About Us

Serving animals, people & community since 2006

Serving Animals, Serving People, Serving Community.

Our story in pictures

From a foster-based rescue to the shelter we are today. Step through the milestones that got us here, using the arrows (or arrow keys) to move through the story.

2011 **Breaking ground** Local businessman Gene Burwell, of Burwell Oil Company, generously donated the 2.5 acres that became the shelter, land his company had held for its operations. With an outpouring of community support, we broke ground on a real shelter, golden shovels and all.

2012 **Our shelter on Lincoln Parkway** The building our community made possible, a permanent home base for the animals of Logan County, with room to grow.

2013 **Here to stay** Board members and volunteers with the engraved stone that marks our home, a sign the Humane Society of Logan County is here for the long haul.

2011 **Opening day** In September 2011, the doors opened at last. Neighbors and supporters lined up to celebrate the shelter our community had built together.

2011 **Room to roam** From the very start there were outdoor runs and play yards, with little houses where the dogs could get fresh air and sunshine.

2011 **A welcoming place** A quiet bench by the kennels, a spot for visitors to sit and meet a dog, and for volunteers to catch their breath between chores.

2012 **Forever Home Cemetery** Approved by the City of Lincoln in 2012, we opened Forever Home Cemetery on about two acres behind the shelter: a peaceful resting place for pets and people, planned for more than 1,200 plots, with a gazebo at its heart for memorial services. Its proceeds help fund the animals in our care.

2013 **A place to remember** We dedicated the cemetery grounds, with a memorial stone and a statue of St. Francis, patron of animals, watching over the rose garden.

2014 **Blessing of the grounds** Neighbors, volunteers, and their pets gathered for a blessing in the cemetery garden, the gazebo and roses framing a quiet, sacred space.

2014 **The garage sale tradition** Our community garage sale, tables piled high with donated treasures, became a beloved tradition that helps fund the animals' care year after year.

Projects in pictures

Real improvements made possible by our supporters. Tap any photo to see the full story and who helped.

Dog Room New Floor New KennelsJun 2026

Berm Clean UpMar 2024

Dog Isolation Addition & Shelter ImprovementsNov 2023

Cat Isolation Room UpgradesJun 2019

Our History

In April 2006, HSLC was chartered as a not-for-profit (501c3) and operated as a foster-based shelter. In May 2011, local businessman Gene Burwell gave us a generous 2.5-acre gift of land. His Burwell Oil Company had held the property for its operations and donated the parcel that became the shelter. With the support of the community we broke ground, and our physical shelter, built by students of Lincoln Community High School, opened in September 2011. It has made strides in animal welfare every day since.

We receive no federal, state, or local tax dollars. In addition to adoption fees, we rely on donations and fundraising. Through adoptions, our food pantry, veterinary assistance, and a low-cost spay/neuter program, we make a difference for animals and families in Logan County.

Our Mission

Address pet overpopulation through our spay/neuter program
Reduce the number of homeless cats and dogs in Logan County
Promote responsible pet ownership
Educate the public on animal abuse and cruelty

Our Vision

Serving Animals, Serving People, Serving Community.

Programs

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Spay & Neuter

Reduced-cost spays/neuters for low-income Logan County residents, with Green Prairie Animal Hospitals.

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Pet Food Pantry

Helping residents keep their pets fed and at home. Open Wed 10am-2pm and Sat 9am-12pm.

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Veterinary Assistance

Support and care for animals who arrive needing medical attention.

Always improving

Keeping the shelter running and up to date never really stops. Operating a building our size carries real, ongoing costs, and there's always something that needs attention. Some of it was never built for shelter life (our septic system, for example, was sized for two people, not the daily laundry and cleaning a shelter goes through). So upkeep is constant: repairs, fresh paint, and improvements, round after round.

There have been bigger milestones along the way, too. In 2023 we added a dedicated dog isolation (ISO) wing, made possible by local businesses, individual donors, and countless volunteer fundraising hours, that lets us safely care for sick or newly arrived dogs apart from the healthy population (and take in roughly 30% more animals a year). And in 2025 we began replacing the original chain-link dog kennels with stainless steel and sealed flooring to meet Illinois Department of Agriculture standards, funded by our 2025 Membership Campaign and a grant from the Sally Lorraine Vaughan Charitable Trust.

We keep a running record of these improvements and the businesses, grantmakers, and neighbors who made each one possible, with photos. See our projects & supporters →

View our projects & the supporters behind them

With gratitude

It started with an extraordinary act of generosity. Local businessman Gene Burwell, whose Burwell Oil Company held property on the site, donated the very land the shelter stands on today. From that gift, the community built the rest, quite literally: students of Lincoln Community High School raised our original shelter building, community and learning from the very start. The Humane Society of Logan County endures because of its founders, board members, and longtime volunteers who have given years of their time to the animals. We owe heartfelt thanks to Marilyn Wheat and Dennis Schrader, whose vision created our Forever Home Cemetery, and to the dedicated volunteers and board members who have shaped this shelter over the years, among them Judy Corzo, Ellen Burbage, and Mick Turner, and so many more whose names belong right alongside theirs. To everyone who has rolled up their sleeves for the animals of Logan County: thank you.