & Renee Osness

Richard Hull by Barb Laatsch, Darrell & Stephanie Oestreich, Brenda Hull, Edward Gruett, Marta & Stephen Loos, Bob & Jane Dehnel, Gary Dietrich, Melody, Sara, Leann, & Cheryl

Zipper Financial by Bill Frazier

Randy Bellin by Larry & Gloria Hammon, Alfred & Judith Elliott

Ronald "Toby" Heldmann by Renee & Scott Osness

Marge Rajek by Barbara Hanson, Mr. & Mrs. Francis Montabon, Mary Ann Gretenhardt, Jean & Joe Folta, Judy DeMesy, Judy Grefe

Donovan the Dog by Marilyn & Walter Schmidt

Maggie Marrier by Mariann & Steve Hanig

Pete Annis by Michael Hanson

Judy Kimmons by Kim Travis

Derrick Fravert by Beverly Dietz

Jack the Dog by Cynthia & Kraig Hanig

Carol Peterson by Marlene Lenz

We would like to thank the following donors for sponsoring animals at LCHS in March! Your support is greatly appreciated! 

Ava the Cat by Mike & Jayne Thiel

Sampson by Anonymous, Carol Luedtke

Gibbs the puppy by Skutak Dental, River Valley Bank, Nicole Fleck, Kay Marquardt, Rebecca Burgener, Katherine Parenteau, Darin Bellile, Wendy Zastrow

Tommy, Bella, & Gizmo (cats) by Noble Warrior Martial Arts

Charlotte & Tiny (dogs) by Carol Luedtke

Cali the Cat by Anonymous

Transport Sponsors by Michelle Miller, Beth Faris

 Remember to shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate to LCHS!

AmazonSmile Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/39-1278307

 2018 Lincoln County Dog Licenses are available at LCHS. Please see our information sheet below for frequently asked questions.

How much does a dog license cost?

$10 for a spayed/neutered dog or $30 for an unaltered dog. If the dog is not spayed/neutered at the time of purchase, we cannot sell the license for the spayed/neutered rate. 

How long are licenses available?

Licenses are available year-round. However, the fees for licenses increase after March 31, 2018. A $10 license increases to $25 and a $30 license increases to $65.

What do I need to purchase a dog license?

Your dog must be vaccinated for rabies in order to purchase a license. The rabies certificate will provide the experation date, tag number, and other information needed for the license. 

Can I purchase my dog's license through the mail?

Yes! Dog licenses can be purchased through the mail. Send the payment along with the license information form that can be downloaded. *This link is under construction and will be ready as soon as possible! Then mail your check or money order to LCHS (with the check written out to LCHS) at 310 N. Memorial Drive, Merrill WI 54452. 

Can I purchase a dog license online?

Yes! Go to www.furrypets.com/2012/dog-license1.php to enter the information. You can pay through Paypal or with major credit card.  The license will be completed at the shelter and will be mailed directly to you. 

Can I purchase a kennel license through LCHS?

No, at this time kennel licenses must be purchased through the Lincoln County Treasurer. 

What happens if I don't purchase a license for my dog?

According to the Merrill Police Department, the fine for a first offense of a dog not having a rabies vaccination is $77.50, the same rate applies to a dog that is not licensed. If your dog is ever brought to the shelter as a stray, you will also be required to purchase a county license before the dog can be released.

Since spring is almost here, we'd like to remind everyone to contact Northwoods Wildlife Center at 715-356-7400 if you have found wildlife that may be injured or orphaned. They have tons of great suggestions on how to determine if an animal is truly in need of help.

Check out their website at: http://northwoodswildlifecenter.org/

We would like to thank the following individuals for donating in honor of a loved one in February! We are incredibly grateful for your support!

Sugar by Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Eldor Schult by Carol Osness, Todd & Mandy Bishop

Kermit Block by Leann Fuhrman

Gary Graap by Leann Fuhrman, Beatrice Lebal 

Roxanne Mangum by Peggy & Bob Bauman

Tyler Holbach by Tammy Duwe

Megan Marth by Mary Bauman & Daniel Jackson 

Bailey the Beagle by Peggy & Bob Bauman

Jim Ward by Patricia Ward, Carole Gatch, Nancy Korpi, Frank Hinterleitner, Don & Marie Schultz

Andrew Duginski by CMIC Colleagues 

 We would like to thank the Heartland Co-op of Merril for donating gift baskets for new cat and dog adopters! We greatly appreciate the adorable baskets and the show of support for people chosing to adopt shelter pets! 

We are delighted to announce 24 cats/kittens and 8 dogs/puppies found forever homes in February! Thanks to everyone who donated and adopted in order to give our shelter pets a second chance at a good life! 

We are excited to announce 16 new dogs/puppies have arrived from Texas this week! They are not ready for adoption just yet - we are hoping they can start heading into new homes next week. We are allowing visitors and accepting applications for them at this time. There are a variety of breeds and ages. We will post pictures as soon as possible! Thanks for your patience & understanding during our busy time 

 We would like to thank Josie, Joe, and Daisy Countryman of Merrill! Most Merrill residents are familiar with the annual Countryman Family Light Display. This year, the Countryman Family also collected monetary donations for the shelter from the people stopping to view their amazing light display. They also collected supplies and treats for the animals. 

 We would like to thank all of the businesses that support LCHS every year by selling "paws" in February & March. Even a few dollars per "paw" makes a huge impact for the animals of the shelter! We are incredibly grateful that these businesses take on extra work in order to help the shelter. 

Chips

BMO Harris (and drive-up)

First Street Coffee Station

Dave's County Market

Salon Envie (Wausau)

Holiday (Center Ave)

River Valley Bank

Holiday (West)

Dat Bar

Los Mezcales

Eagle's Club

Tomahawk Family Restaurant

Holiday (Tomahawk)

Dug Out

Ingman's Parkway Pub

Tomahawk Furniture & Gun

Billy Bob's

Tomahawk Feed Mill

We would like to thank the following members for renewing their 2018 Membership with LCHS! 

Larry & Colleen Woller

Carol Osness

James Blair

Faye Osness

Mary Bootz

Penny Callahan

Patrick & Johanna Hoerstmann

Trina Delasky & Vince Howard

Ashley Crowell

Barbara Hanson

Carol Garcia

Mariann & Steve Hanig

Randall & Kathy Murray 

You can renew your membership online or email us at manager@furrypets.com and we will send the form for you to complete and return with check or cash. 

We would like to thank our January Donors for their incredible support! Their donations resulted in almost almost $3,000 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home!

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

Give With Liberty

Mark & Catherine Krupinski

Amy Hameister

Tasha Wassink

Pamela Welch

Amy Hameister

Tasha Wassink

Pamela Welch

Faye Oosterhouse

Karen McKay

Patricia Shaw

Nancy Pekarske

Bill & Carol Sparr

The Petco Foundation

Margaret Clay via Network for Good

Mark Skofronick

Nadine Appel

David & Carol Finanger

Cub Scout Pack 502

Sam Yeskis

Robert Peterson

Barnes Creek Buccaneers

Eric Anderson

Santa Paws Campaign

Patti & Gary Stickler

Paul Kuntz

Mary Bauman 

We would like to thank everyone who donated in honor of a loved one in January! Your support resulted in more than $1,800 for the animals calling the shelter their temporary home! 

James (Jim) Ward by Ruth & Jeffrey Dejarlais, Idabell & Laurie Crofoot, Cordwood Construction Rescources LLC, Lorna Coffman, Shirley Voermans

Judy Haxton by Happy Tails at Home LLC

Tom Sheldon by Friends

Julie Hornung by Maria & Steven Zagorski, Krueger Plumbing LLC, Dean & Kathy Abitz, David & Sara Wendorf, John & Sharon Zortman, Craig & Katherine Krueger, Leah & Brian Henkelman, Sarah Kasuboski, David & Sara Shattuck, Catherine Hargrave, Rogene Janik

Sugar the Cat, faithful companion for 15 years by Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Baby the Cat by Beatrice Lebal

Annie the Dog by Beatrice Lebal

Monty the Dog by Wendi Martell-Daniels 

Darla Sann's Birthday by Steve & Jackie Landwehr, Marty Sizer 

Lucky the Cat by Colleen Woller, Darla Sann 

Pete Annis by Faye Osness, Barbara Hanson 

Mary Bauman by Maxine, Jay, Melody, and Melanie Tlusty, Timothy Gruling 

Donald Leitzke by Maxine, Jay, Melody, and Melanie Tlusty

Richard & Marjorie Tlusty by Maxine, Jay, Melody, and Melanie Tlusty

Kellyjane the Dog by Peggy & Bob Bauman

Truman Bearjar by Mariann & Steve Hanig

Jerry Manne by Margaret Rose St Ledger 

We would like to thank the generous members of Thrivent Financial for directing their "Thrivent Choice Dollar" to our organization in 2017! Because of their support, $2,311 was donated to LCHS in 2017! Thank you for the incredible support! 

Although winter seems endless, spring is quickly approaching.  This means a great increase in injured or orphaned wildlife.  But things are not always as they seem.  There are many times where a human's well meaning intervention actually can do more harm than good. 

An easy way to make sure you're making the right choice is to contact an expert right away. By saving wildlife rehabilitation phone numbers into your phone today, you have the resource you may need in the future.  If you're at the park and find a baby bird or if you're driving and you see a fawn in a ditch on the side of the road, you'll know exactly who to call for answers.  So pull out your phone right now and save these numbers:

Northwoods Wildlife Center (Minocqua) 715-356-7400

Raptor Education Group (Antigo) 715-623-4015

Wild Instincts (Rhinelander) 715-362-9453

This simple step may help you to save a life one day!

Top 5 Reasons to Protect Your Pets with External Identification Tags

By PawNews On April 15, 2013 ·

The ASPCA did a major study on pet ID tags and found that though 80% of pet parents believe that external identification is important, only 33% report actually putting tags on their pets.  What’s going on?  If you aren’t aware of why it is SO important to have an external ID on your pet…read on…

1.    1 in 3 pets will become lost in their lifetime (American Humane Association) and without proper identification, 90% of pets never make it back home (Found Animals Foundation)

Yes...even indoor kitties need external ID tags to keep them safe.

2.   Even if you have a strictly “indoor” pet…disasters, accidents and all sorts of unforeseen events will happen–it only takes one time. With less than 2% of cats and 20% of dogs coming back home safely…is it worth the risk?

3.   Anyone can read an external ID tag. Even if your pet is microchipped, they must be taken to a shelter or veterinarian to be scanned, and not all microchips can be read by all scanners. However, some new cutting-edge external ID tags, like PetHub QR ID tags even have multiple ways they can help pets get home and link to online profiles that can be changed at any time.

4.  Many people won’t pick up an animal without a collar on. They think “that’s a stray dog or feral cat.” But an animal with a collar & external ID tag…that’s a pet, someone’s family member, and folks are much more likely to stop and try to help the animal get home.

5.  Style, baby.  There are literally hundreds of styles of tags, in a wide range of prices, out there to fit you and your pet’s personality.  From princess to sports dog and from hipster to goof…there’s a fabulous ID tag out there for every pet & budget.

Cold weather is as difficult for animals as it is for people. When the weather is below freezing, the Lincoln County Humane Society highly recommends keeping your pets indoors. Being outdoors in freezing temperatures is a huge health risk to pets, and causes severe stress.

But if you must keep your pets outdoors, please follow these recommendations to help keep them safe and comfortable.

Feeding:

1.    Feed high quality foods with essential fatty acids to help outdoor dogs and cats maintain a thick coat of fur in the winter. Some veterinarians even recommend adding canola oil, soybean oil, or butter or fish oils directly to the dry food a pet receives. Check with your local veterinarian to see what’s safe and most beneficial to your pet.

2.    Increase food supply, especially protein, to help keep a healthy weight. If your pet is overweight, this is not recommended.

3.    Provide a heated water bowl for pets. Eating snow is not enough to prevent dehydration and it will cause hypothermia more quickly because it drops your pet’s body temperature.

4.    Don’t use metal bowls for food or water because your pet’s tongue may stick to the metal.

5.    Check frequently to make sure the water and food aren’t frozen.

Bedding:

1.    Make sure all pets, but especially, senior or arthritic pets have thick beds to in a warm area to keep their joints from hurting more.

2.    Keep beds off of concrete or the floor. 

3.    Use straw for bedding instead of towels, blankets, and newspaper which retain cold and moisture.

4.    Make sure your pet has an insulated house. It should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn but not too large or it won’t help conserve body heat.

5.    The pet’s house should be kept a few inches off the ground and covered with straw. The opening should be facing away from the wind and there should be a plastic cover on the door.

General:

1.    Make sure your pet’s fur is free of matts and burrs. Matted fur won’t protect as well from the cold.

2.    Don’t use regular road salt near your pet, make sure to have a pet safe variety to prevent injury and irritation on delicate paw pads.

We would like to thank River Valley Bank of Tomahawk for their continued support! River Valley recently hosted "Santa Paws" to benefit LCHS. The "paws" were sold for $1 or $5 and could be personalize by the purchaser. The "paw" was then placed on a Christmas tree in the lobby of the bank. Thanks to everyone at River Valley Bank in Tomahawk for making this another successful year of the Santa Paws Campaign! Your support is grealty appreciated! 

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in December! We greatly appreciate the continued support!

Kenneth Frakes

Debra Higgins

Goodshop

Barb Laatsch

Alex Carlson

Nadine Appel

Mark & Jo Bronsteatter

Marianne & Lawrence Ekdahl

Carol Peterson & Alice Andraski

Elizabeth Vehlow

Cecil Ballou

Thorndale Kennels

Donna Stapleton

Donald Paroubek

Church Mutual Insurance Co - Steve Lammers, Don Nix, Herman Vandenberg, Doug Sippel, Ed Hancock, Sheila Klug

Kenneth & Lois Britt

Russell & Nancy Putnam

Leonard & Delores Ditsworth

Thrivent for Lutherans

Edward Gruett

Robin & Carrel Coffen

Nancy Burkholder

Tomahawk Varsity Club

Richard & Brenda Mamer

Lincoln County Health Department

Town of Tomahawk

Give with Liberty 

Joanne & Donald Sprague

Brian & Sharon Gulke

Nadine Appel

Judith Schmidt

Thomas & Brenda Mueller

Louis & Vernette Heuser

Linda Stone

Beatrice Lebal

Network for Good

Doug Curtis

Louise Wix

Merrill Manufacturing Corporation

Richard Taylor

Patrick Taylor

Shawn Kostroski

Loretta Whipple

Norman Deffner

Central Office Employees - Merrill Area Public School

James Blair

Church Mutual - Christmas Is Committee

James & Janice Hornung Sr

David & Carol Finanger

Thomas & Lynn Geiger

Chad & Mary Premeau

Dick & Gay Baumgart

William Rose

Robert & Karen McDonald

Sandra & William Lussenhop

Walter Klink

Anthony Wieloch Jr

Martin Sizer

Pamela Welch

Tasha Wassink

Rita Yaeger

Amanda Hinner

Vickie VonSeggern

Kent Rinne

Jill Kasper Krueger

Megan Cihlar

Norma Dotter

Dewey Allen

Wayne & Beth Cooper

Julane Schulist

Mike & Vanya Ellsworth