We’re excited to partner with the Rosenthal Family Foundation (RFF) to help more dogs find homes this summer. Thanks to their generous support, adoption fees will be waived for dogs weighing 40 pounds or more from Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) from June 13 through July 31.
CACC, Chicago’s open-admission municipal shelter, is facing an ongoing capacity crisis that becomes even more severe during the summer months. As stray animal intake rises, the shelter can quickly become overcrowded, putting vulnerable animals at greater risk.
That’s where Heartland steps in. Through our partnership with CACC, we transfer dogs and cats who need additional time, medical care, or a calmer environment. Every animal we bring to Heartland not only gets a second chance—it also opens space at CACC for another animal in need.
Together, we’re creating more lifesaving opportunities for Chicago’s homeless pets.
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Millie’s Gift of Hope
We often talk about saving lives at Heartland, but sometimes it’s the animals who save us.
Millie’s (FKA Blaire) story is one of resilience. She was found tied to a pole and left there for nearly 24 hours until she was finally taken to Chicago Animal Care and Control. At the shelter, she was so sad and shut down that she spent most of her time lying “frozen in fear” in the back of her cage.
From there, she was lucky to go on a “doggie sleepover” with Michelle Rosenthal Friedman of the Rosenthal Family Foundation. We wanted to give this deserving girl a chance, so after being abandoned and overlooked, she found her way into a great foster home with Heartland—and into Aaron’s family.
But Millie gave Aaron more than companionship. She gave him hope. As he shared: “Even when you feel stuck… overlooked… or like you’ve been sitting in your worst moment for too long, that’s not the end of your story. There’s still something in you. And the right person will see it.”
And for anyone facing challenges of their own:
“If you’re in it right now, like I am, hang in there.”
Thank you to Aaron and his family for giving Millie the life she deserves—and for sharing her inspiring reminder that even after our hardest moments, brighter days can still be ahead.
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