By Shelby Deering | Photography by Hillary Schave
Many of us have seen those heartstring-tugging videos online: a dog dumped on the side of the road finds a happy forever home. A stray cat with new kittens is rescued and they’re all adopted. It’s enough to make even the stalwart among us shed a tear, and it’s a reality that Lauren Brinkman lives every day.
As founder and executive director of her foster-based organization, Underdog Pet Rescue of Wisconsin, all-breed pets are pulled from high-kill shelters in other states.
But beyond that already-worthy mission, Underdog has done one better by providing services through its veterinary clinic, which is priced accordingly for the public — from those who can pay full price to low-income pet owners. Free veterinary services are offered to those experiencing homelessness alongside their pets.
“We just believe in affordable care,” Brinkman says. “Even people who are middle class wince at the thought of spending $2,000 on a dental cleaning. So, we try to have reasonable costs, but still keep the lights on.”
Brinkman founded Underdog in 2012, growing the organization from saving 100 animals in its first year to currently saving 100 animals or more each month.
In October 2024, Underdog moved its veterinary services to a new clinic on Stoughton Road, where its three staff veterinarians have twice as much space. This facility will aid in Brinkman’s goal to grow the vet operations by 25% in 2025, between on-site services and the mobile clinic that travels to “veterinary deserts” throughout Wisconsin. This year, the organization will also have more pop-up clinics for those experiencing homelessness by offering them monthly instead of quarterly.
“I know a lot of people’s initial reaction is, you should only have a pet if you can afford a pet,” Brinkman says. “But when it comes down to it, these pets are sometimes what keep these people going.”
WHAT CONTINUES TO DRIVE YOU IN YOUR MISSION?
“The interactions with people and seeing how much they love their animals and want to do right by them … is what motivates me to keep doing [this].”
