June 2026
Spring is always a busy, exciting time to be a member of Ohio Fed! Our Virtual Annual Meeting was in late March, our 6th Annual Statehouse Day was in April, and our 3rd Annual Leadership Summit was in May. At the annual meeting, we welcomed two new members to our Board of Directors: Meaghan Colville from Cincinnati Animal CARE and Lisa Weaner with Fort Defiance Humane Society. Both began their board terms by participating in our Leadership Summit in Hocking Hills. |
|
|
|
|
Meaghan Colville and Lisa Weaner joined the Ohio Fed Board of Directors in May. |
|
|
Both the Leadership Summit and Statehouse Day provided our
members with excellent opportunities to come together and further strengthen
the Ohio Fed network across the state. We hope you enjoy reading about these
events and more. |
|
|
|
|
3rd ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT BRINGS MEMBERS TOGETHER
On May 14 & 15, leaders from animal welfare organizations across the state gathered at the beautiful Hocking Hills Lodge Lodge & Conference Center for the 3rd Annual Leadership Summit.
Day 1 featured a workshop titled: Leading with Heart: Unlocking Communication through Emotional Intelligence. Our thanks to our newest board member Meaghan Colville with Cincinnati Animal CARE for helping us explore how emotional intelligence and communication styles shape effective leadership in animal welfare organizations. After the workshop, some members enjoyed a short hike to nearby Whispering Cave while others chose to relax and explore the lodge before dinner.
Day 2 was a full day of discussions around topics that are top of mind for our leaders across the state such as Avery's Law, effective collaborations and partnerships, fundraising, human resources/staffing, safety net programming, adoptions, volunteers/fosters and board governance.
Our thanks to our presenting sponsor, Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust; NACA/Maddie's for sponsoring the leadership workshop; and our Gold Sponsor the Ohio Animal Health Foundation; Silver Sponsor Petszel; and Bronze Sponsors 24Pet and Holland & Muirden. We couldn't have done it without their support!
We are in the process of surveying the leaders who attended to see how we can improve the Summit in 2027. We hope to see even more of you next May! |
|
|
SCENES FROM THE SUMMIT
Whether they were meeting new people, sharing insights, learning from each other, hiking or enjoying the beautiful lodge, a good time was had by all! |
|
|
SEEKING FEEDBACK ON AVERY'S LAW
As implementation of HB 247 (“Avery’s Law”) continues across Ohio, we are seeking feedback from our members regarding how the new requirements are impacting your shelter or organization’s operations. We are especially interested in hearing about any challenges related to compliance, areas where additional clarification or support may be needed, and any unintended consequences you may be experiencing as a result of the law. Your input will help us better understand the real-world impact of HB 247 and will be compiled and shared with the bill's sponsor on behalf of Ohio’s animal welfare community.
Please submit your feedback to ohiofedhs@gmail.com (subject: Avery's Law) by June 15, 2026. |
|
|
|
|
ANNUAL STATEHOUSE DAY
On April 28, Ohio Fed members participated in our annual Statehouse Day by meeting with legislators on both sides of the aisle. We used our time to talk about using the Ohio Animal Welfare Federation as a resource; thank them for supporting SB 60 (veterinary telehealth), which was signed by the Governor last year and went into effect in September; and discuss HB 664, which would permit RVTs to establish a limited VCPR to administer vaccines and anti-parasitics; SB 252, which would ban de-clawing cats; and HB 676, which would restrict ownership of wolf dogs and wolf dog hybrids. It was a productive day of meetings.
Our thanks to all of our members who made the trip to Columbus: Sharon Harvey and Yvette Nosal, Cleveland APL; Chalan Lowry, Portage APL; Gregory Willey, Friendship APL; Rob Craft, Miami County Animal Shelter; Andrea Kochensparger, SPEAK! For the Unspoken; Meg Werner, Humane Society of Madison County; Meaghan Colville, Cincinnati Animal CARE; Dakota Snure and Summer Foss, Wayne County Dog Shelter; Jana Cassidy, Humane Society of Delaware County; Scott Mills, Marion County Dog Shelter; and Dr. Laura Advent, Columbus Humane. |
|
|
|
|
Thank you for our members who came from across the state to participate in our Annual Statehouse Day.
|
|
|
|
|
Participants in Statehouse Day de-brief and discuss next steps after meting with legislators. |
|
|
|
Sharon Harvey, Chalan Lowry and Yvette Nosal in between meetings at the Riffe Center. |
|
|
|
|
BILLS TO WATCH Those of you who attended the annual meeting or Leadership Summit heard our Past President Sharon Harvey review some of the 10+ bills introduced during this legislative session that we are following. We continue to track these bills closely, serve as a resource to sponsors and provide input as appropriate. As always, we highly encourage you to familiarize yourselves with these bills and the impact they may have on your shelters and organizations. You can find links to the bills on our Advocacy page. |
|
|
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. |
|
|
MEMBER RESOURCE DIRECTORY - REMINDER!
We launched the Ohio Fed Member Resource Directory in 2023. We hope that you are using this resource to connect with other members. Find it under the "Resources" tab on our website. |
|
|
Reminder: The Resource Directory is only as good as the information your shelter or organization puts into it! If you are the administrator for your Ohio Fed organizational membership, please take a couple of minutes to log in to your profile and make sure your information is complete and up to date.
To use the directory, log in to our website, hover over the Resources tab and click "Resource Directory." From there, you can enter a simple search term in the "search" field, such as county or shelter/organization name, to return basic results. Or, click "Advanced Search" to search on any number of fields such as ability to investigate animal abuse, ability to facilitate transfers or hours of operation, or to connect with other members by type (humane society, dog warden, 501(c)3 rescue and others).
Member Benefit: The directory was designed for use only by Ohio Fed members, not the general public. Only members who are logged in can access it. |
|
|
|
|
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
The following shelters and organizations joined Ohio Fed during the second quarter of 2026: |
|
|
- Knox County Dog Shelter
- Marion Area Humane Society
- Riverview Animal Protective League
- Scioto County Dog Shelter
Click here for a list of all organizational members. |
|
|
NEWS FROM AROUND THE FED
Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary wants to highlight their STAI Program. STAI provides microgrants to animal owners experiencing short-term medical or financial hardship, helping cover essential husbandry needs and veterinary care so animals can remain safely in their homes whenever possible. The program is open to applicants in Portage and surrounding counties, and assistance is provided as funding allows. By offering practical, compassionate support during times of crisis, they aim to keep families together and reduce preventable surrender situations. |
|
|
WELCOME NEW CEOsCarol Spychalski became the new CEO of Columbus Humane at the end of April. Carol
brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, with deep
expertise in philanthropy, strategic planning, financial stewardship, and
cross-functional organizational leadership. She most recently served as Vice
President of Philanthropy at the San Diego Humane. During her tenure, she
helped lead major philanthropy programs, generating multimillion-dollar
fundraising campaigns.
Amanda Wampler was recently hired as the new CEO of the
Humane Society of Delaware County. Amanda brings decades of nonprofit
leadership experience and a lifelong passion for animal welfare. Her background
in strategy, operations, partnerships, and fundraising will be an asset as the
organization enters its next chapter following the impending retirement of
longtime CEO Jana Cassidy, who will stay on as COO during the transition.
Welcome Amanda!
Randy Barnes, Executive Director of Lake Humane Society (LHS), will become the next CEO of the Humane Society of Summit County on June 8. Duke Murphy will serve as Interim Executive Director at LHS during the transition.
|
|
|
|
|
Carol Spychalski, new CEO of Columbus Humane, attended the Ohio Fed Leadership Summit just weeks after starting her new role.
|
|
|
|
|
Amanda Wampler, new CEO of the Humane Society of Delaware County. Welcome Amanda! |
|
|
|
Randy Barnes (with Sharon Harvey of the Cleveland APL) will become the new CEO of the Humane Society of Summit County on June 8. |
|
|
CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to the 28 people who successfully completed Humane Society Agent Training and 49 people who completed Euthanasia by Injection Training this Spring. Our next round of both of these trainings will be this Fall (check our Events page for details). |
|
|
HUMANE SOCIETY AGENT TRAINING: |
|
Brittany Bennett, Circle Area Humane Society
Maria Bennett, Circle Area Humane Society
Amber Bowen, Belmont County Hoof & Paw
Izzy Clark, Cincinnati Animal Care
Alex Colvin, Belmont County Hoof & Paw Inc.
Lyndsay Day, Humane Society of Adams County
Cris Devine, Animal Charity of Ohio Kelly Diss, Perry County Dog Shelter/Humane Society
De'Angelo Dorsey, City of Warren - Warren Police Department
Ryan Freeman, The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project
Cara Hanes, Animal Charity of Ohio
Alexandra Hlavna, Friendship APL
Jeff Hoolihan, The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project
Adam Jackson, Columbus Humane |
|
Alexis Knight, Ross County Humane Society Ivy Lash, Williams County Humane Society Angelique McCaskill, Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County Sean McIntosh, Williams County Humane Society
Christian Milhoan, Columbiana County Humane Society
Melissa (Dolly) Miller, Medina County SPCA
Riley Peterson, The Humane Society of Seneca County
Amanda Pilarcik, The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project
Matthew Ramey, Columbiana Humane Society
Mackenzie Reardon, Brown County Humane Society
Beverly Seymour, Clark County SPCA Allyshia Stobart, Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock Jamie Tavenier, Humane Society of Summit County Ryan Waits, Ross County Humane Society |
|
|
|
|
Sean McIntosh and Matthew Ramey share a laugh during Humane Society Agent Training. |
|
|
|
Adam Jackson and Ryan Freeman demonstrate some defensive moves during their required 8 hours of Subject Control Techniques.
|
|
|
EBI CERTIFICATION:
Josie Bollam, Cleveland Animal Care and Control
Ivory Brewer, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Adam Burgan, Ashtabula County Animal Protective League
Paige Burns, Back To The Wild, INC
Gail Conk, Humane Society of Summit County
Mischele Criss, Huron County Humane Society
Kaeleigh Cronin, Humane Society of Summit County
Hannah Dennis, Columbus Humane
Allyssa DiPiertro, Jefferson County Humane Society
Laura Dixon, Fairfield County Dog Shelter
Raina Dove, Fayette Regional Humane Society
Gabrielle Drown, Back To The Wild, INC
Hallee Durman, Animal Friends Humane Society
Gabriella Feltman, WEST Wildlife Rehab
Akia Finley, Cleveland Animal Care and Control
Se'Anna Fleming, Friendship APL
Summer Foss, Wayne County Dog Shelter
Charlotte Garee, Columbus Humane
Alianna Guzman, Cleveland Animal Care and Control
Elisabeth Hartman, Wild At Hart Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.
Adam Jackson, Columbus Humane
Maria Johnson, Animal Friends Humane Society
Beth Kelly, WEST Wildlife Rehab
Alaina Kenworthy, Animal Friends Humane Society
Ivy Lash, Williams County Humane Society |
|
Nataley Lewis, Cleveland Animal Care and Control Merle Long, Carroll County Dog Warden
Quin McGee, The Animal Shelter Society, Inc.
Sean McIntosh, Williams County Humane Society
Allison Milliff, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Heaven Modrak, Friendship APL
Yazmyn Montgomery, Humane Society of Summit County
Alexandria Nicholson, Licking County Humane Society
Kaitlynn Nappo, Animal Friends Humane Society
Ashley Nelson, Columbus Humane
Tammy ONeil, Lake Metroparks Wildlife Center
Matthew Padgitt, Summit County Animal Control
Maegan Peloe, Humane Association of Warren County
Dalan Seyer
Zoe Shelton Bell, Humane Society of Summit County
Makayla Spaulding, Humane Society of Summit County
Brandon Stacy, Columbus Humane
Danielle Steinke, Shelby County Animal Shelter
Kim Taylor, Cleveland Animal Care and Control
Hayden Thompson, Jefferson County Humane Society
Toni Turk
Terrell Turner, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center
Alyssa Vachino, Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County
Alexis Welsh, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center |
|
|
Do you have news to share? Click here to submit your news for the next issue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other upcoming programs (details and registration coming soon):
August 4, 2026 - Working Effectively with Vets, Farriers and Other Animal Welfare Professionals (continuing education for humane agents)
Member Benefit: Ohio Fed members are eligible to purchase a Webinar Bundle, which offers unlimited registrations for one year, and always receive discounted registration fees on our educational programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THANK YOU!
|
We wish to thank Petco Love for their continued sponsorship of our webinar program!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds holds money and other financial assets that have been inactive for a period of time and whose rightful owners cannot be found. The Division works to locate the rightful owners and return their hard-earned, but forgotten, money.
Current Unclaimed Funds in Ohio
- Total unclaimed funds in Ohio: $4.8 billion.
- Unclaimed funds received in FY24: $528 million.
- Claims paid in FY24: $149 million.
Click below to search for unclaimed funds that may be reclaimed by your organization. |
|
|
|
|
|
