Wisconsin Humane Society says it has a "better way of making matches" between dogs, families | FOX6 Milwaukee

Wisconsin Humane Society says it has a "better way of making matches" between dogs, families



MILWAUKEE -- The Wisconsin Humane Society does not want the breed of a dog to stand in the way of a family adopting it. So the organization has adopted a new approach to introducing pets to their potential families.

Dog at Wisconsin Humane Society



Dozens of dogs at the Wisconsin Humane Society are waiting for a forever home -- their genetic makeup, a big mix.

"We really don't actually know what their breeds truly are. We can make a guess -- and the truth is, most of the time that's wrong no matter how much expert knowledge you have," said Allie Christman, Marketing Manager for the Wisconsin Humane Society.

That guess was put on a profile sign outside each kennel. But as of last week, that is no longer happening. The idea -- let families fall in love with the dog without preconceived notions of particular breeds.



"So if they think they're adopting a beagle and they get home and they act completely differently, that can be a little confusing or frustrating depending on what they were looking for in an animal," Christman said.

Dog at Wisconsin Humane Society



Shelters across the country are taking this more personality approach -- including the Indianapolis Humane Society, which removed labels in early May.

Dogs are now classified by their personalities -- and each one goes through a behavioral test before being put up for adoption.

"Really this way nothing changes, it's a little confusing for people to think about. They've always identified with breed and we're certainly not suggesting that breeds don't exist," Christman said. "But this is just a better way of making matches and make sure we're not setting unrealistic expectations for those animals."

Since the Wisconsin Humane Society began the pilot program on Thursday, 45 dogs have been adopted without breed labels.

Dog at Wisconsin Humane Society