Fetch Wisconsin Rescue

We enjoyed meeting the amazing families that adopted the dogs we fostered during the time we were with Fetch. While some volunteers are hard-working, sweet, supportive, and have a passion for animals, others are content to pass medical issues off as "nothing" unless the foster advocates for the animal and insists on tests or medication. Misty, in particular, is extremely difficult to work with, sends condescending emails, and does not recommend appropriate veterinary care unless the foster is persistent.

We adopted a dog 3 years ago and were told she was surrendered to them because she "didn't get along" with another dog in the home. After we brought her home and were looking through her paperwork she actually attacked and injured that other dog. We were a family with a 1 year old and another baby on the way. This was never disclosed to us.

None the less, we were excited new dog owners and thought we could provide a safe and stable home with no other pets. After the birth of our third child, we realized our family was no longer the right fit for her as she didn't get along with the children in our home and was being aggressive towards them. Trying to be proactive before an injury occured, we contacted fetch to return her to the rescue as stated in our contract. We were told there is no such clause. We argued with them for 2 weeks and only after we found and sent a photo of our signed contract they finally agreed to put her on the "list" to get a foster. Another 3weeks goes by and no movement on the "list." We were told it takes time and can even take up to a year. We understand that it can take time but after pushing close to 6 weeks our patience was up. We needed to prioritize our children's health and safety above all else and had to surrender her elsewhere where the outcome is uncertain.

We understand fetch is volunteer run and know how much good they do for the Madison dog community. This makes our situation that much more disheartening. We want to warn others so they don't have to go through what our family has gone through.

While I believe their hearts are in the right place, this organization and their policies are a bit over the top. First they keep you in total darkness until they see your $35 dollars. Then you must meet every qualification under the sun and are still told you may not even be able to meet a potential dog for over a month. If you don't meet just one of these qualifications you will receive rather condescending emails of what you are doing wrong. Just be sure you are the PERFECT adoptee or you don't have a chance. We will stick to searching the shelters for a new pup.

We found a great dog through Fetch, and also enjoy volunteering for them. Our adoption went very smoothly. Fetch gives a training reimbursement if you complete a class after adopting from them. It's an all-volunteer rescue, so if you're looking to adopt a dog fast, I recommend taking that into account prior to submitting your application. I find their process matching dogs to families impressive. They're really committed to finding the right dog for each family.

I initially signed up as a dog sitter for Fetch, thinking I didn’t have enough time to dedicate to fostering. Fetch really dedicates a lot of time, attention, and resources to ensure that all their dogs are going to good and safe homes. I eventually became a foster and was amazed by the endless support network from Fetch. I can’t say enough good things about them, my life changed forever in a great way after joining the ranks.

FETCH Wisconsin is an AMAZING non-profit. I heard about them when my best friend began fostering for them. Through her time spent fostering I learned all about all of the hard work and dedication that goes into helping each and every dog find his or her perfect forever family. Nothing is taken too lightly, this rescue really works hard to be sure every single dog is placed with a safe and caring foster as well as the perfect fit home. After being behind the scenes for a few years I recently signed up to become a foster and I am even more impressed with the time that Fetch puts into this cause. We ended up adopting our foster dog and we couldn't be happier! I didn't want to be done helping Fetch though! So now I continue to help by volunteering my time to do home visits and help with fundraising events. I highly recommend this non-profit to literally anyone looking to help rehome a dog or find a dog themselves or even just looking for a great volunteer opportunity. I've seen so many homeless pups end up with a beautiful, wonderful future because of the hard work put forth by Fetch Wisconsin. :)

I adopted my first dog through Fetch because of their promise to match me with a dog that fit my lifestyle. I inquired about a dog that was described as 'a little shy' and put in touch with his foster. Only upon filling out adoption paperwork was I informed that this dog was so submissive and scared of people (particularly men like my partner) that he would "occasionally" and "only in the beginning" submissively urinate. This was not the affectionate and happy dog I'd seen in pictures. My attempts to communicate that apartment life and exposure to other people weren't a good fit for him were met with responses of "he just needs more time". I was also advised to just let him use a potty pad inside to limit his time spent with others. I cancelled my payment to Fetch and they did not seem to care about the loss of money, leaving me with the impression that this rescue just wants to rehome dogs and cut off all communication because the dogs are no longer their problem.