Last month, we started this giving season with a generous matching challenge from the Don and Marilyn Anderson Foundation. Inspired by our incredible community, they surprised us with additional matching funds. Give by 11:59 pm on December 31st, 2025 and DOUBLE your impact for animals in our shelter and community up to $40,000!
Trixie & Moe's Story
Trixie and Moe, a bonded pair of shy, overweight cats, were surrendered to Dane County Humane Society in June with chronic skin issues. Their matching skin lesions, suspected to be allergy-related, were carefully treated by our veterinary team. To aid their recovery and comfort, they were placed in a staff office, giving them space to roam or hide while building trust with their human officemates. Moe found silly places to take naps, while Trixie greeted visitors when she wasn’t busy watching wildlife out the window. Because the pair waited some time to find a new family, they became members of DCHS’s Lonely Hearts Club, which reduced their adoption fees and gave them more visibility. Just over two months after first arriving in the shelter, they met Serina and her family, who promptly fell in love and adopted them. Now, Moe is thriving (and toppling cat trees!) while Trixie is slowly emerging from her shell. Their new family is smitten and grateful to give this sweet, bonded pair a loving home.
The American Woodcocks' Story
Two orphaned American Woodcocks, also known as “Timberdoodles,” were just day-old hatchlings when they were admitted to DCHS’s Wildlife Center. Typically, mother woodcocks present their babies with worms and other tasty foods, while also teaching them how to “freeze” at the sound of her alarm calls when predators are near. However, these two siblings lost their mom and would have perished without our dedicated team becoming their surrogate family. Our licensed rehabilitators, interns, and volunteers took care to mimic parental feeding behaviors, play audio calls of their species, and camouflage their human figures to help the birds develop as naturally as possible in an artificial environment. Once they were foraging on their own, independent from human influence, we released them back to their native habitat.
The Studio Apartment Cats' Story
Earlier this month, on a frigid December day, DCHS received nearly two dozen cats from a shocking hoarding situation in Dane County. It took multiple Animal Services Officers several trips to bring the first 16 cats to us, and they filled our intake area with wide eyes and talkative meows, many of them pressed against the front of their carriers in search of a chin scratch or gentle pet from our staff. Over the next few days, even more cats from the same home arrived, leaving us with a total of 23 cats removed from a single 300-square-foot studio apartment.
We immediately got to work. Large cases like this take coordination, compassion, and resources, and DCHS was ready to meet these kitties’ needs for food, shelter, and in some cases space to heal.
Once settled at DCHS, the cats began to show us who they really are—and what a charming group they turned out to be! Most of these sweet kitties are remarkably friendly. Quite a few have already been flagged as “door darters,” because the moment their kennel door opens, they’re right there hoping for treats, eager for pets, and thrilled to soak up attention. It’s clear these cats enjoy human companionship and are ready to find new families!
A few of the cats have medical issues that need treatment, which our veterinary team is actively addressing. Thanks to prompt care and close monitoring, those cats are on the path to feeling better. Starting this week, many of the healthy cats are available for adoption! Their next chapter—one filled with stability, love, and plenty of lap time—is just beginning.