About Journey Home Animal Control
Who We Are
Since its founding in 2021, Journey Home Animal Control has assisted more than 1,000 animals across Jefferson, Walworth, Rock, Waukesha, and Ozaukee Counties. While headquartered in Whitewater, our services extend throughout neighboring communities including East Troy, Koshkonong, Milton, Palmyra, Fort Atkinson, and surrounding areas. Over the years, we have become a trusted resource for residents, law enforcement agencies, shelters, veterinary clinics, and rescue organizations seeking guidance and support with a wide variety of animal-related concerns.
Our mission is rooted in the belief that helping animals begins with helping people. We strive to provide compassionate, knowledgeable, and practical solutions for lost pets, stray animal concerns, community cat management, animal welfare questions, and pet reunification efforts. Through education, outreach, and direct assistance, we work to strengthen the connection between people and animals while promoting responsible pet ownership throughout our communities.
Journey Home Animal Control is not an impound facility and does not operate a traditional animal shelter. Instead, we work collaboratively with local shelters, foster-based rescues, veterinary partners, and dedicated volunteers to ensure animals receive safe, comfortable, and appropriate care during Wisconsin's state-required holding period. This partnership-based approach allows animals to remain in low-stress environments while providing owners with the opportunity to reclaim their pets whenever possible.
In addition to lost pet recovery and animal control services, Journey Home Animal Control operates a low-cost Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program designed to humanely manage feral and free-roaming cat populations. TNR is a proven and effective method that helps reduce community cat populations over time, improves the health of outdoor cats, and minimizes nuisance behaviors associated with unaltered animals. Through this program, feral and barn cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and returned to their outdoor homes where they can continue living without contributing to population growth. To learn more about our TNR services and how the program works, please visit our TNR page.
Currently In Process of...
Officially a 501(c)3 Non-Profit!
Officially a 501(c)3 Non-Profit!
Officially a 501(c)3 Non-Profit!
June 2025 - We are so pleased to announce that we are officially a non-profit!
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We like being our own independent, 3rd party organization! While we may share similar interests and a love for animals with nearby rescues, we have our own goals and approach to animal welfare. Our focus is always on providing TNR support, helping reunite lost pets, and doing as much community outreach as possible.
Programs
Officially a 501(c)3 Non-Profit!
Officially a 501(c)3 Non-Profit!
Turning our ideas into action!
We’re committed to addressing animal welfare challenges with a proactive mindset. While many shelters and rescues are forced to respond reactively to issues like overpopulation and pet surrenders, our goal is to dig deeper—to uncover and address the root causes behind these problems. By targeting the source of each issue, we can reduce the number of animals surrendered, promote responsible pet ownership, and improve access to veterinary care for those who need it most.
Looking for A Building!
We'd love to have a stand alone building, or a building that does not have tenant space above it. We're looking for a building that ideally contains a small kitchen/area to clean dishes. We have the kennels and equipment, just need the space now to continue to grow our organization!
Building Connections
We are in this together!
Even if we may have different approaches, we can all agree that we're doing what we think is best for the animal. We couldn't do any of this without the support of rescues and shelters, and it's the dream to make a positive, lasting impact on the community.
Locations Covered by Journey Home Animal Control (Click to Expand Image)
