COLUMBUS (WCMH) – The Franklin County Dog Shelter is almost full, and leaders there are asking the public to consider adopting dogs to help clear space.
The shelter on Tamarack Boulevard is currently home to about 130 dogs, and more are coming in every day. According to Don Winstel, the shelter’s director, 45 of those dogs have been at the shelter longer than two weeks, making them available for adoption for just $18. That fee includes a dog license, vaccinations and spay or neuter services. Other dogs are available to adopt for $123.
Winstel said overcrowding can cause dogs to become stressed or sick.
“It’s just like having a daycare that’s overcrowded,” Winstel said. “One dog gets the sniffles and then all of a sudden all of them have it. [It] makes it harder for us to process dogs coming in and keep them quarantined from other dogs until their vaccinations have a chance to start working.”
For current dog owners, Tuesday, Jan. 31 is the deadline to license any dog older than three months, which is required under Ohio law.
Winstel said owners can do that at the shelter, some pet stores or the county auditor’s office if they bring proof of vaccinations from a veterinarian. The license is good for one year.
“What the license does, though, for the benefit of you, not only does it only guarantee healthy dogs in Ohio-they require vaccination in order to get the license-but also, if your dog gets lost, it gives us a way to determine who the owner is,” Winstel said.
At the Franklin County Dog Shelter, lost dogs without a license that are not claimed within three days belong to the shelter. If a dog has a license, the owner has 14 days to claim the animal before it becomes the shelter’s property, and the shelter will contact them about their pet.