Special Anniversary Edition
25 Years of Saving Lives
25 Years of Making a Difference Hearts United for Animals was founded in 1989, born from the need for animal rescue services in a small rural area. Word soon spread that a kind woman and a group of her family and friends would take in dogs and cats in desperate need. A network of foster homes and a small building at a home near the edge of town served as a beacon of hope for animals who had no other options. Phone calls poured in as rescuers spent their time saving animals that were abandoned, abused, injured, trapped under buildings, or set out on the end of a chain and forgotten. Due to HUA’s proximity to so many wretched puppy mills in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, the rescue and rehabilitation of puppy mill dogs became another primary focus. Although rescuers thought they had witnessed the worst of the worst with local animals, Carol Wheeler, co-founder
it did not even begin to compare to the horrors they would see within the puppy mill industry as breeders discarded elderly dogs who had been locked in dark cages for years until their bodies gave out from cruel neglect and giving birth to scores of pups to be sold to pet stores. As the group worked day and night to save as many animals as they could, they realized it was like putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound. It Dennis Wheeler, co-founder was important life-saving work for each and every precious soul saved, but they came to recognize that education and prevention were the keys to solving the issues in the long term. They resolved to work for the rest of their lives to create a climate of care and compassion that would spread across the nation. Volunteers struggled to build a network and reach the public through snail mail newsletters and word of mouth. Support grew in small amounts each year until a new invention came along that would put the cause on the map. Educational and outreach opportunities for the no-kill and anti-puppy mill missions of HUA exploded in the 1990s when the World Wide Web took off, allowing connections never before possible. HUA was one of the first animal rescue groups to use the Internet to its fullest potential. The HUA website quickly became one of the most popular on the Web. Supporters across the nation and even overseas followed stories of animals rescued from tragic situations, rooted for their recovery and cheered when they went to happy homes. HUA’s first website
As the ability to reach people grew, so did HUA. Each year more animals have been helped than the year before. Opportunities for new facilities arose over the years, gradually taking the shelter from a small in-home rescue to a large shelter and sanctuary with the ability to house over 400 animals and provide
low-cost spay/neuter services for the public. Supporters believed in the mission of HUA to educate the public, to spay/neuter pets and to save animals that most shelters and rescues would declare to be beyond hope. They believed that animals should not be euthanized because they were not adopted within a certain time frame. They saw dejected, abandoned, abused and ill dogs transform into ones who were happy and healthy, even if it took months, or in the worst cases years. The supporters appreciated that HUA considered every life precious and worthwhile. They also wished to participate in activism that would lead to an increase in spay/neuter efforts, a decrease in the number of puppy mills, tougher penalties for crimes against animals, and the enlightenment of the American public regarding the pet industry. Reb Wheeler welcomes new puppies
Sanctuary Sweethearts enjoy romping in the fields
Today, as the lifesaving work of HUA continues, and outreach and education opportunities grow, we are grateful for your support that makes it all possible. Because of your caring and concern, over 10,000 puppy mill dogs have been saved, over 12,000 animals have been altered at the low-cost spay/neuter clinic and many puppy mills and pet stores have been shut down for good. With your continued help HUA will continue to grow by leaps and bounds over the next 25 years, giving hope to so many helpless and abused animals who count on us to be their voice. Please enjoy our walk down memory lane over the next few pages as we celebrate the impact that your support has made for our dear animal friends.
Making Adoption a Happy Option
Education and outreach efforts have contributed to an astronomical reduction in the destruction of shelter pets throughout the United States. In the 1970s the number of pets in the U.S. totaled 64 million with 20 million euthanized in shelters each year. Today the number of household pets totals 164 million with 3 million euthanized in shelters each year. That number continues to decline as adoption, no-kill philosophies and spay/neuter are becoming more widely publicized and accepted.
The HUA cat room is all fun and games
Hearts United for Animals was one of the first organizations to demonstrate to the public that visiting the animal shelter did not need to be a sad experience where they would see cage after cage of animals languishing and begging for their lives. Visitors to HUA see the dogs provided with beds, blankets, roommates for company, and big fields of grass for running and playing. They see cats in a large clean room with cat trees, toys, ramps, stairs and a ceiling superhighway around their large homelike living space. Volunteers know that they can enjoy their efforts without having to hold their breath each time they visit, worrying that if their favorite animals are not there it means they have been killed since their last visit. Adopters do not have to worry about picking an animal to take home knowing that the ones they do not choose may not make it out alive. HUA is truly a place of joy for the animals and the people.
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Jet-set Dogs When the World Wide Web rolled out in the 1990s, HUA’s Jet-set Dogs was one of the most immediately popular programs, allowing people across the country to adopt dogs from HUA and allowing HUA to rescue dogs from anywhere. It was the first program of its kind and afforded HUA the opportunity to rescue thousands more puppy mill dogs than would have been possible otherwise. For the dogs HUA rescued, it opened the doors to many great homes in other areas of the country where neglect and overpopulation were not as rampant. The program was so popular and innovative that it won a Smithsonian Award in 1998. To this day, dogs fly in and out every week, either on the road to recovery or on the road to a wonderful new home. Jean Bressler, a retired UNO professor, just celebrated the 475th HUA dog that she has housed overnight and taken to the Omaha airport on the way to a wonderful new life filled with love.
HUA Founder, Carol Wheeler, greets Marcus Tooze, volunteer pilot, and Abby Poodle, upon Abby’s return from having a successful liver shunt operation in Tennessee.
HUA Director, Riki Shaw, flies into HUA with Cookie and Ping, two of many dogs she rescued from the Miami-Dade shelter during a distemper outbreak.
One of the first families to fly into HUA to pick up their new family member.
Jean Bressler of Omaha provides comfort and care to HUA foster dogs. She is quickly approaching dog number 500 that she has personally delivered to the airport to fly out to a new forever home.
1998 Smithsonian Award Lee Wheeler accepts the Smithsonian Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
HUA awarded The Computerworld Smithsonian Award for the innovative use of technology in animal welfare.
Legacy of Love Justin lived a privileged life. He was adored by Arlene for five years. He had never known unhappiness or grief. Then Arlene died. None of her four children would take care of her beloved Justin. He was abandoned and left to die in the pound in New Jersey. His weight dropped from 21 to 14 pounds. He was grieving for the person he loved and the life he lost. Justin was saved by HUA, and was then adopted by Frances who dearly loved him for the rest of his days. Arlene never imagined that all of her children would refuse to take care of Justin. We know that she would be very sad that Justin suffered so much. One of the greatest gifts of love that we can give our companion animals is to make certain that they are cared for if something should happen to us. Many people think that their family or their friends will care for their beloved pets. Unfortunately, we can tell you story after story of dogs and cats who were abandoned after their people passed away. Witnessing the hardships that Justin suffered, and knowing that he nearly lost his life after his dear person died, HUA created a program called Legacy of Love where we will agree to care for companion animals who are left behind when their people pass on. The animals stay at the shelter, safe and loved for the rest of their lives. If you would like more information on this program or on making a general legacy gift to HUA in your will to care for rescued animals at the shelter, just send an email to hua@hua.org and we will send you information. Look into the eyes of your best friend and promise them that they will be cared for forever. Give them a Legacy of Love. We receive many requests for Legacy of Love information. This one especially touched us: When I lost my mother this past year, the devastation was only survivable because of the companionship of her, now my, dog, Ladybug. Mom was so scared about who would care for her should she pass before Ladybug. I swore to her I'd give up school and career, anything necessary, to care for her. And I have. She is my best friend and the thought of what might happen to her if Ladybug lost me...has brought me to tears numerous times. She was rescued by my mother from a local shelter. This was her third home. I can't imagine why, however, as she's never needed training of any kind and is the sweetest and most patient animal I have ever met. I began a web search for a rescue organization that would take my angel if something ever kept me from caring for her. Reading through your website I found myself crying both out of hurt for the poor creatures hurt by the cruelty of some people in this world, and for the relief of finding a rescue group so dedicated. When I saw your page about Legacy of Love, the tears were more like sobs. Thank you so very much for what you do. I'm proud to be a "mom" to a shelter pet and wish so often I could do more for others. I can only imagine how hard it must be at times caring for so many animals. But the work you do grants animals, and their people, a chance to love life for the first time...or, for some, once again. Please send me all the information about Legacy of Love. My wishes for my beloved puppy are the bulk and basis for my will. Thank you. Thank you, Jenn
The Low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic A large part of HUA’s mission to end overpopulation was the dream of a spay/neuter clinic to stop the influx of suffering, unwanted animals. The HUA Low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic was founded in the year 2003 with a grant from Dorothy Bush, an amazing animal welfare person from Lincoln, Nebraska. It was built on land obtained in 1999 with the intent of expanding the capacity for housing animals and offering spay/neuter services to the public. As word spread throughout the rural community surrounding the shelter that the clinic was open, phone calls poured in. Every Wednesday since 2003, HUA volunteers, staff and the HUA veterinarian, Dr James Gigstad, have dedicated their lives to ending overpopulation and suffering for animals in the four-state area near the shelter. The clinic also provides low-cost spay/neuter services to assist small rescue groups with spay/neuter and vaccinations for their rescued animals. With the low fee of $35, the clinic had a waiting list nearly a year long for its first several years of operation. Today the wait list is approximately two months, a definite sign of progress. The number of calls for the HUA shelter to take in strays and ferals has decreased dramatically as the cycle of reproduction in the area is being stopped. Since the year 2003 HUA has altered over 12,000 animals, resulting in the prevention of over one million unwanted puppies and kittens who would have been euthanized or lived lives of neglect, abandonment and starvation. The clinic operates at a deficit of $55,000 a year but is so worthwhile for the suffering it prevents. Your generous support that has allowed this program to continue for more than ten years is deeply appreciated by all who have benefited from it.
Year
Total Animals Altered
Dogs
Puppies Prevented
Cats
Kittens Prevented
Total Estimated Pups & Kittens Prevented by HUA
2003
38
17
1,632
21
2,205
3,837
2004
840
253
24,288
587
61,635
85,923
2005
854
263
25,248
591
62,055
87,303
2006
1,132
431
41,376
701
73,605
114,981
2007
1,332
496
47,616
836
87,780
135,396
2008
1,297
464
44,544
833
87,465
132,009
2009
1,419
616
59,136
803
84,315
143,451
2010
1,473
566
54,336
907
95,235
149,571
2011
1,176
387
37,152
789
82,845
119,997
2012
1,336
510
48,960
826
86,730
135,690
2013
1,287
453
43,488
834
87,570
131,058
Totals
12,184
4,456
427,776
7,728
811,440
1,239,216
Let Me Call You Sweetheart The Sanctuary Sweetheart program has been very popular over the years, with people across the country signing up to support the dear dogs and cats who are not adoptable due to medical or behavioral issues. These animals stay at the sanctuary or in permanent foster homes forever. It illustrates the heart of HUA’s no-kill philosophy that any animal who can be comfortably and safely managed deserves to live out its life in an environment of love, care and compassion. The program has been mirrored by many rescue groups across the nation who came to realize that not being perfect is no reason for an animal to lose its life. Many of the Sanctuary Sweethearts’ special needs arose because of mistreatment by humans. How awful for an animal to have been locked in a cage, neglected and abused, only to lose its life because of repercussions from the ill-treatment they had endured. There have been many Sweethearts who tugged at the heartstrings of all who read their stories as well as many characters who through their quirks and wiles kept everyone entertained as they happily lived out their lives in the care of HUA. Some just needed a place to be comfortable and free of unnecessary human interaction because they had been so terrorized that they would never get over their fears, and others needed constant companionship due to medical or behavioral issues. No matter what their needs, your generous support has allowed HUA to find the perfect environment for them. Your heartfelt messages, care packages and sharing of their stories have meant the world to them and made them the superstars of HUA, shining a spotlight on the care and compassion of the kind supporters who come together for those with special needs. Raleigh, a 135-pound Malamute, was the biggest character in HUA history. He was an escape artist of epic proportions. He could open doors and even windows, and no fence could keep him in. He went on many an adventure with HUA volunteers in hot pursuit, and at one time needed to be rescued from a woodpile using chainsaws. Some of the reason behind his wanderlust was that he was such a social butterfly. He loved meeting new people. He was known to tour a small town peeping in people’s windows, and one afternoon when he was not to be found, he was keeping an older gentleman company by staying with the man in his workshop/garage. Raleigh was forever a connoisseur of good food, which led him into many heists, such as theft of cream puffs and an occasional pot roast. He always carefully removed food from containers and put the containers back hoping that no one would notice. Raleigh lived to the age of 14 years, entertaining and exasperating his caregivers all the while. Garth came from an awful puppy mill in Tennessee. It was such a horrible place that it was featured on Dateline NBC. It was in a remote location out in the country where dogs lived in the wilderness in little wooden sheds, completely alienated from people. The mill was shut down by authorities. Garth could never get over his emotional wounds and deep distrust of humans. He was very happy when he was with his dog pals with no humans nearby. He was provided with the space he needed to live life peacefully in his own way. He loved his warm blankets and soft food. One of his favorite pastimes was rolling in mud puddles. To Garth HUA was home, and he loved his home very much. Victor was a true miracle boy. He was found on a hot summer day shut in an old shed at a rural property. Victor had to be treated for heartworms. When he was not totally recovered from that, he became so ill that he was transported to a university hospital in Kansas. It was found that he had Lyme disease. He spent months taking antibiotics. In spite of all he went through, Victor was always the best-natured dog, so well behaved for his doctors and nurses. He never totally recovered from his illnesses and developed extreme arthritis as years went by, but he lived in a foster home where he enjoyed a huge yard and loving companionship. To our great sadness this very sweet big fellow passed away at the age of ten from osteosarcoma.
Stars was rescued from a puppy mill in Pennsylvania on September 11th, 2001. It was one of the worst mills imaginable. Because of the horrific terrorist attacks that happened that day, all of the dogs were given patriotic names. Stars was the only dog from the rescue who could not adjust to life in a home. She had a canine version of obsessive-compulsive disorder. If a leaf fell and did not land in a manner that pleased her, she would bark at it for hours. Her routine at HUA had to be exactly the same each day. She had to have the same caregivers. If they wore a hat, it had to be the same hat each day. When they hung up the hose, it had to be in the same manner, no variation. Each day at the same time, she would line up rocks and count them, making sure they were in perfect order. Stars was happy at HUA. She was well loved by many. Her passing was a very sad loss to all who adored this dear, sweet girl. Winnie and Pooh were rescued from a drug-infested area of Galveston, Texas, when they were puppies. They had been kicked and beaten. A group of hoodlums set them up on cars and played a game of knocking them off. A kind person who witnessed this was so horrified that she drove them all the way from southern Texas to Nebraska. HUA volunteers were appalled by the sight of the pups. They were bone thin, covered with mange, and crawling with fleas. Even worse yet they were so terrified that they cringed at the sight of people. Many months passed before they could be called healthy puppies, but their emotional states never did recover. They spent so long recovering in their foster home that it became home to them, and they stayed there for life, adored by their foster parents. Pooh passed away at the age of eleven; Winnie at fourteen. Casey arrived at HUA soon after his dear person passed away. The shock to his soul was completely devastating. Casey had lost his mind and none of the family members could handle him. At times he would be just fine, but often he would have major emotional outbursts. Temper fits would come out of nowhere and he would lash out wildly. The staff and volunteers at HUA learned to handle Casey very delicately. He loved his dog pals and had favorite human pals whom he would bite less frequently than others. He had a favorite little couch made for human toddlers that he loved to snooze on. He liked to take walks with his very best human pal, Ken, and he loved his caregivers in his own special way. Casey lived at HUA for eight years, and he passed peacefully at the age of seventeen. Ingrid embodied the spirit of the Sanctuary Sweetheart program. She had fans across the country. She came to HUA in the year 2000 from a Kansas puppy mill. Although she was only two years old, Ingrid had already suffered greatly at the hands of humans. She did not ever fully recover emotionally from the severe abuse, but she loved living life on her own terms at HUA. She adored her dog pals that she shared a room with and was a mother figure to many of them. All of the other dogs respected her and protected her, knowing that she was terribly afraid when people came near. She passed away peacefully at the age of thirteen.
Over 10,000 Dogs
Hope, the puppy mill poster dog
Anti-puppy mill efforts took off in a big way with the power of the Internet. With each pathetic, sick and dejected dog rescued from a puppy mill, HUA was on the web telling its story and exposing the corruption and greed of the puppy mill industry. The power of thousands of supporters was harnessed for letter writing campaigns to government officials, billboard campaigns in the Midwest and the East Coast, poster and email sharing campaigns to spread the word to never buy a puppy from a pet store, and for gathering large groups of people for pet store protests. The results over the years have been tremendous. Just within the last five years, the two largest puppy mill states, Pennsylvania and Missouri, have seen a decrease in puppy mills of over fifty percent. In Nebraska, the number of licensed breeders has declined every year for the past five years. A combination of legislation and education is weakening the stronghold that the greedy business of mass dog breeding has had on the nation since World War II. Consumers are now realizing that by purchasing puppies from pet stores they are sentencing the parent dogs to lives of misery, abuse and neglect. They are crippling the industry with their educated choice to adopt rather than purchase a pet. Legislators are realizing that their constituents feel strongly that this sick business is an abomination that should not be allowed to continue. The industry can no longer hide, and the public can no longer say that they do not know where that cute little puppy in the pet store window came from. HUA has made sure that each of the over 10,000 dogs rescued has had a voice. Their stories were told, and they have made a difference in changing the minds and hearts of consumers who had been accustomed to buying from pet stores without a thought for the suffering parent dogs. There are still victories and defeats in the war against puppy mills, but the victories are becoming more frequent and the defeats are viewed as opportunity to effect change. We thank you for helping to spread the word and for participating in HUA campaigns to end this national atrocity.
Rescued from Puppy Mills Lancaster County, Nebraska On November 15, 2013, after months of protests, vigils and letter writing campaigns by HUA supporters, Julia Hudson of Malcolm, Nebraska, was sentenced in Lancaster County for her crimes against the dogs at her breeding facility, which, ironically, was named The Taj Mahal. On April 15th of that year, HUA rescued 19 dogs from the deplorable conditions there. It was a bargain set up by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture for Ms. Hudson to release half of the dogs in exchange for a reduction in charges that were being brought by local law enforcement. It was a bad deal. The remaining dogs suffered there for seven more months while everyone, especially the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, passed the buck, refusing to seize the dogs. She continued to collect more and more dogs as the Department refused to cooperate with the county attorney and judge to provide information on the case. They were protecting the breeder instead of the animals. While that was not unusual, it was certainly shocking that they would go so far as to refuse to cooperate with the law. Hudson’s crimes had been going on for years. Pages of reports and stacks of photos documented this. The facilities were horrifying. Cages were piled with feces. Water was frozen, and adequate food was not provided. Dogs were injured and suffering from infections, tumors and hernias. It was fortunate for the animals that the sentencing took place in Lincoln, Nebraska, a large progressive city of people and law enforcement officials who do not take animal cruelty and neglect lightly. Ms. Hudson’s attorney began his remarks by stating that the Hudson dogs were simply livestock. He stated that they were not on this earth to be cuddled and pampered. He said that they were there for profit, just like hens and hogs who urinate, defecate and eat in the same small cages that afford them no room to even turn around. He said that they were not pets and that all she had done was treat livestock like livestock. Therefore, she was baffled by the accusation that she had done anything wrong. He also stated that he did not feel that Ms. Hudson should have to pay restitution for medical expenses incurred by HUA in saving the dogs. He felt that if they were in that bad a shape, they should have been euthanized in order to save money. He stated that the demonstrators “just” had a moral objection and were too emotional. His statements in defense of this criminal were so absurd that it left spectators wondering if he was really trying to win the case or not.
The prosecuting attorney did a wonderful job. He pointed out her longstanding pattern of failing to correct her behavior, described her disgusting premises in detail, and listed each illness and injury found by the HUA veterinarian. He then read an excerpt of a letter from a neighbor who had encountered some of the Hudson dogs. He is a retired sheriff who stated that through all his years in law enforcement, during which he had encountered many corpses, he had never smelled anything as sickening as the Taj Mahal dogs. He said that he saw Ms. Hudson smack a dog so hard that he had to turn his head in disgust. The prosecutor said that Ms. Hudson’s excuses were wearing thin and that she was clearly unwilling to learn a lesson and correct her actions. He then asked for the stiffest possible sentence. The judge began his sentencing by telling Ms. Hudson that what she had done was “no less than to create an animal Auschwitz.” He said that an individual has to be very insensitive to think that an animal cannot feel cold, hunger, pain or abandonment. He pointed out that she had offered no apology, no admission of wrongdoing. He told her that she was a person driven by money and that it was clear nothing else mattered to her. While he could have imposed jail time or a fine, that would not have kept her from owning animals, and he realized that the latter would be the most beneficial sentence. He sentenced her to the maximum probation period of two years, during which time she will not be allowed to own or reside with animals and will be subject to searches at any time. She was also sentenced to pay restitution to HUA and perform 120 hours of community service. We applaud Judge Timothy Phillips as well as prosecutors Corey Rothrock and Steve Schmidt for their fine efforts and good judgment in this case. We also send heartfelt gratitude to the hundreds of HUA supporters who sent more letters than the county attorney’s
office had ever received before on any case and attended protests and vigils to send the message that this case was being closely watched by animal lovers. As a result of the case and testimony from HUA Founder, Carol Wheeler, a loophole in the law was recently closed, allowing for future cases to carry even stiffer penalties with longer periods of no animal ownership for animal abusers in the state of Nebraska.
Northern South Dakota During the first three months of the year 2014, HUA rescued 186 dogs from two South Dakota puppy mills. Like so many other puppy mills in the Midwest over the past few years, they were going out of business because of a decline in sales. One was being evicted from the property, and all of the dogs had to be gone immediately. The dogs were all filthy wrecks, so yellow with urine stains and covered with mats that it would take several baths and grooming sessions to find out what they really looked like. Many emergency trips to the veterinarian were made with dogs that had eyes so infected that they could not open them, large hernias from giving birth over and over, teeth so rotten that the dogs were emaciated from being unable to eat, mammary tumors so extreme that the dogs would have to have radical double mastectomies to have a chance of surviving, and painful ear and skin infections. One little Dachshund girl had been “cut from stem to stern,� as the puppy miller described it, an effort to extract a water baby. Her entire abdomen was purple with bruising and internal bleeding. A beautiful deaf Cavalier female had a hard tumor the size of a fist. Both dogs survived and are now thriving, thanks to your generosity and support that helped provide them the care they needed to get over their years of misery and neglect.
Southeast Nebraska The most recent rescue was one of the worst HUA has witnessed. The puppy mill is still operating in Nebraska and is listed as one of the HSUS Horrible 100 out of all of the puppy mills in the country and a top offender by the Animal Legal Defense Fund. It has been notorious for suffering for many years, with little effort made by authorities to shut it down. USDA records dating back to 2001 show consistent violations affecting as many as 418 dogs at one time. They noted the same issues over and over again with dilapidated buildings, ammonia odors, sharp wires, dogs in danger from excessive heat and humidity, waste piled up, dogs with severe infections of the eyes, ears and mouth, jaw bones protruding, mouths unable to close, collars with the dogs’ livestock number too tight and entangled in fur, and fur matted to skin causing discomfort and pain. On the last inspection, 53 dogs with health issues were noted, with a mandate for veterinary care follow-up that did not happen, or did not happen in a meaningful way. In 2014, just as the USDA was getting ready to bring sanctions against the puppy miller for repeated non-compliance, she gave up her license, which allowed her to avoid scrutiny, fines and further inspections. That did not mean she could not own dogs, only that she could not sell them to pet stores, brokers or sight unseen over the Internet. She still has her Nebraska Department of Agriculture breeder license and can sell directly to consumers, meeting them in parking lots or attending flea markets. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has been much more generous than the USDA. They looked at the facilities and noted issues, but rarely was mention made of the suffering animals. It was a stark contrast to the USDA reports. Their veterinarian wrote reports that were glowing in comparison to the page after page of issues noted by the USDA veterinarian. Rather than seize the poor suffering dogs and work with the county attorney to press charges and revoke the license of the puppy miller, they struck an agreement with her to reduce her dog numbers to around 100, as if somehow 100 suffering dogs would be much more palatable to the public than hundreds of suffering dogs. To get her dog numbers down, she had some euthanized and dispersed some to rescue groups. In a newspaper article the puppy miller said, “I could not keep taking them down to the veterinarian and killing them.” It was unclear if that statement was due to a sudden attack of conscience, the expense of having them euthanized, or the possibility of even worse PR for having so many dogs euthanized when they were no longer useful for breeding. Despite the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s efforts to release dogs only to rescue groups who would swear secrecy regarding where the dogs came from and what the conditions were, HUA was able to obtain 23 of the dogs. Their condition was appalling. Hookworms, Walker
heartworms and giardia were noted at their first veterinary exams. Walker, a seven-year-old Chihuahua, had giardia, heartworms and a broken jaw from an untreated trauma injury. He could not close his mouth; it hung down on one side. X-rays revealed his skull was also askew from a trauma injury. The delicate orthopedic surgery that would be required to repair his jaw was not sure to work. The specialty surgeon said that his jaw was so badly decayed that placing the pins and plates was like screwing into rotten wood. After many weeks of a liquid-only diet and being treated like a little china doll, he did recover and his jaw works again, although it will always be off-kilter due to the blow to the head he received at the puppy mill. Yapper, a small Yorkie, also suffered from a broken jaw that had to be wired to repair Yapper it. His jaw had rotted away from infection to the point that it broke in half. He also had a testicular tumor and may need a pacemaker as his EKG is one of the worst that the veterinarian has ever seen. Little Man, a gorgeous little Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix, was suffocating from pneumonia and a bad heart condition that caused him to turn blue from lack of oxygen. The list went on, dog after dog, all abused, neglected and obviously left to suffer year after year. Other groups who rescued dogs from this mill had similar stories and documentation. When the large body of evidence from the HUA veterinarians was presented to the county attorney, the stage was already set for failure. Without cooperation from other authorities, she was unable to move forward with the charges that should have been filed. It is a gross gathering of people of the same mentality that allows this tragedy to go on. HUA will continue to fight for justice, but at this time there is none for the animals rescued and for those who still suffer at this horrible puppy mill and many others in the state of Nebraska. We thank you for your steadfast support over the years--support that has given so many pathetic breeder dogs back their lives and gives hope that so many more still waiting will be rescued. Your activism, care and concern will help make sure that day comes. Little Man
Be a Puppy Mill Warrior Text HUA to 40679 to opt in to receive text messages from HUA, including the latest breaking news on puppy mill rescues and important action alerts. Texts will include photos, videos, contests and opportunities to help the puppy mill dogs. Find out in real time what is happening and how you can help. Alerts will include emergency rescue news, information about protests and petitions, and uplifting stories about animals rescued and animals in need. You can opt out at any time by texting stop to 40679. Message & data rates may apply. Up to six messages per month. You can also sign up for email news on the main page of our website at www.hua.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/heartsunitedforanimals. Thank you for helping the puppy mill dogs!
911 Emergency Medical Program HUA frequently receives calls from families or individuals who do not have the funds to care for an ill or injured pet. They have often encountered serious hardships themselves only to be faced with the suffering of a beloved pet and nowhere to turn for help. A tiny dog that cannot give birth, cats with urinary tract blockage or sickening respiratory infections, a purchased puppy with parvo, animals injured in accidents—it is always a heartbreaking story for the animal and the people. HUA makes arrangements with veterinary clinics anywhere in the country to provide the care that will stop the suffering and give health and happiness. In addition, the HUA Clinic serves anyone within driving distance with a free veterinary exam and consultation and also furnishes medical supplies for pets. Our patients will receive anything else that makes life better—a better-fitting collar, a larger pet carrier, parasite control and preventatives. The HUA food bank is always available with free dog and cat food. Sammie, an eight-week-old German Shepherd pup, belongs to a young man who just entered the Army. She was a present for his military graduation. He had not ever had a dog and had always wanted a German Shepherd. Sammie was sold too young, much before eight weeks. He was told she had received necessary worming and vaccines, but that did not appear to be true. Sammie became gravely ill, her tongue and gums turning white. She was rushed to the animal emergency hospital where it was determined that she was so full of hookworms that she would need plasma due to the blood loss. The only other option was to put her to sleep before her precious young life had even had a chance to really begin. HUA helped with the costs and Sammie was released the next day. The young man says that he will always adopt instead of buying a dog from now on and that he is signing up for pet insurance right away. He expresses his deep gratitude to all of the HUA supporters who helped save Sammie’s life.
Curly had been with his human for nine years, just the two of them. The day before Thanksgiving, Curly became very ill with urinary stones. His dad worked hard to provide for his pal, but it would not be enough to save Curly. When the emergency clinic called HUA for help, Curly’s dad was extremely grateful that so many kind people would come together to help them. He stayed with Curly for hours, holding him and reassuring him that they would be okay. The next day Curly was released to go home. It was the most joyous Thanksgiving ever for a dear man and his lovable little best friend.
Bodie’s human dad suffers from inoperable cancer, and all of the family savings had gone to pay the medical bills. When their young Golden Retriever, Bodie, suddenly developed a large infected cyst right on top of his jugular vein, they thought they would lose their sweet boy because they did not have the resources needed for his care. Bodie was the only bright spot in their lives. HUA paid for an emergency stay and the delicate operation that saved his life. His family is forever grateful to have their dear boy back with them, happy and healthy once again. They say it has meant the world to his dad to have his best pal by his side during his struggle with cancer.
Bella Marie’s mom was not used to asking for help, but after she was diagnosed with lupus and was unable to work, she knew she would need to reach out for help with Bella. Bella had bladder stones that would require an immediate operation and follow-up care. HUA provided the surgery and helped to get Bella started on a special diet that will prevent the stones from forming again. Bella means the world to her mom and her little human sister. They are so glad to have Bella feeling well again and are grateful to the supporters at HUA who made it possible to save her life.
Brandi escaped through the front door of her home one morning to go on a big adventure. Seconds later she lay in the street, hit by a car. The breaks to her hip and pelvis were extensive and could be repaired only by specialists at Kansas State. When HUA heard about her plight from a friend, a call was placed to the family just as they were feeding Brandi her last meal, a cheeseburger, on the way to be put to sleep because they could not afford the cost of the extensive surgery. They sobbed with joy when they heard that HUA would make all necessary efforts to save Brandi. She was soon on her way to Manhattan, Kansas, and has now made a full recovery. The children are so happy that the life of their dearest friend was saved.
Jacob’s family had just lost one of their beloved pets, and Jacob, their Husky, was taking it hard. He was very depressed at the loss of his friend. The family brought a Husky pup into the home to help cheer everyone up. Even though they were given vaccination papers and had Jacob vaccinated, he came down with parvo and so did the new pup. The dogs meant the world to the family, but their financial resources were not enough to make it through the extensive treatments. They called HUA confiding that they had written a check to a veterinary clinic that they knew would not clear just to be able to get the dogs enough care to hang on one more day until they could hopefully find help. HUA provided the funding to cure both dogs, who have become best pals.
Harley, a beautiful silver Labrador, had been in the hospital for a week with a bad lung infection. One of the people in her family was between jobs. Harley seemed to be doing better, but over a weekend she took a turn for the worse. They had spent all of their money on the veterinary stay during the week and had none left for the emergency hospitalization she needed. HUA came to the rescue, and with a weekend stay of antibiotics and fluids Harley returned home on Monday and was back to normal by Tuesday. Her family members were elated to have the help they needed to save her life and have vowed to spread the word about HUA to their family and friends.
Rex, a young Akita, saved his family from intruders. As one of the robbers had the woman of the house pinned to the ground, Rex attacked. The robbers fled but shot Rex with a .38-caliber handgun on the way out. HUA received a call in the middle of the night from the emergency pet hospital asking for help to save Rex after he had been shot. Nobody wanted to see such a wonderful young boy lose his life after he had just been such a hero in saving his family. With HUA’s help Rex had extensive orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation and was returned to his grateful family, a hero for life.
HUA--Always There When Disaster Strikes A most unfortunate reality of natural disasters is that human shelters rarely make provisions for pets. When people lose their homes to tornadoes, flood or fire, the Red Cross and Salvation Army are there. Cities set up temporary shelters in auditoriums, but rarely is help available for the unfortunate pets who have lost their homes. Animal shelters, if they have not been devastated by the disaster themselves, are quickly inundated and put beyond their capacity. Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, was one of the largest disasters the country has ever known. Thousands of pets were displaced with little focus on their rescue or housing. HUA sent vanloads of supplies to the temporary shelters set up for pets, went on rescue missions to save pets who were lost and afraid, and brought back 101 animals that the shelters there could not house. Some were reunited with their owners, some were adopted and two still reside at HUA. It took a massive force of people across the country to step in and help the pets, recognizing
that help for humans was plentiful but help for pets was not. Because of the stories that unfolded on the news of people being separated from their pets and rescuers refusing to take pets on the boats that came for the humans, some progressive cities and agencies have now changed their policies to allow for the care of pets in disasters. They realized that it was cruel to leave them behind and also made the rescuers’ jobs harder when people refused to leave their homes, even if they were completely flooded, because they knew that their animals would perish if left behind.
In the year 2011 Nebraska and Iowa towns were ravaged by floodwaters from the Missouri River. Most of the residential areas were rural, and little thought was given to finding places for pets to go. People called the HUA shelter daily with stories of abandoned animals either running loose or chained to objects with floodwaters moving dangerously close. HUA made rescue trips to save animals who would have soon perished without
assistance. Other animals arrived brought in by their owners who promised to be back for them as soon as they could. In some cases it was months before they found a place to stay that would allow animals. They came to visit often and were very grateful for a place to house their dear pets. In May of 2014 a tornado ripped through the community of Beaver Crossing, Nebraska. Calls came in for help immediately. People and animals were displaced. Lost animals needed help being reunited with their owners. Owners who had their pets with them needed a place for them to go or in some cases just needed pet food, a collar, a leash or medication for their pet. HUA spent several days picking up lost animals, reporting them to the authorities so that their owners could be found and leaving supplies at the local fire station. All of the animals have now been reunited with their owners.
Tia’s Place Tia was a Shepherd-mix dog who lived at a rural home located about forty miles from the HUA shelter. One day she greeted the renter who lived there by jumping up on him to offer affection. This made the man angry, and he struck her in the face with a baseball bat. The story was told to us by the new renters who moved into the old farmhouse. They had heard it from a repairman who said the man bragged about it to everyone. As horrible as the story was, it was nothing compared with the sight of Tia. One side of her face was crushed. Her teeth were destroyed, half of her nose obliterated, her eye smashed, her mouth was out of line, and enough flesh was destroyed that the roots of her teeth were exposed. She came to Tia receives love and comfort from HUA greet us, tail Founder, Carol Wheeler wagging in welcome, when we arrived to take her to the shelter. When invited into the van, she jumped in and gave us grateful kisses. All the way to the shelter we listened to her whistling breathing through her destroyed nose.
Tia enjoying a sunny day at her foster home
Tia was taken to the University Hospital in Ames, a 225-mile Tia after her first surgery drive. There she had two surgeries to restore her face to some level of comfort. She no longer whistled when breathing, and she could chew small kibble food. It was also discovered that Tia had mammary tumors which were removed, and she had been shot with a BB gun leaving pellets scattered throughout her body.
Through it all, Tia’s spirits never wavered. She cheerfully rode back and forth to the hospital and loved her doctors and nurses as she loved all people. During her overnight stays in hotels, she was the guest of honor. She showered love and attention on everyone, and she broke everyone’s heart. Tia lived at the HUA Sanctuary until she became too ill from the mammary tumors that had spread to other parts of her body. In her honor Tia’s Place was established. It is an HUA program that gives sanctuary to pets of families fleeing their homes to escape violence. Since 1999 HUA has housed and cared for pets for weeks, months, or years until they can be safely reunited with their families if that is possible. Tia is smiling down on every one of them. Tia's surgeon at Iowa State shows how well Tia progressed
Tia thanks her surgeon for making her feel so much better
Another one of Tia's surgeons happy with her progress
Tia spends a night in a hotel in Iowa with her best little friend
Tia rides home from her final checkup with good reports from her surgeons
Tia shows off her new smile
Tia enjoys a quiet moment of peace and love with one of her best pals
P.O. Box 286 • Auburn, NE 68305
NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID OMAHA, NE PERMIT NO. 776
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity that has helped to make the world a better place for so many animals in need. Please help HUA to continue saving lives for another 25 years. Donations can be made by using the enclosed envelope or by visiting our online donation form at www.hua.org.
Hearts United for Animals is a national no-kill shelter, sanctuary and animal welfare organization dedicated to the relief of suffering. Our major areas of effort are to end overpopulation of domestic animals and the suffering of dogs in large breeding establishments. We specialize in long-distance adoptions and special-needs rescue across the nation. Tia’s Place is our refuge for pets of families fleeing homes of domestic violence. HUA is a 501(c)(3) organization that exists solely on your donations. We receive no governmental funding. Our gratitude to the thousands and thousands of people across the continent and around the globe who support our efforts and goals is heartfelt. Together we are a powerful symbol of kindness, love and mercy.
P.O. Box 286 • Auburn, NE 68305 www.hua.org • hua@hua.org
Text HUA to 40679 to opt-in to receive text messages from HUA, including breaking news on puppy mill rescues and important action alerts.