Hearts United for Animals

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Turkey isn’t just for the humans! All of our pups on campus received a very yummy Thanksgiving treat!

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!!

A friendly reminder to keep an eye on our furry family members this holiday. Keep paws away from harmful foods (but don’t be shy sharing the safe foods 😉🍗).

So thankful for our HUA community and animals!!

11/27/2025

11/26/2025

(Auburn, NE) — Hearts United for Animals (HUA), a nationally recognized no-kill shelter dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of dogs and cats, has named Kelcie Keeling as its new Executive Director.

Keeling brings over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, marketing strategy, community engagement, and donor relations. She most recently served as Director of Marketing and Communications at Peru State College, where she led a major digital marketing transformation that strengthened the college’s brand and community presence.

Her career also includes roles with the Southeast District Health Department, where she oversaw multi-channel public communications during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as Executive Director of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, where she increased membership by 40% and led high-profile community initiatives such as Christmas Comes Early to David City with the Hallmark Channel, as seen on People.com. Keeling has additionally held positions in publishing, sales, and stakeholder engagement with organizations such as Nebraska Wedding Day Magazine, Columbus Neighbors Magazine (Best Version Media), the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, and Sandhills Global.

“Kelcie comes to HUA with a vast amount of successful experience in leadership, marketing, finance, and strategic partnerships. Her passion for animal welfare and her efforts to enhance quality of life for all animals inspire staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to be the best version of themselves for the good of the organization and the animals in our care. The Board is confident that Kelcie will sustain and grow the organization,” Don Phillips, Board President.

“I am honored to join an organization built on the compassion and vision of Carol and Dennis Wheeler,” said Keeling. “Their belief that every animal deserves love and dignity continues to guide HUA. I am grateful for the Board of Directors, dedicated staff, volunteers, and supporters who make this mission possible, and I look forward to honoring the Wheelers’ legacy as we build the future of Hearts United for Animals together.”

As Executive Director, Keeling will lead shelter operations, donor and volunteer engagement, and strategic initiatives that advance HUA’s life-saving work across Nebraska and beyond.

11/26/2025

It’s Pops’s birthday! Pops turns 11 today! He got a silly song and a very yummy treat! Everyone say Happy Birthday, Pops!!

11/26/2025

Earlier this month, at the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) conference, HUA won 2 doggy DNA tests!! We asked our Staff and Volunteers to vote on which HUA pups we wanted to test. At our Staff and Volunteer Appreciation event, they were able to narrow it down to Chappy and Dylan!

The tests are in the mail and now we want to hear from our HUA community!! What do you think the results will be? Comment below and vote on our poll on our Instagram stories! We are so excited to hear your guesses and share the results when they come in!!

11/24/2025

A mother dog was found dead in a ditch, surrounding by five babies who were scrambling for their lives. The puppies were brought to us. They are in horrific shape. Two of them appear to have something neurological going on. One is skin and bones. They'll be visiting our vet in the next few days. We do not have any idea what is wrong, what can be fixed, or what is causing these innocent creatures to be in such a terrible way. Out of an abundance of caution we have placed them on Parvo protocol.

, the biggest giving day of the year, on December 2. We ask for your support, your generosity, and your devotion to the animals who need us so badly. We could never do this most important rescue work without you. Early donations can be made here: https://shareomaha.org/nonprofit/hearts-united-animals

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

11/23/2025

We're continuing to help support car wash kitties! We've received a wish list that we want to share with you!

Food & Treats:
Kitten Formula
Kitten Kibble
Kitten Canned Food
Cat Kibble
Cat Canned Food
Lickable Cat Treats

Supplies:
Kitty Litter
Cat Blankets & Beds
Rugs (small or medium)
Cat & Kitten Toys
Litter Boxes
Paper Towels
Clorox Wipes
Clorox
Towels

Thank you for your continued support!

11/23/2025

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month! Today we celebrate our sweet Icelyn. Her years as a breeder mother certainly took their toll, both physically and emotionally, but this beautiful girl’s luck is on the rise. After a dental that found disgusting, rotted out teeth, the removal of benign mammary tumors and a hernia repair, Icelyn is feeling like a new woman. She is a bit reserved and more of an observer, but her doggy friends know that with a flick of a tail some fun playtime will ensue.

Although Icelyn does not greet strangers with wild enthusiasm, after a first few minutes she is tucked into a lap just as content as can be. If, heaven forbid, a human lap is not available, Icelyn makes it her business to find the most comfortable bed in the room, and after a couple of good turns and pillow plumping, she is out for the count. At age 12, our darling little mama so very much deserves to know the comforts and safety of a home of her own.

Please visit Icelyn's webpage at https://hua.org/animal/icelyn/!

11/21/2025

Last Saturday, HUA hosted our first annual Volunteer and Staff Appreciation event!

Participants got to hear from our Executive Director, Kelcie Keeling, Lifetime Member Reb Wheeler, and members of our Board of Directors. Some of our HUA dogs also got to participate!

It was such a delight to see so many familiar faces and show our appreciation for all that our staff and volunteers do!
We also had the amazing opportunity to partner will some local fooderies! Lunch was provided by ! Dessert was provided by Union Orchards and
! Thank you so much for allowing us to !

11/20/2025

The first of our precious Carwash kittens is ready to find her own family