Animal Shelter Rakes In More Than $12,000 With Silly Pet 'Masterpieces'

The Wisconsin Humane Society thanked pet owners for their "questionable spending habits."
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The Wisconsin Humane Society is getting creative with their fundraising efforts.

The animal shelter was overwhelmed with responses this week when they offered pet owners drawings of their animals ― which were guaranteed to range from “timeless works of art” to pieces that would “at least make you laugh” ― completed by the organization’s volunteers.

“The catch? We’re a whole lot better at caring for animals than we are at drawing them,” the group quipped in its Facebook post.

WHS asked for a $15 donation to immortalize a pet in one of its masterpieces, and organizers were delighted when in just two days, more than $12,000 in donations had flooded the site.

“We were inspired by a similar campaign done by an animal welfare organization in Baltimore, BARCS,” Angela Speed, WHS vice president of communications, told HuffPost.

She said that of about 50 volunteers and staff who worked to respond to more than 700 submissions, a handful were professional artists, but most “probably got a ‘C’ in high school art class.”

The nonprofit group, which has worked to save animals since it was founded more than 140 years ago, operates five shelters in Wisconsin and matches homeless animals with new families via their adoption program. Many of the pets submitted to be drawn were adopted from WHS shelters, their owners said.

As WHS warned in its post, it would be luck of the draw whether donors would receive an artwork by one of their “extremely talented artists” or “someone who can’t draw their way out of a paper bag.”

Arguably, some of the worst drawings are the best. Here are some of the glorious pets and their portraits, courtesy of WHS.

Panther, owned by Becka Lynn
Panther, owned by Becka Lynn
Wisconsin Humane Society
Chuck, owned by Dave Sherman
Chuck, owned by Dave Sherman
Wisconsin Humane Society
Bear, owned by Heather Nelson
Bear, owned by Heather Nelson
Wisconsin Humane Society
Buddy, owned by Amy Brown
Buddy, owned by Amy Brown
Wisconsin Humane Society
Boaz and Bertie, owned by Amy Kilberg.
Boaz and Bertie, owned by Amy Kilberg.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Cheddar via Abby Kozloski
Cheddar via Abby Kozloski
Wisconsin Humane Society
Ollie, owned by Jessica Scheibel
Ollie, owned by Jessica Scheibel
Wisconsin Humane Society
Laredo and TallySassy, owned by Mal Kaul
Laredo and TallySassy, owned by Mal Kaul
Wisconsin Humane Society
Cat owned by Wendy Hafemann
Cat owned by Wendy Hafemann
Wisconsin Humane Society
Hattie, owned by Dani Jo Rossa
Hattie, owned by Dani Jo Rossa
Wisconsin Humane Society
Archie and Raven, owned by Philbin De Got Schulz
Archie and Raven, owned by Philbin De Got Schulz
Wisconsin Humane Society
Dogs owned by Jennifer Giera.
Dogs owned by Jennifer Giera.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Buddy, owned by Mandy Janzer.
Buddy, owned by Mandy Janzer.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Wally and Juno, owned by Melissa Gasparek.
Wally and Juno, owned by Melissa Gasparek.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Mabel, owned by Heather McKittrick.
Mabel, owned by Heather McKittrick.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Sophia, owned by Shelly Jean.
Sophia, owned by Shelly Jean.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Rookie and Moe, owned by Mary Stalhandske.
Rookie and Moe, owned by Mary Stalhandske.
Wisconsin Humane Society
Oliver, owned by Heather McKittrick.
Oliver, owned by Heather McKittrick.
Wisconsin Humane Society
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