As we wrap up another impactful year, we want to wish all our members and friends a warm and happy holiday season. Your dedication to animal welfare across Ohio continues to inspire us. We’re excited to share that our new strategic plan is almost complete, guiding our efforts as we strengthen programs, expand resources, and support our growing membership. In 2026, we look forward to offering expanded educational opportunities, deeper collaboration, and more chances to connect and learn from one another. Thank you for being part of this vital work! Here's to a bright year ahead for animals and the people who care for them. |
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HB 247 passed and is headed for Governor's signature; join us December 9 to learn about the legislative process and other bills of interest.
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AVERY'S LAW PASSES
HB 247, a bill sponsored by Rep. Kevin Miller and Rep. Meredith Lawson-Rowe, has passed and is awaiting the Governor's signature. The bill, otherwise known as "Avery's Law," revises Ohio's dog law, particularly focusing on dangerous and vicious dogs and regulations regarding registration, classification and owner responsibilities.
The bill will be effective 90 days after the Governor signs it. Our members can be on the lookout for an overview of amendments that relate to “animal shelters for dogs” with respect to taking possession of owner surrendered dogs, the transfer of ownership or possession of dogs to another person, and the behavior of dogs that are “owned, kept, or harbored” by “animal shelters for dogs.”
OTHER BILLS OF INTEREST
It's been a busy legislative session, with several other bills of interest moving through the process:
SB 64 (Sen. A. Cutrona) - Increase penalties for companion animal cruelty offenses
SB 232 (Sen. C. Weinstein) - Revise the law governing high volume dog breeders
SB 252 (Sen. A. Cutrona & Sen. H. Craig) - Prohibit a person from declawing a cat
HB 148 (Rep. S. Ray & Rep. M. Grim) - Establish tax refund designation for spaying, neutering pets
Interested in learning more about the legislative process in Ohio, and these bills? Join us on December 9 at Noon for "Making Change for Animals: Understanding Ohio’s Legislative Process." Mike Caputo and Jackson Bergdoll from Cypress will provide an overview of how laws are made in Ohio and discuss practical ways to make your advocacy efforts count. They will walk through the legislative process step by step and share tips for engaging effectively with lawmakers. Ohio Fed Board President Sharon Harvey, CEO of the Cleveland APL, will also provide updates on key animal-related bills.
Member Benefit: If members would like to receive legislative updates as they happen, please email ohiofedhs@gmail.com and ask to be added to the list for advocacy alerts. |
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NOW AVAILABLE:
2026 WEBINAR BUNDLE
Now through January 31, 2026, Ohio Fed member organizations can purchase a Webinar Bundle to cover unlimited webinar registrations for your organization in 2026 (certain exclusions apply). |
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We plan to once again offer 12+ webinars in 2026 on a wide range of topics. If your organization frequently supports our educational webinars, a Webinar Bundle can save your organization money; enable you to offer training to more of your staff and volunteers; and drastically cut down on time spent requesting or processing registration fee payments.
BONUS: Webinar Bundle also includes unlimited access to all recorded webinars in our online library (unless a speaker requests not to be recorded). Click here to log in and view all the details.
Member Benefit: The Webinar Bundle is only available to current Ohio Fed members. |
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SAVE ON ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES The Ohio Animal Welfare Federation is proud to highlight Shelters United, a resource created specifically to support animal welfare groups. |
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While most members join for the Vet Supplies Savings Program (offering everyday discounts on pharmaceuticals, pest prevention, etc.), a Shelters United membership opens the door to more free programs tailored for animal welfare organizations:
Many Ohio Fed members are taking advantage of the savings offered through Shelters United, so we wanted to spread the word! Membership is free. Start saving on supplies today so you can save more lives tomorrow. |
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE FED Congratulations to the 22 people who successfully completed our Humane Society Agent Training in September/October: |
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Abby Bash Muskingum County Humane Society
Scott Betz, Butler County Dog Warden
Kevin Burakowski, City of Oxford Police Department
Bethany Cluckey, AWL of Trumbull County
Jason Cooke, City of Warren/Healthy Hearts and Paws Project
Colleen Cunat, Maple Heights Police Department
Brooklynn Galios, AWL of Trumbull County
Maggie Guy, AWL of Trumbull County
Mia Hauenstein, Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County
Allison Kager, Lake Humane Society
Colt Kersey, Montgomery County Resource Center
Pam Longlott, Ross County Humane Society
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Lara McCune, Humane Society of Harrison County
Brant Murray, Butler County Dog Warden
Fabian Pike, City of Warren/Healthy Hearts and Paws Project
Brittany Sever, Brown County Humane Society
Catena Shore, Ashtabula County APL
Trisha Tackett, Humane Society Serving Crawford County
Justen Vocke, Henry County Sheriff's Office
Waneta Wellinghoff, Ross County Humane Society
Katrina Whitlock, Montgomery County Resource Center
Larry Williams, Marion County Sheriffs Office
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The 34-hour Humane Society Agent curriculum includes 8 hours of Subject Control Techniques. |
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Congratulations also goes to the 40 people who successfully completed our Euthanasia by Injection Certification in August/September:
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Stephanie Bene, Medina County SPCA
Madison Boatfield, Turkeyfoot Family Pet Center
Amy Bray, Union County Humane Society
Kailynn Brooks, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Sarah Cantrell, Ross County Humane Society
Sean Dundar, Humane Society of Delaware County
Audrey Dunkle, Richland County Dog Warden
Elizabeth Engan, Columbus Humane
Eliab Favela, Animal Friends Humane Society
Gina Fuzey, South Bend Animal Resource Center
Brittni Gendron, South Bend Animal Resource Center
Nicole Hafer Lipstreu, Humane Society of Guernsey County
Savannah Hagen, Lake Humane Society
Mia Hauenstein, Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock
Teresa Hildebrand, Humane Society of Guernsey County
Sallee Holland, Turkeyfoot Family Pet Center
Erich Hopkins, Champaign County Sheriff's Office
Jake Hudson, Medina County SPCA
Natasha Klosterman, Ross County Humane Society
Michelle Locke, Humane Society of Madison County |
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Erika Lutz, Columbus Humane
Francesca Mamlin, Columbus Humane
Hilary Matthews, Ohio Wildlife Center
Phil McMahill, Champaign County Sheriff's Office
Emily Minnich, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Alesha Morrison, Ohio University Student
Brooke Niceley, Toledo Area Humane Society
Ryan O'Connor, Columbus Humane
Michelle Pitcher, Medina County SPCA
Katie Pletcher, Humane Society of Guernsey County
Ryan Ross, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Coen Schoonover, Fairfield Area Humane Society
Amy Smerecky, Cozy Cat Cottage Adoption Center
Iliana Smith, Mahoning County Dog Warden
Kieran Stanberry, Columbus Humane
Hannah Stout, Humane Society of Delaware County
Nicole Surgener, Humane Society Serving Crawford County
Sarah Urch, Lake Humane Society
Marisa VIhtelic, Ohio University Student
Samantha Willis, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center |
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Our Euthanasia by Injection Certification includes time to practice needle work, drug identification and reporting, and identifying markers (we do not euthanize in this class, but we do enjoy time with our live models). |
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The Ashtabula County Animal Protective League started a new program this past summer in collaboration with Lake Erie Correctional Institution. Six of the APL's dogs are housed offsite at the institution for three months getting trained by incarcerated individuals under the direction of both a trainer and the program supervisor at the prison. During their stay, the dogs learn basic obedience and more advanced commands, become house trained and crate trained, and get plenty of love and exercise.
The APL reports that this has been an incredible opportunity for them to help dogs get trained and become highly adoptable, in-demand pups. The APL has been told that the incarcerated individuals are enjoying the program as well because it creates for them a sense of purpose with a canine by their side.
Even more good news! The program is expanding and the plan is to have at least 12 dogs in the program starting later this month! Three of the dogs that the APL sent in the first round of six dogs have already been adopted by people who work at the prison. Smiles all around!! |
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Incarcerated individuals and dogs alike are all smiles thanks to the Ashtabula County APL's new training program, which already has plans for expansion. |
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Over the past year, the Humane Association of Warren County has focused heavily on helping the thousands of community cats in their county. Their team identified areas with the highest populations of unowned, rapidly reproducing cats and held multiple TNR clinics each month, spaying/neutering and vaccinating 60-80 cats per event. They also carried out “Targeted TNR” in hotspots such as trailer parks, downtown neighborhoods, and apartment complexes. Working out of a surgery space barely bigger than a janitor’s closet and with limited recovery kennels, they still managed to meet a growing demand while also running a low-cost public spay/neuter clinic.
Thanks to broad community support, they’ve now raised the funds to expand their clinic. Construction begins in December, with a grand opening planned for April. The new space will allow multiple veterinarians to work at once, increase their surgery capacity by 70%, and add low-cost wellness visits and telemedicine options for families who struggle to afford traditional veterinary care. This grassroots effort shows what’s possible when shelters listen to their communities, stay creative, and build support through meaningful work. They share this success story to inspire others to do the same! |
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Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary in Northeast Ohio is excited to announce that their new Welcome Center is complete! They have moved into their new ~6,000 square foot space and hit the ground running to continue their mission. They received grant funding from the ASPCA not only to complete the financing for the new Welcome Center, but also to continue their essential community support program launched in 2024. This STAI (Solutions to Avoid Intake) Program allows the sanctuary to assist and support horse owners who need a short-term helping hand to keep their horses at home rather than surrender them to the rescue. Horses' owners eligible for participation in this program will be provided assistance in the form of fundamental care (hay/feed), farrier care, routine vetting (floats, vaccinations, deworming), medications for chronic but manageable conditions (such as Cushing’s), and, if needed, euthanasia and removal. Click here for more information on this program. |
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Do you have news to share? Click here to submit your news for the next issue.
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THANK YOU!
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We wish to thank Petco Love for their continued sponsorship of our webinar program!
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SAVE THE DATE: 2026 LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Our 2026 Leadership Summit will be May 14-15, 2026, at Hocking Hills Lodge & Conference Center. This Summit is a chance for leaders in animal welfare in Ohio to come together to meet and discuss topics that are top of mind. Mark your calendars and watch for more information in your email or on our Events page. |
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We hope to see you in Hocking Hills in May! |
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From our friends at Shelter Animals Count:
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NEW DATA REPORT
Foster-based rescues are a critical part of the animal welfare system, and their operations often differ substantially from brick-and-mortar shelters. Using data from Pawlytics and comparing it to the Shelter Animals Count National Database, we present our findings in our latest data report on National Trends in Foster-Based Rescue Operations, so we can get a better understanding of how these organizations shape animal outcomes, intake sources, and adoption pathways.
Highlights include:
- Dogs entering foster-based rescues are primarily transferred in from shelters (51%), demonstrating the system’s reliance on rescues as placement partners. Cats are more likely to enter rescues as strays (36%)
- Foster-based rescues represent 15% of community intakes nationally but achieve higher adoption rates (75%) than the national shelter average (56%).
- The median length of stay for rescues until adoption is 46 days - longer than the national averages (16 days for dogs, 20 for cats) but declining year-over-year.
The goal of this report was to analyze national trends in foster-based rescue operations using a dataset from a foster-based animal management software to better understand how these organizations contribute to the broader animal welfare landscape. The findings are based on this sample dataset only with comparisons to national totals when appropriate. |
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