Sussex Woman Building Non-Profit Dog Rescue, ‘Good Dogs Go Home’

For LeAnne Pomeroy, training and caring for dogs has been a passion since she was in the 4H Club at the tender age of 5.

After growing up on a farm in West Bend, she moved to Sussex with her family when she was 15. Today, Pomeroy’s passion for animals remains as strong as ever, and it’s the driving force behind her efforts to build a not-for-profit dog rescue service called Good Dogs Go Home.

“Good Dogs Go Home is based on a foster home so the dogs never go to a shelter,” said Pomeroy. “We take dogs mostly from families that can no longer keep them because of financial reasons, or because maybe they didn’t do enough research and the breed that they got is not right for them.”

Pomeroy, who accepts dogs and other animals like rabbits and gerbils into her home at N54W22214 Bonnie Lane, started her dog rescue efforts in 2008, more or less as a hobby.

“I started training dogs and helping people with their dogs, helping people pick out puppies and finding suitable breeders,” Pomeroy explained. “Then people would call me, explaining they couldn’t keep their dogs anymore, and I’d take the dog in and have to pay all the bills.” 

"I had to pay for all of this out of my own pocket. The pockets are not that deep."

It’s turned into a much larger labor of love.

“When I take in a dog I place it either in my home or in someone else’s home that’s more suited for the animal,” said Pomeroy. “If we get a dog that’s not good with other dogs – and I have dogs, therefore when they’re kept in my home we can give them to a friend of mine or an aunt or whoever has been approved by me as a good foster home. These dogs are trained and some of them are in need of vet care, things like that.”

Unfortunately, her little hobby became too expensive. Pomeroy has been paying all of the animal rescue costs out of her own pocket, and that’s why she is going through the process of making her rescue operation a not-for-profit. The process costs $1,000 and, so far, she’s raised a little less than half the money she needs. Along with her board of directors, she’s organizing a letter writing campaign to raise the rest.

“I’m going through the non-profit process and hope to have it completed by the end of the summer,” said Pomeroy. “Before I was a not-for-profit, I had to pay for all of this out of my own pocket. The pockets are not that deep.  I needed to raise money and to be able to get the breaks that a not-for-profit will give me.”

Though Pomeroy has no veterinary training, she partners with the Brookfield Animal Hospital and with the Waukesha County Humane Society to make sure the animals get the care they need. She is also careful to not take more animals than she can handle.

“If I were to place more than 25 dogs per year I would have to have a license by the state, but I only do about four dogs per year,” said Pomeroy. “Once I do get started I won’t have more than six dogs, because with more than six on your property, you have to have a kennel license.” 

When Pomeroy gets the call from someone wanting to adopt a dog, she asks them plenty of questions.

“I do a full evaluation on them including finding out if they’ve had a dog in the past, whether they are interested in a certain breed and, if I don’t have (the type of dog they want), there might be other rescues in the area that have that kind of dog,” said Pomeroy. “I also find out if they are willing to do the training, how old they are and what age of dog they want. It’s important that the dog and human life span are compatible.” 

Anyone interested in adopting a dog through Good Dogs Go Home or donating to the cause, can visit the Good Dogs Go Home page on Facebook or send Pomeroy an email.