For half a century, Hilton Head Humane Association has quietly and faithfully done the kind of work most people never fully see. The wagging tails finding forever homes. A frightened stray finally learning trust. The abandoned litter rescued just in time. An emergency transport before a hurricane. The grieving family helped through the loss of a beloved pet. The exhausted staff member bottle-feeding kittens before sunrise and returning after hours to comfort an aging dog.
It is work rooted in compassion rather than recognition.
Founded in 1976, Hilton Head Humane celebrated its 50th anniversary in June – a remarkable milestone for an organization that began with a small group of people simply trying to help cats in need.
HHH’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff at the Okatie Campus
Today, the organization has grown into one of the region’s most impactful animal welfare agencies, operating multiple campuses, a thriving thrift store, a high-volume spay and neuter clinic, extensive transport partnerships, and a volunteer network that stretches across Beaufort County and beyond.
According to Executive Director Franny Gerthoffer, the heart of the mission has remained remarkably unchanged.
“Our mission is ‘to improve the lives of homeless dogs and cats while also working to substantially lower the number of animals reproduced or relinquished,’” Gerthoffer said. “That’s a pretty powerful mission. It incorporates everything that we’re about.”
Volunteer Jada Saba enjoying puppy love at the 2025 Valentine’s Event in Shelter Cove
The origins of Hilton Head Humane are far more modest than the organization that locals know today.
The shelter was founded by Eleanor and Adkins Lowell, animal lovers who initially focused on the island’s growing cat population. At the time, feral and abandoned cats were multiplying rapidly, and resources for helping them were scarce.
“I just know that they were trying to figure out the problem,” Gerthoffer said. “The multiple cats, the reproduction of cats, the care of cats – somebody had to do something about it.”
An event participant meeting adoptable dog,Tammy, at the 2026 Valentine’s Event at Shelter Cove Towne Centre.
The organization’s earliest home was in South Beach in Sea Pines before eventually relocating to what is now its headquarters at 10 Humane Way on Hilton Head Island.
Over the years, the shelter expanded significantly, eventually adding its Okatie campus on Pritcher Point Road and later developing The Litter Box thrift store, which would become one of the organization’s defining success stories.
Volunteer Doug Lamm bringing adoptable dog, Sassafras, to the 2026 Valentine’s Event in Shelter Cove Towne Centre.
Those expansions did not happen overnight. Like many nonprofits, Hilton Head Humane experienced years of uncertainty and financial struggle.
Gerthoffer first became involved as a volunteer shortly after moving to the Lowcountry in the early 1990s. At that time, sustainability itself felt like an accomplishment. “I would say the big milestones were just being able to be self-sufficient and able to meet payroll,” she said. “The organization was surviving year after year, but it didn’t allow for us to expand or do more.”
The work ahead required vision, stability, and long-term leadership. “We had to redefine who we were, what our mission was and how we were going to take the next steps forward year after year,” Gerthoffer said.
Construction of the New Side Yard Kennel in 2007 at the Hilton Head campus
Building Something Sustainable
One of the organization’s most important turning points came through the development of a strong volunteer base and the creation of leadership continuity.
Gerthoffer noted that prior to her tenure, executive directors often stayed only a short time.
“We tried to figure out the problems with not keeping an executive director more than two years,” she said. “How do we get longevity out of an executive director?”
Group photo of the participants at the 2026 Dog Walk on the Beach (Coligny Beach, HHI)
That consistency eventually allowed the organization to think beyond daily survival and begin building lasting infrastructure.
Another major milestone came when Hilton Head Humane hired its own veterinarian rather than relying entirely on outside veterinary offices.
“We still absolutely rely on the graciousness of vets in the area,” Gerthoffer said. “They’re very much part of our family. But going from relying on outside veterinary support to having our own veterinarian was huge.”
Today, the organization works with three veterinarians – a dramatic evolution from its earlier years.
Perhaps the most transformative advancement of all was the development of its spay and neuter clinic.
“That was a big milestone,” Gerthoffer said. “Being able to provide spay and neuter has made the difference not only on Hilton Head and in Bluffton, but really throughout Beaufort County.”
The X-Ray room at the Hilton Head campus, which was constructed in 2011.
In 2025 alone, the clinic performed 6,443 surgeries and serviced 2,182 feral cats. In just the first four months of 2026, the clinic had already completed more than 2,100 surgeries.
The clinic itself has an interesting history. Originally founded by former Hilton Head Humane board members in the Ridgeland area, the operation was eventually absorbed into the organization and relocated to the Okatie campus, where it continues serving thousands of animals every year.
The impact cannot be overstated. In 2025 alone, the clinic performed 6,443 surgeries and serviced 2,182 feral cats. In just the first four months of 2026, the clinic had already completed more than 2,100 surgeries.
The new Animal Campus in Okatie, which opened in 2019, housing a second HHH Adoption Center, HHH’s Spay/Neuter Clinic, and Beaufort County Animal Services
For Gerthoffer and her team, those numbers represent far more than statistics. “That’s what saves animals’ lives,” she said. “Being able to control the population through spay and neuter.”
The Litter Box: A Community Treasure
While many residents know Hilton Head Humane for its adoption services, others know it for a very different reason: treasure hunting. The Litter Box thrift store has become one of the organization’s most beloved and successful fundraising ventures.
“The Litter Box is actually our biggest fundraiser,” Gerthoffer said. “That’s what really enables us to provide the programming that we do provide.”
A volunteer reports for dog walking duty.
Inside the store, shoppers can find nearly everything imaginable – furniture, clothing, electronics, home décor, holiday decorations, collectibles, and more. The operation has grown so large that it even includes an eBay store.
Its beginnings were incredibly humble. “It started in my good friend’s garage,” Gerthoffer said.
From there, the store moved into vacant storefronts around the area, occupying spaces temporarily until landlords found permanent tenants. Eventually, the operation became substantial enough to justify leasing a dedicated location of its own on Wild Horse Road.
Today, The Litter Box does far more than raise money. It has become a community hub – a place where residents donate generously, volunteers connect, and bargain hunters know every purchase directly supports animal welfare.
Attendees of the Four-Legged Frolic at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa
The Volunteers Behind the Mission
If The Litter Box helps fund the mission, volunteers help carry it. “The volunteers are the heartbeat of the organization,” Gerthoffer said. “We wouldn’t be able to do anything that we do right now without them.”
Hilton Head Humane currently employs approximately 32 paid staff members but relies on more than 100 volunteers throughout the organization.
Those volunteers assist in nearly every area. They sort donations and work cash registers at The Litter Box. They help clean kennels and feed animals. They assist with exercise, enrichment, adoptions, medical care, fundraising events, transportation, and daily shelter operations.
“We don’t have enough paid employees to sustain what we do,” Gerthoffer said. “We can only sustain with the help of volunteers.”
For board member Sandy Leath, the dedication of both staff and volunteers is one of the organization’s defining strengths. “If we didn’t have the dedication of the staff that we have, we would not be able to do this,” she said.
Leath noted that animal welfare work requires a very particular kind of person. “It takes a special kind of staff member to work at a shelter,” Leath said.
Gerthoffer agrees wholeheartedly. “This is definitely not a 9-to-5 job,” she said. “The people who are here are here because they want to make a difference for the well-being of the animals.”
Whether for the shelter or the thrift store, the organization looks for people motivated by compassion rather than compensation. “We need people here that are going to work well beyond what they’re worth,” Gerthoffer said. “And we’ve found those people.”
An aerial view of the new Animal Campus in Okatie
More Than a Shelter
Although Hilton Head Humane is widely recognized as an adoption organization, the shelter’s role in the community extends far beyond housing animals.
“We’re so busy doing the work that’s necessary, that sometimes people don’t realize everything we can offer,” Gerthoffer said. Those services often emerge quietly during moments of crisis.
Gerthoffer recalled one family recently separated from their beloved dog following a death in the family. Relatives in Kentucky were willing to take the pet but unable to travel to South Carolina.
“So, we arranged for a transporter to take the family dog to Kentucky,” Gerthoffer said. “They were in mourning. They couldn’t figure out how to get the pet there, so we figured it out for them.”
Another call came from vacationers traveling from Tennessee whose elderly Great Dane died unexpectedly during the trip. “They didn’t know anyone here,” Gerthoffer said. “They didn’t know what to do.” Hilton Head Humane stepped in, helping arrange humane cremation services for the family during an incredibly emotional moment.
The organization also assists families facing veterinary emergencies beyond their financial means. “It’s not like we have an open checkbook,” Gerthoffer said, “but there are certain emergencies where we can work really hard to collect funds on behalf of animals that are in need.”
The organization’s reach extends beyond Beaufort County as well. During natural disasters in other states, Hilton Head Humane has sent supplies, gift cards, and fundraising support while also taking in displaced animals from affected areas.
Those partnerships have become especially important during hurricane season.
Operating in the Lowcountry means hurricanes are always a possibility, and Hilton Head Humane has developed an extensive evacuation strategy over the years.
When major storms threaten the region, the organization begins moving animals well before evacuation orders are issued. “We don’t wait until the last minute,” Gerthoffer said.
Animals are first transferred from the Hilton Head campus to the Okatie facility, which was built to withstand a Category 3 hurricane. From there, transport partners across multiple states help relocate animals farther inland if necessary.
The shelter maintains relationships with organizations in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and surrounding states specifically to ensure safe evacuation options are available.
“We start about two weeks out before an evacuation is called,” Gerthoffer said. “We’re constantly transporting animals ahead of time.” If the storm changes course, the animals simply return. “It becomes a little bit of a travel nightmare, but we don’t wait until the last minute,” she said.
Those partnerships also help increase adoption opportunities year-round through transport programs that move animals into regions with higher demand for adoptable pets.
Finding Forever Homes
At its core, Hilton Head Humane remains focused on helping animals find permanent, loving homes. The organization prioritizes abandoned, abused, and stray dogs and cats throughout Beaufort County while also working to help owners rehome pets whenever possible.
“We try really diligently not to bring pets into the shelter if we can help it,” Gerthoffer said. “We try to work more toward rehoming than intake whenever possible.”
Animals entering the shelter are carefully assessed medically and behaviorally before being placed in appropriate areas within the facility. Some recover in medical wards. Others await surgery or evaluation. Those ready for adoption move into public adoption spaces where they can meet prospective families.
One aspect that sets Hilton Head Humane apart is its commitment to lifetime responsibility.
“If an adoption doesn’t work out, they’re welcome back here,” Gerthoffer said. “And that’s for the life of the pet.”
The organization works aggressively to place adoptable animals within the first three to six months, using social media, business partnerships, community events, veterinarians, groomers, boarding facilities, and adoption showcases throughout the region.
Their Facebook page has become especially effective. “You see the face of a little kitty you can’t resist, and then you’re on our porch the next day,” Gerthoffer said with a laugh.
The strategy is working. In 2025, Hilton Head Humane placed 1,701 animals into homes while taking in 1,653 animals. In the first four months of 2026, the organization had already placed 594 animals. “We really do work hard at trying to move them,” Gerthoffer said. “We don’t want them to live here.”
Franny Gerthoffer, Frank Grady, Steve Riley, Chuck Laine and Tom Peeples celebrate the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the newly-expanded Watts Building and Adoption Center at the HHI Campus in 2007.
Events That Bring the Community Together
Community support remains critical to Hilton Head Humane’s success, and the organization has built a calendar of beloved annual events that residents eagerly anticipate each year.
The season typically begins with the Valentine fundraiser sponsored by Heritage Fine Jewelry, followed by partnerships with local businesses such as The SERG Group, which sells branded T-shirts to benefit the shelter.
One of the organization’s most popular traditions is the Dog Walk on the Beach at Coligny. Now approaching its 29th year, the event draws animal lovers from across the Lowcountry for a joyful celebration of pets and community. “That’s actually my favorite,” Gerthoffer said.
In the fall, supporters gather for the Four-Legged Frolic gala, a formal fundraising event that has become another community favorite.
The organization also benefits from partnerships with the Heritage Classic Foundation through programs such as Birdies for Charity and Champions Fore Charity.
Still, even with multiple successful events throughout the year, Gerthoffer said The Litter Box remains the organization’s single largest source of funding.
The Secret to Staying Power
As Hilton Head Humane celebrates 50 years of longevity, the question naturally arises: What gives an organization that kind of staying power?
For Gerthoffer, the answer comes down to authenticity. “I attribute it to the fact that we actually do what we say we’re going to do,” she said. “And we have the results.”
Supporters can see those results – the rescued animals, the successful adoptions, the medical care, the community outreach, the lives changed. “I think donors and volunteers see the work and the authenticity firsthand,” Gerthoffer said. “They’re comfortable supporting us with both their time and financially because the work is being done.”
Leath believes the people behind the mission deserve much of the credit as well. “The dedication of the staff is what makes this work,” she said.
For 50 years, Hilton Head Humane has weathered economic uncertainty, changing leadership, growing demand, and natural disasters while continuing to evolve alongside the community it serves. Yet through all the growth and expansion, the organization’s purpose remains beautifully simple: helping animals and the people who love them.
As Gerthoffer said, everything still goes back to the mission. “It’s all about the animals, and their better lives.”