Our mission
Rescue every dog we can reach in northeast Nebraska, give it the care it needs, and place it in a home for life.
A farm, a gravel road and a lot of second chances
12 Hills began with one dog and one chain-link run. Today it's where more than 400 dogs a year get well, get trained and get home.
Why we exist
Walthill had no shelter. So the neighbors built one.
In 2014, stray dogs picked up on the county roads around Walthill had two options: a two-hour drive to the nearest shelter, or nothing at all. A retired vet tech and her husband started taking them in behind their farmhouse on H Avenue.
Word spread. Neighbors brought blankets and dog food, then fencing, then their weekends. Twelve years later the same land holds two kennel barns, four play yards and a medical room, and it's still run entirely by people who give their time for free.
What we're here to do
Three ideas guide every decision we make, from which calls we answer to how we match a dog with a family.
What we believe
No dog is too old, too sick or too scared to deserve a family. We take seniors, medical cases and shy dogs other places pass over.
How we work
Volunteer-run, open about every dollar, and never in a hurry to rush a dog out the door before it's ready.
Our story so far
Twelve years, one gravel road and a lot of help from our neighbors.
- 2014
One run behind the farmhouse
The first six dogs are rescued, cared for and rehomed from a single chain-link run on H Avenue.
- 2016
The first kennel barn goes up
Community donations and three weekends of volunteer labor build a heated barn with twelve indoor runs.
- 2018
A medical room of our own
Partnerships with vets in Pender and Norfolk let us treat injuries and illness on site, and spay or neuter every dog before adoption.
- 2020
The foster network passes 50 homes
Families across the region open their homes to puppies, seniors and dogs recovering from surgery.
- 2022
A second barn and four play yards
More room means we stop keeping a waiting list for strays. Every dog found on a county road now has a place to go.
- 2025
Our biggest year yet
412 dogs taken in and 386 adopted, with thousands of volunteer hours given by people from Walthill, Pender, Macy and beyond.
Life on the farm
Eleven acres of grass, fences and quiet. Dogs here spend their days outside, not in a cage.
Run entirely by volunteers
There's no paid staff at 12 Hills. These are the crews that keep the farm running every day of the year.
Rescue coordinators
Answer calls from animal control and the public, and arrange every pickup.
Kennel crew
Feed, clean, walk and play with the dogs across three shifts a day.
Foster families
Care for puppies, seniors and recovering dogs in their own homes.
Medical team
Vets and vet techs who donate their time for exams, treatment and surgery.
Adoption counselors
Get to know each dog and each family, and make the match.
Drivers
Bring in strays, take dogs to vet visits and deliver them to foster homes.
Come and see it for yourself
Visitors are welcome Wednesday to Sunday. Walk the barns, meet the dogs and see where your support goes.