Humane Indiana expands to Merrillville, hires more help for wildlife program and keeps animals at heart
![Human Indiana](https://cdn.nwindianabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Dr-Schneider-and-Matilda-who-was-adopted-thru-HI_72-225x300.jpg)
For Human Indiana According to CEO Brian Fitzpatrick, animals in danger usually report a problem with their owners.
“Where we see animals in trouble, we see people in trouble,” Fitzpatrick said.
Tony Lipka, an artist who lives in Hammond, has adopted or rescued 11 animals from shelters.
“Every dog I rescued had a sad story, and I wanted them all to know that there are people who will take them away from whatever hurt them in their past,” Lipka said via email .
Volunteers like Lipka are what the organization needs most. He has been a volunteer there for 11 years.
“We urgently need families to foster pets and help victims of domestic violence,” said Rachel Hurst, grants and donor relations specialist for Humane Indiana.
The Munster-based nonprofit also serves Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. But to meet the needs of the community, the animal welfare organization expanded its service area to Merrillville. The Estelle Marcus Animal Clinic now serves low-income people around the world.
He also hired more help for his wildlife rehabilitation and education center in eastern Valparaiso. Dr. Kristy Yu has been named associate veterinarian at the clinic. And Dr. Lisa Schneider was promoted to medical director.
The clinic spays, neuters, vaccinates and microchips animals at a lower cost than a veterinarian would typically charge.
![The Estelle Marcus Animal Clinic](https://cdn.nwindianabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/clinicoutside2_72-300x180.jpg)
Veterinary care is very expensive, Fitzpatrick said.
“We do everything we can to prevent animals from entering the shelter,” he said. “We want to keep pets with (their) families. I tend to focus on the positive, like reuniting pets with future families.
About 3,000 animals pass through the shelter and clinic each year.
As families lost their homes during and after the pandemic, or lost their jobs, the number of families looking to adopt has not kept up with the number of stray animals arriving at Humane Indiana.
With an ever-expanding crisis foster program, Humane Indiana connects animals with families in a foster network.
“We want to make a nurturing connection within the community, with animals, people and the environment,” Hurst said.
The organization even has an incubator for newborn animals, whose immune systems are not yet developed enough for them to become part of the shelter’s older animals.
Due to this immune system problem, newborn kittens must be raised. Humane Indiana provides food, on-site veterinarians, and equipment such as collars to facilitate this process.
“We provide training for foster families and a coach to help them get there,” Hurst said. “Now is the perfect time to adopt.”
![Tony Lipka](https://cdn.nwindianabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Lipka-with-dogs_72-300x225.jpg)
The training takes place online or by telephone, and families indicate which animal(s) they wish to care for.
For those interested in volunteering, opportunities include helping at events with crowd control and parking; walking the dogs or answering the phone at the shelter; help clean or maintain the organization’s gardens and yards; clean and stain the wood making up the gazebo; and prepare merchandise such as gift baskets at the resale center.
Humane Indiana changed its name from Humane Society Calumet Area seven years ago. They are not affiliated with the National Humane Society but work with it on various projects, including events.
To help Humane Indiana’s mission of keeping families together, they have a resale and consignment store in Highland. Donations help local businesses selling products including honey, jams, jelly and coffee. For fundraising, Humane Indiana depends on individual donors and community businesses that sponsor programs or events, employee giving programs, fundraisers and event donations.
Humane Indiana staff educate about 15,000 people each year, with events, camps and a “reverse field trip model,” taking animal ambassadors like owls or a fox to schools or libraries.
“How can we learn to better manage the environment? We can all coexist,” Fitzpatrick said.
Read more stories from current problem from the Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.