Video: Elmbrook Humane Society volunteer brings an adoptable dog to the farmer's market for the 100th time

Lloyd Hauge set up the Elmbrook Humane Society's table at the Brookfield Farmer's Market for about the 100th time last Saturday. And as always, he wasn't alone.

Hauge is in his fourth year volunteering with the humane society. During those four years, Hauge has spent nearly half of his Saturday mornings in the City Hall parking lot. The market runs for 27 weeks of the year from May through October. Hauge is not exactly certain of exactly how many times he has been there, but knows that he has missed very few. He estimates that last Saturday was his 100th trip to the farmer's market on behalf of the Elmbrook Human Society to find a home for a canine pal.

Last Saturday, Hauge took one of the shelter's new arrivals, Spuds, to the market. Spuds was surrendered earlier this month by a family who said they could no longer keep him. For three hours, Spuds and Lloyd greeted and mingled with adults, children, and canine friends alike.

The former West Allis school teacher estimates that between his trips to the farmer's market and other venues, he has found places for at least 300 dogs from the shelter. In addition to the market, Hauge also regularly brings adoptable dogs to PetSmart in Brookfield, as well as other locations in the area, such as the Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove.

"Taking a dog to the farmer's market or some other venue really increases their probability of being adopted," Hauge said. "The market is such a good environment with a lot of people, a lot of kids, and a lot of dogs. To see a shelter dog in that environment socializing and being friendly, that's a nice thing for people to see."

Hauge and his dog-for-the-day spend about four hours at the market before returning to the shelter. By that time, an impression has often already been made on people who visited the table.

"Many times, when I bring the dog back at noon, there will be people that saw them at the market already waiting to adopt them," Hauge said. "Last weekend, there were three families waiting for the dog."

Unfortunately for two of the families, Elmbrook operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Still, Hauge notes that often families who don't get their first choice for adoption will visit with other dogs since they're already at the humane society.

"If it brings people to the shelter, it can increase the adoptability of other dogs that didn't get to go to the farmer's market," Hauge said.

Elmbrook Humane Society Executive Director Heather Gehrke agrees that public exposure of the shelter's dogs is of paramount importance.

"Whenever we get out there in the public, it really helps. We're always looking for opportunities," Gehrke said. "(Lloyd's) efforts have really helped us at the farmer's market. It's a great way to create awareness for our animals."

It takes a village

Hauge was a public school teacher in West Allis for 34 years. He retired 20 years ago, which, he says, provided him time to pursue other ventures, such as volunteering at the society.

Initially, Hauge expected to walk the dogs, clean, and help around the shelter. Instead, the idea of bringing dogs out into the community caught his eye. Not much later, as a frequent farmer's market customer, he had an idea. He brought up the idea of taking advantage of that venue to try to find homes for dogs.

"I went there and thought, this would be a fantastic place to bring an adoptable dog. We weren't doing so at the time," Hauge said. "That's kind of how it got started."

Hauge notes that his trips to the market, as well as to other places, would not be possible without the everyday efforts of staff and other volunteers. Not only are such efforts instrumental in the general care of Elmbrook's animals, but Hauge also picks their brains every Friday before deciding which dog to bring the next morning. Last Friday, Hauge met with shelter operations manager Megan Michalos and animal care and adoption counselor Jamie Korth, where he asked their opinions on Spuds and one other dog that he felt would be suitable for the market's atmosphere. Both Korth and Michalos recommended Spuds.

"All the staff and other volunteers who are with the dogs all the time, they know their personalities and their temperaments," Hauge said. "I get feedback from all of those people because I want to know if they're going to behave with kids, with people, and with other dogs. When I go, I'm pretty sure that I've got a dog that is going to be well behaved."

Not a salesman

Once at the market, Hauge says that he does very little in trying to pitch the dog to passerby. Rather, he lets the pup be itself.

"The dogs are the center of attention. I don't have to talk people into adopting them," Hauge said. "I don't have to do anything."

Instead, Hauge spends most of his time at the market interacting with people and trying to spread the word about the Elmbrook Humane Society. One of his favorite parts of the job is to see families who adopt the dogs he brings returning for a visit.

"I can't even describe the feeling I get to see those dogs when they come back. They're happy, they're healthy. They're great," Hauge said. "Some of the dogs I take, they're scruffy. They need a bath or they need grooming and just to be fixed up. When I see them again, they look beautiful. I call them my alumni."

Despite a pleasant morning at the market, Hauge noted that he hadn't noticed an overwhelming amount of interest in the adoption of Spuds, a circumstance he attributed to the dog's age, 8-year-old surrender's age. Still, Hauge is confident that a family will come along. He planned to bring Spuds to PetSmart the next day.

An interested party met with an adoption counselor and Spuds Saturday afternoon to see if he would be a good fit for their family and their dog, Pepper. Sometime Monday afternoon, a party whose identity was not made available took Spuds home.

Hauge was touched and overjoyed that his new friend has found a new family.

Hauge lost his own dog to illness over the summer. He had been a dog owner for 34 years, but he's uncertain if he is going to own another. He says that his time spent with the Elmbrook Humane Society continues to help fill the void left behind three months ago.

"A lot of the time people ask me if it's hard to spend time with the dogs and then have to say goodbye to them. It is, but seeing them find families and homes is so rewarding," Hauge said. "It's a privilege for me."