For nearly ten years, Dane County Humane Society’s Pets for Life (PFL) program has helped ensure that pets and their families in our community have access to the care and supplies they need.

When residents in one Madison neighborhood faced major challenges in accessing pet care and supplies, PFL worked closely with Michele, a community member who has been going out of her way for her neighbors for years. Each month, Michele calls the PFL team with updates on what her neighbors need. Staff gather supplies based on her insights, preparing them for pickup. Michele then heads to DCHS and loads her car with pet food, cat litter, and more to distribute to her neighbors. Through this partnership, five pet families in the area are able to keep their animals healthy and comfortable thanks to the ongoing collaboration between Michele and PFL.

Earlier this year, Michele turned to PFL for help when her mastiff, Harley, got sick.

Michele has had Harley since he was a puppy and has helped him grow into the strong, healthy, 135-pound dog that he is today. Harley has puppy dog eyes, a friendly disposition, and above all else, is loyal to Michele. If Michele isn’t at work, it’s likely that Harley is by her side. In their neighborhood, Harley has many dog friends, and knows the difference between people who live in the area and a stranger who he can bark at to alert Michele.

Last summer, Harley started vomiting, having loose stool, and stopped eating and drinking. Michele turned to the PFL team for help. Together with DCHS’s veterinary staff, she worked to get answers and the care Harley needed.

Over the next few weeks, Michele brought Harley into DCHS’s Animal Medical Services multiple times for exams, medications, bloodwork, and anything else that PFL could provide at no cost. At home, Michele was doing all she could by making Harley boiled chicken and rice meals and giving him hydrating watermelon and strawberry popsicles. Even with all of this, Harley barely nibbled on anything he was offered and only ate when hand fed by Michele. Harley was losing weight, and with every appointment, he was less and less active.

Everyone in the front office at DCHS knew Harley well and was rooting for him each time he and Michele came in for appointments. Even though a final diagnosis could not be determined, with guidance from DCHS veterinarians, the right combination of medications, and Michele’s devoted care at home, Harley’s condition finally began to improve. Soon, Harley was back to his active, cheerful self—proof of what’s possible when the community and DCHS work together to care for pets in need.

Today, Michele is happily back to connecting with PFL monthly for her neighborhood’s supplies. She keeps the PFL team filled in on Harley’s adventures, causing toddler-level trouble in an extra-large dog body.

Michele’s story reflects what the PFL program is all about: building relationships, removing barriers to care, and working alongside community members to help pets stay healthy with the families who love them.