By Scott Racine
Contributing Writer
GREEN BAY – Many people would be able to go to great lengths to provide security and comfort with a sick family member, but do pets deserve the same treatment?
The Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary thinks they do.
Elizabeth Feldhausen said that it all started when her own cat suffered a seizure, losing its ability to walk.
“When this happened to me, I had nowhere to turn,” Feldhausen recalled.
She went to countless veterinary clinics, and received the same bad news — there was no helping her cat.
Feldhausen, who had no veterinary experience, decided she wasn’t going to give up.
So, she began the process of rehabilitating her cat herself, and it worked — her cat made a full recovery.
To her, this proved that animals with even severe injuries and/or illnesses could continue to live full, happy lives, with help.
So, in 2016, Feldhausen opened Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary in De Pere.
In 2018, she moved to a larger space in Green Bay, and that has been the base of her operations, at 151 N. Broadway St. Green Bay, ever since.
“I relied on others who were more educated than I was.” Feldhausen said, describing how she had to learn from veterinarians with specialized knowledge in order to provide the kind of care that the cats she was taking in required.
The goal is rescue, rehabilitate and find homes for every animal that comes to Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary, with euthanasia only occurring when a cat is suffering from a pain there is no other way to alleviate.
The staff also take great pains to make sure the homes their cats are going to will be able to continue giving them the love and care they need; doing extensive interviews and home walkthroughs with prospective adopters.
Feldhausen helps out her community as well, because it isn’t only cats who are suffering.
“Pet ownership went up 80% [during the pandemic]. People were getting pets and losing their jobs at the same time,” Feldhausen lamented.
In response to this, the sanctuary offers low-cost vet clinics so people can get their pets some of the help they require.
The vet clinics are hosted once a month. For dates, call (920) 489-2462.
The sanctuary is funded entirely by donations, and is always accepting volunteers to assist.
For more information, visit www.safehavenpet.org.