On June 26, 2024, disaster struck Heartland Animal Shelter. In the still darkness of early morning, a pipe burst beneath our building—unleashing over 2.5 feet of water into the shelter where 101 animals were asleep. Tiny kittens and frightened small dogs scrambled to higher ground, fighting to stay above the rising flood.

It could have ended in tragedy. But one man changed everything. Antun “Tony” Maticic, a Waste Management sanitation worker on his regular morning route, noticed something strange. Tony always waved at the cats in the windows, but on this day, an unusual number of animals peered back. Looking closer, he discovered the floodwater rapidly filling the shelter.

Tony’s story reminds us of the power of one—how a single person, noticing, caring, and choosing to act, can change the world for someone else.

Today, you have the chance to follow in his footsteps by becoming a Heartland Hero!

Now is the perfect time to join—thanks to the generosity of Judith Rowe and the King Family, every new Heartland Hero donation will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000. That means your impact goes twice as far.

When you join Heartland Heroes, our official donor membership program, you become part of a special community of animal lovers who make a lasting difference. As a Hero, your monthly gift does more than provide food, shelter, and medical care—it gives Heartland the stability to plan ahead, act quickly, and continue rescuing vulnerable dogs and cats throughout the year. Your support means that when an animal is in crisis, we’re ready.