Orphan Fund for Hospice Hearts

"You walk to heaven, and we'll hold the leash..."

For a pet owner entering the last chapter of their life, one of the greatest source of angst is the future of their beloved cat or dog. Across the country, senior and special need cats and dogs end up shelters and animal controls because of owner illness, nursing home admission, or death, many at risk of being destroyed due to age or medical condition.

Recognizing this need, Hospice Hearts was created to those nearing the end of their lives an alternative for their beloved pets. Hospice Hearts is funded 100% by donations and fundraisers to support the veterinary care of our orphans. A rescue focusing exclusively on senior and special need cats and dogs can become quite costly, even with discounted veterinary care.

Today, we ask for you to consider assisting our orphaned cats and dogs with a life-saving gift to allow us to help us continue our important work. Other ways to give include via USPS to Hospice Hearts, PO Box 91 in Thomasboro, IL 61878. Direct donations are also accepted by two of our partnering veterinary clinics:

Mahomet Animal Hospital at (217) [phone redacted]
Good Friends Animal Hospital at (217) [phone redacted] 

Learn more about us:

Hospice Hearts  is a 501(c)3 all-volunteer, foster-based animal rescue serving cats and dogs in Central Illinois orphaned due to owner illness, nursing home admission, or death. 

Our rescue was developed with the goal of providing pet owners nearing the end of their lives with a peace of mind that their beloved cat or dog would be cared for when they are no longer able to do so.

Unlike many rescues which serve only animals, our rescue recognizes the importance of the human and animal bond, and we strive to also assist the families and owners of these animals.

We serve over three hundred orphans per year referred by desperate families or individuals, focusing on those who would fare poorly in a traditional animal shelter environment, such as seniors and those with behavioral or medical issues.

We accept orphans both directly referred by the family or owner, and also transfer animals from neighboring animal shelters and animal controls meeting our criteria, particularly those animals at risk to be destroyed.

Once an animal is accepted into our program, they receive thorough, discounted veterinary care from one of our partnering clinics. Frequently, new medical issues are uncovered during their admission exams as they may not have had veterinary care in some time.

Our animals are then placed into appropriate foster care homes designed to help manage the orphan grief associated with losing their owner and their home. Our foster homes are special individuals who temporarily open their heart and home to an orphan in need.

All orphans are then eligible for adoption, with a particular emphasis on senior-to-senior adoptions. We believe that pets play an important role in the lives of seniors, and find the adoption of seniors by seniors to be a mutually-beneficial relationship.