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CHA Animal Shelter

Animal shelter in Columbus, OH

Why we are proud of CHA Animal Shelter

Citizens for Humane Action Inc. (DBA CHA Animal Shelter) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal shelter dedicated
to finding loving, permanent homes for homeless cats and dogs in Central Columbus.

CHA Animal Shelter depends upon a small staff and many dedicated volunteers to provide quality care, hope,
and homes for the lost, abandoned, and unwanted animals that pass through the shelter. CHA Animal Shelter goes beyond the typical care and treatment for its residents.

Through its Emergency Medical Fund (EMF), we have been able to provide treatments for such conditions as heartworm, intestinal parasites, and dental disease, along with the more critical care required for broken bones and other severe injuries. The EMF has helped us save many animals that may not have otherwise had a chance at life. CHA established an Enrichment Fund in 2008 in order to improve quality of life for our residents during their stay with us.

CHA Animal Shelter operates as a limited intake shelter. We only have a limited number of cages and once we are full we cannot accept any more animals. We also have an extensive network of foster homes, which will temporarily take in animals that might otherwise be too young, too sick, or too scared to be in the shelter. Once an animal is accepted into the adoption program, we work hard to find them permanent, loving
homes, no matter how long that takes.

Successes over the years

CHA started in 1975 when three friends noted the growing number of stray animals wandering the streets of Franklin County. They formed a non-profit corporation under O.R.C. § 1717.05 and set out to feed, shelter and find homes for these animals. Originally operating out of the basement of one of these founders, CHA was able to care for only a small number of dogs and cats. Despite its size and limitations, CHA’s reputation for helping the homeless was already beginning to firmly take root. By the early 1980s, the demand for CHA's services far exceeded the capacity of anyone's basement. The all volunteer group managed to rent an old farmhouse on Westerville Road where they had cages for nearly 60
animals. Soon the group realized the need to hire a small part- time staff to better care for the animals. They also continued their efforts to reach out to the community for donations and began an aggressive program to find "foster homes" for their animals that needed a respite from their cages at the shelter.

In the past decade, CHA has increased the number of animals it can find homes for by establishing satellite
adoptions in several PetsMart locations and extending its outreach to the community by staffing CHA
information tables at hundreds of public events and securing air time on local radio and TV stations. And in an effort to ensure long-term income and awareness, CHA has trademarked its largest annual fundraisers - the
Dog Jog™ and Paws to Party™ Wine Tasting. Then in the late 1990’s, CHA took on one of its most courageous undertakings. As the walls of farmhouse shelter were literally crumbling down, CHA knew that it was time to move out and move on. CHA volunteers began their search to investigate the best shelter designs, equipment and programs in order to build a new shelter. After many months of seminars, visits to other shelters, meetings, and discussions, the plans for the new CHA shelter were drawn. The designs followed the plan to create not the biggest, fanciest shelter, but the most efficient, sanitary, and comfortable place for the animals that CHA had been diligently serving for over 25 years. Although the new shelter was not elaborate, it was certainly going to take more money than CHA had. It was then that the Capital Campaign Committee was created and a rigorous Capital Campaign was launched to raise the funds to get the desperately needed shelter built. CHA also entered into a relationship with the Columbus Foundation to help secure and raise financial support and manage our endowment fund.

On June 14th, 2003 the doors to the new CHA opened! The animals at CHA finally had what they deserved:
separate wings for dogs and cats, isolated sick areas, windows to light their rooms, larger cages and runs,
play rooms, and green grass for walks. It was a happy day! But, CHA did not stop there.

Current Successes

The staff and volunteers constantly look for ways to improve life for the animals and their chance to be
adopted. Since the opening of the new shelter in 2003, CHA has made some significant improvements to its
programs. All animals are microchipped, before leaving the shelter (and are of course, spayed or neutered). CHA has added “real” rooms for cats who are having difficulty adapting to a cage and a spay/neuter recovery room for dogs to get special care and rest after surgery.

CHA was one of the pioneers to promote and practice “pediatric” spay/neuter. Before many shelters, all the
animals at CHA, puppies and kittens included, were spayed or neutered before leaving the shelter. CHA’s
most shining recent addition is its fully operating, in-house Spay/Neuter surgery room. For the first time, CHA
can, with the help of local veterinarians, spay and neuter its own animals at the shelter. This forever dream
finally became a reality in the beginning of 2008.
Our goal is to offer low- or even no-cost spay and neuter, as well as some other services, to the general public, so we can continue to expand our mission to end pet overpopulation outside our shelter walls.

What Now?

As the last 30 years have shown, whatever improvements CHA continues to make will be for the betterment of the animals and will remain within the philosophies that keep CHA as one of the most respected animal shelters in Ohio.

Contact
Address
3765 Corporate Drive
Columbus, OH 43231
Address Map

Meet their adoptable pets

3765 Corporate Drive

Columbus, OH 43231

See every new pet that comes to this shelter!

Create an alert, and we'll notify you every time a new pet comes in who meets your criteria.

Adoptable pets at CHA Animal Shelter

We'll also keep you updated on Witchy's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Witchy

Witchy

Domestic Shorthair

Male, 4 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Dumpling's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Dumpling

Dumpling

Domestic Shorthair

Male, 3 yrs 6 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Banksy's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Banksy

Banksy

Domestic Longhair

Male, 4 yrs 10 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Flower's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Flower

Flower

Beagle

Female, 9 yrs 10 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Shorty's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Shorty

Shorty

Mixed Breed (Medium)

Male, 2 yrs
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Coco's adoption status with email updates.
long timer badge
Photo of Coco

Coco

Domestic Shorthair

Male, 3 yrs 4 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Mabel's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Mabel

Mabel

Mixed Breed (Medium)

Female, 4 yrs 6 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Wyatt's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Wyatt

Wyatt

Mixed Breed (Medium)

Male, 2 mos
Columbus, OH

Shelter FAQs

CHA Animal Shelter is a 501C(3) nonprofit animal shelter in northeast Columbus, Ohio. CHA is funded solely by donations from adoption fees, donations from the public and our own fundraising efforts.

Additional adoption info

Adoption fees, designed to help offset a portion of the costs of food, shelter, and medical care, are currently:

Adoption Fees:
Kittens (8 weeks to 4 months): $85.00
Cats (5 months and up): $45.00

Puppies (8 weeks to 4 months): $300.00
Dogs (5 months and up): $175.00

All prices include microchipping, spaying/neutering, and required vaccinations.

Adoptions
Over the years, CHA has made many wonderful friends and placed thousands of animals in loving homes. Most people who select pets from CHA are approved to adopt them. However, on occasion, for a variety of reasons, we find it necessary to deny an adoption when the circumstances indicate a poor match between the animal and the home.

Animal Health
CHA does its best to assure that only healthy animals are made available for adoption. All animals are checked by a veterinarian for general health and temperament and receive their first round of vaccinations, flea treatment, and tests (feline leukemia and heartworm) before they are put up for adoption. Animals who are sick stay in quarantine and receive daily medications until they are well enough to be put up for adoption.

Spay/Neuter
The American Humane Association estimates that as many as 10,000,000 pets are euthanized every year because of the problem of pet overpopulation. CHA encourages responsible pet ownership and every animal is spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter. CHA Animal Shelter opened its onsite surgerical suite in 2008 allowing us to do our own spays and neuters onsite resulting in better care and less stress for the animal.

Adoption application

https://form.jotform.com/210315610021029

Pets at shelters & rescues near CHA Animal Shelter

Ohio House Rabbit Rescue

5485 N. High Street,
Columbus, OH 43214

Pets Uniting People Society (P.U.P.S.)

Box 49,
Tremont City, OH 45372

Pick Me Rescue, LLC

P. O. Box 42,
Marengo, OH 43334

We'll also keep you updated on CLEO's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of CLEO

CLEO

Boxer/Bulldog

Female, 1 yr 10 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Oakley's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Oakley

Oakley

Australian Cattle Dog

Male, Adult
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Dobbie's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Dobbie

Dobbie

Australian Cattle Dog/Australian Shepherd

Male, 2 yrs 8 mos
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Pogo's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Pogo

Pogo

Boxer

Male, Adult
Columbus, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Breece's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Breece

Breece

Husky

Male, 6 mos
Delaware, OH
We'll also keep you updated on Raven's adoption status with email updates.
Photo of Raven

Raven

Domestic Shorthair

Female, 4 mos
Granville, OH

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