Planned giving is any major gift, made in a lifetime or at death as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning. These include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate, personal property, or cash.
What is a bequest? Leaving a bequest to Lawrence Humane can be as simple as informing your financial institution through a designation form that you would like all or a portion of your estate left to your favorite charity. This gift costs nothing during your lifetime!
You can make a difference in the lives of shelter pets right here in Douglas County with gifts that offer attractive benefits. Often called “planned gifts,” these charitable gifts allow you to support Lawrence Humane for many years to come.
A New X-ray Machine for the Lawrence Humane Clinic!
One of the most exciting things to happen at Lawrence Humane
in 2022 was the addition of a fully operational, brand new
x-ray machine in our veterinary clinic! This x-ray machine was
a generous gift from Jimmy and Velda Dick, an incredible,
animal-loving couple who wanted to have a positive impact
on the quality of care that animals in Douglas County receive.
Unfortunately, Jimmy passed away before he could see the
x-ray machine in use. However, we were honored to have Velda
join us for a celebratory toast to the new x-ray machine and the
inaugural set of x-rays for a puppy with a broken leg. Thanks to
this amazing gift from Jimmy and Velda, shelter animals and
pets whose owners cannot afford private vet care have been
able to receive the best and most efficient veterinary care,
ensuring that suffering is quickly alleviated and animals have
the greatest chance at living healthy lives!
Monthly support for Lawrence Humane
A beloved and longtime supporter, Thomas Breyley, passed away in 2022. Thomas was a devoted dog dad, lover of all animals, and supporter of the Lawrence Humane Society for many years. Thomas routinely visited the shelter bringing his beloved four-legged friends with him to say hello and brighten the staff’s day. His devotion to his big dogs, Newfie Miss Piggy, and Mastiff Houdini, exemplifies the love we hope every adopted pet gets to experience.
Thomas’s memory lives on through his dogs, adopted by Lawrence Humane Development Director, Elina, and the generous trust he left for Lawrence Humane, which allows his monthly giving to continue to support saving lives for many years to come.
Shade structures for play yards
In 2025, the dog play yards at Lawrence Humane are finally going to get the glow-up that staff and volunteers have been dreaming of for five years – shade structures. The play yards are where shelter dogs go out with staff and volunteers multiple times a day. It’s where they go to the bathroom, play and socialize with humans, meet potential adopters and fosters, have dog-to-dog meetings with potential adopters’ and fosters’ dogs, and where daily dog playgroups are held. Play yards are critical to letting dogs who are kenneled most of the day get some exercise and expend some pent-up energy. For many shelter dogs, the play yards are literal lifelines to surviving a stressful environment.
The shade structures don’t just look impressive, they serve many important functions that benefit the dogs and humans of Lawrence Humane. Because the play yards are outside, they are subject to the elements. This means that if it’s raining, the dogs can’t go out and get the exercise they need. If it’s snowing heavily, staff have to spend time shoveling the show that builds up on the play yard turf so that it doesn’t hurt dogs’ paws, and that reduces the time they’re able to spend outside with the dogs. And in the height of summer when the sun is beating down, dogs can get overheated without shade, and again have to have their outdoor time limited. The shade structures provide protection from the elements. These are not flimsy tents that buckle and break in a strong wind. These are heavy-duty structures that are installed by professional engineers and will last for the entire duration of the building’s lifetime. And accordingly, the cost is significant.
For nine shade structures, we expect to pay approximately $225,000. A capital project of this nature would not be financially possible without a bequest by a generous Lawrence Humane supporter who sadly passed away in 2024. This individual truly lived life to the fullest. She embraced every adventure that came her way and took every opportunity to help those in need. She supported Lawrence Humane in her life and extended that support into her death.
