What do meeting Mrs. Wisconsin, hearing about the joys of bathing a Great Dane, and learning about saving an emaciated basset hound have in common? They all resulted from my visit to the Sauk County Humane Society.

In honor of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day (April 30) and National Rescue Dog Day (May 20), I met with four women this spring. The gathering included two “foster failures,” meaning they fell in love with the animals they fostered and adopted them. I also got to speak to Dana, the shelter’s director, and Mrs. Wisconsin. Their remarkable stories of surrendered animals had me both chuckling and reaching for the tissues.

When I asked Stephanie Kraemer, who will compete in Mrs. United States soon, why she’d chosen to be an animal ambassador, she replied, “I experienced a lot of trauma in my life. If it wasn’t for animals, I’m not sure you and I would be sitting here today having this conversation.” Stephanie has chosen to turn her pain into passion for shelter animals, and they, in turn, have transformed her life.

Stephanie believes in giving back and regularly brings shelter animals to Madison’s Channel 15 station, where she and staff spotlight them. Days after our visit, she spotlighted Buckwheat. I’m happy to say someone adopted him soon after.

Stephanie strongly believes in pet therapy and regularly brings animals into senior living facilities such as Baraboo’s Meadow Ridge. The residents can hold and pet the animals, finding comfort in their companionship. The Sauk County Humane Society relies on advocates like Stephanie, volunteers, and people willing to foster animals. 

Fostering and adopting require a “huge” commitment, as volunteer Carol will attest. Carol and her husband already had two Rottweilers, but when she saw how a newly surrendered Great Dane barely fit in the shelter’s largest cage, she talked to her husband. He was just two days from having hip surgery, yet he agreed. 

Great Dane Josie didn’t like being left alone and was skittish, but she soon warmed up to Carol and her husband, Al. Once, when walking with Josie at twilight, Carol spotted the silhouette of a “cat” in the distance. After they got closer, it swiveled around, lifted its striped tail, and sprayed the dog. Carol had to bathe the Great Dane repeatedly. The smell has long left, but she and her friends are still chuckling over the incident. “The cats are the ones without the white stripes,” her friends remind her regularly. And they laugh some more.

When Josie spotted a frog while on a walk, it was hard to predict what the huge dog would do. She lowered her huge head closer and then . . . she licked it. 

Josie, the gentle soul, also helped Carol’s husband’s recovery. The dog walked obediently on a loose leash, and Al and Josie exercised regularly together. Josie had found her forever home.

Join the Sauk County Humane Society’s Facebook page, https://bit.ly/3GzbxnT, for the pet of the week and updated news. Check out their website, https://saukhumane.org/, for volunteer opportunities and upcoming events. Call them today at 608-355-4495 and become part of their team.

Meanwhile, tune in next week for the conclusion, which includes the remarkable story of how Princess, an abused mother basset hound, does the unthinkable to keep her puppies from starving to death.