Thanks to donors like you, Porky got a second chance.

Six years ago, you believed Hamilton County could shelter a better way.

Together, we reimagined what an open-intake, municipal shelter could be.

Six years ago, our community embraced a new vision for animal sheltering. On August 1, 2020, Cincinnati Animal CARE accepted responsibility for Hamilton County's homeless animals with a simple but ambitious belief: that an open-intake municipal shelter could become a place defined not by limitations, but by compassion, innovation, and hope, demonstrating that the county shelter could be both deeply compassionate and operationally strong.

We believed every animal deserved every reasonable opportunity to heal, find a home, and live their best life. More importantly, we believed that vision would only become reality if our community believed in it, too.

You did.

Whether you adopted, fostered, volunteered, donated, or simply shared our mission, you became part of something extraordinary.

Today, that belief can be seen throughout Cincinnati Animal CARE. Animals receive advanced medical care once unimaginable in a municipal shelter. Dogs with behavioral challenges are given the patience and training they need to become beloved family companions. Foster families open their homes to vulnerable animals, and families facing difficult times receive resources that help keep beloved pets where they belong - in their homes.Together, over the past six years we have cared for over 50,000 animals, reunited lost pets with their families, performed lifesaving medical procedures, found loving homes through adoption and rescue, and helped countless pet owners keep the companions they love.

But the true measure of our success isn't found in numbers alone. It lives in the frightened dog who learns to trust again, the injured animal who receives the care needed to recover, and the family whose beloved lost pet finds its way home.

As proud as we are of the past six years, we know our work is far from finished. Tomorrow another animal in need - a stray, a cruelty victim, or an animal in crisis - will arrive. And when they do, we will be there.

Your gift today helps provide lifesaving medical care, behavioral rehabilitation, foster resources, and the compassionate care that gives animals the second chance they deserve. Most importantly, your generosity ensures that when an animal needs us, we can continue to say "yes".

Six years ago, you believed we could shelter a different way. Because of you, we have. And because of you, we will continue to - for every animal who needs us tomorrow.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Carolyn Evans
President & Chief Executive Officer

Our incredible community has already allowed us to go above and beyond countless times for the animals of Hamilton County in the first half of 2026. Porky's story is just one example of that.

If Porky had arrived in our care six years ago, he may not have survived. Not because we wouldn't have fought for him, but because the resources available to us then simply weren't what they are today. Those resources exist because of you.

On July 1st, our Hamilton County Dog Wardens responded to reports of an injured stray dog. They found a frightened little chihuahua mix carrying an enormous mass on the side of his face, a growth so large it had likely burdened him for years.

When Porky arrived at Cincinnati Animal CARE, our medical team immediately got to work and a removal surgery was scheduled. It was an extensive procedure requiring tremendous skill and care, but one we were able to provide because supporters like you have helped build a shelter medical team capable of doing so much more than anyone could have imagined six years ago.

When Porky woke up after surgery, the weight he had carried for so long was finally gone. For the first time in years, he was free. Today, Porky is thriving in the loving home he deserves.

Your support will fuel our lifesaving work through the second half of 2026.