Cincinnati shelter overwhelmed by recent dog seizures
The facility received 112 dogs in one week, with 38 taken from two local properties during active legal investigations.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
Cincinnati Animal CARE has taken in 112 dogs over the past seven days, a volume that has left the county's only open-intake shelter without available kennel space. The surge is driven largely by 38 dogs seized during recent animal welfare investigations.
Over the last two days, officers removed 24 of those dogs from two separate properties in Hamilton County. Fourteen large shepherd-type dogs came from one location, while 10 dogs of varying sizes were taken from another, according to the shelter. These animals are currently on investigation holds, meaning they cannot be placed for adoption until their legal status is resolved.
The recent influx adds to a pattern of large-scale removals. The Hamilton County Dog Warden responded to seven cases involving six or more dogs at a single property over the past three months. This follows a record-breaking seizure in August when the shelter took in more than 150 animals.
Meaghan Colville, Chief Dog Warden and COO at Cincinnati Animal CARE, explained the disconnect between public perception and operational reality. "People see an overcrowded shelter, but they don't always see what's happening in our neighborhoods that's contributing to it," Colville said. The shelter stated that these cases, combined with numerous smaller cruelty and neglect investigations, are straining a facility already operating at full capacity.
As the area's sole provider of animal services, Cincinnati Animal CARE is urgently seeking fosters, volunteers, and adopters to relieve pressure on its facility. The shelter noted that the dogs seized during these operations remain on hold, further complicating the ability to make space for new intakes.
