Lynn Olenik talks with us about what it is like to be an executive director of an animal shelter. She gives insight into the operations of the Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), how she got to her position as executive director, what skills, training, and talents are needed to manage a shelter and how you can get involved with your local shelter. To learn more about HAWS you can visit their website, https://hawspets.org/ To listen to the full podcast you can find it here, https://www.animalrescueprofessionals.org/podcast/humane-animal-welfare-society-haws/

2. Lynn Olenik, Executive Director of the Humane Animal
Welfare Society in Waukesha,Wisconsin
● Has been involved with sheltering for over 20 years
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● Started with dog training at 15, worked as a vet tech and in
a dog kennel along with 15 years at McDonald’s
Corporation where she learned management skills
● Had to decide to make her dog training business bigger or
move on, with her background in HR, Lynn became the
interim director at HAWS leading her to become the executive
director

3. What did Lynn tell us?
● What her job is like
● What a “No-Kill Community” means
● How community views have changed
● Where she sees animal rescue going
● How she does it all
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4. What is Lynn’s job like?
● She gets her dogs ready and brings them
to work!
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● Walks through the building, checks on
the staff, checks emails and works on
organization development, employee
support and organization funding
● Most of her time is spent on fundraising
and making connection for finding funds
for the shelter

5. What is a No-Kill Community?
● In waukesha there is no municipal pound so animals in need go through HAWS
● HAWS makes connections with other organizations to make sure there is
enough space for every animal
● Euthanasia rates have dropped in the recent years
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● Look to the community to help out such as fostering
and make sure the community has a no kill philosophy
● HAWS has a free spay/neuter program lowering the incoming stray cats

6. How have the views of the community changed?
● How people value animals, they are a part of their families
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● With people’s attitude changes, it makes it easy for shelters to make
progress and help more animals

7. Where does Lynn see animal rescue going?
● Foster homes are more normal than they were in the past
● Shelters are more educational resources and a hub
for people who love animals
● Be a center for all organizations, working together with other
shelters and the community
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● Less animals are staying in shelters, allowing
more room for more animals
● Accepting all ideas and beliefs in that central hub

8. How does she do it all?
● She is able to stay at work late, flexible schedule, she is not limited to
certain hours or not being able to be where she needs to be
● Lynn has a great team behind her
● You have to work very hard at a job like this, be
able to balance everything going on, have a
passion for this kind of work, be open minded
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9. Animal Rescue Professionals Association
Want to learn more?
Listen to the podcast with Lynn Olenik at
www.animalrescueprofessionals.org or on iTunes

10. Animal Rescue Professionals Association*Photos courtesy of HAWS, https://hawspets.org/