Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center is committed to saving lives.

Our shelter is the largest county shelter in Ohio.  Last year we took in nearly 13,000 dogs and puppies, including all stray dogs in the county as well as owner surrenders and unwanted litters of puppies. 

What we do

We rescue dogs who have been lost, discarded, abandoned, injured or neglected. We provide compassionate care and veterinary services for all dogs at the shelter. And we assist the Capital Area Humane Society on numerous cruelty, abuse and neglect cases.

Each year we reunite thousands of lost dogs with their owners. For those who are not claimed, we cooperate with all reputable rescue groups and service organizations to place shelter dogs. And we sell dog licenses, which are required by law if you own a dog.  Making sure your dog's license is on his collar can help us get him safely home to you sooner.

We find responsible, loving new homes for thousands of dogs each year. On average the shelter has more than 100 dogs and puppies available for adoption daily. We do everything we can to see that healthy, adoptable dogs have an opportunity to be adopted.

All dogs adopted from the shelter are spayed or neutered prior to adoption as part of the shelter’s effort to reduce the number of unwanted dogs and puppies in Franklin County. 

At any given time the shelter has more than 25 dogs in foster care or off-site boarding.  This program saves countless lives each year by providing a loving, temporary home for a dog until it is adopted.

We rehabilitate many sick, injured or tramatized dogs each year by providing medical care and a loving foster home until the dog is ready for adoption, giving them a second chance for a happy life. Many of our special needs dogs are alive and well due to the efforts of Friends of the Shelter, a non-profit organization.

Franklin County Dog Shelter has many educational programs designed to assist dog owners. Our behavior helpline assists owners in addressing common behavior problems with the goal of helping them solve the problem and keep their dogs.

We collaborate with other community-minded organizations like the Capital Area Humane Society, Citizens for Humane Action and Cat Welfare to promote adoption, spaying/neutering, proper pet health care, training and well-being.

We educate adults and children about safety around dogs and responsible dog ownership, as well as volunteer opportunities at the shelter.

The Franklin County Dog Shelter is committed to encouraging adoption as an alternative to purchasing a dog or puppy from a pet store.  Since 2002, the shelter has hosted “Mingle With Our Mutts” at the shelter.  Now held on both the first and third Sundays of each month, this fun, family-friendly event has grown to become the most popular adoption event in Central Ohio, and is attended by more than 400 people each month.  In addition to dogs and puppies from the Franklin County shelter, more than 30 different area rescue groups for both cats and dogs participate in the event as part of our cooperative adoption/rescue effort.

In 2005, the shelter implemented “Meet Your Match” an innovative new adoption system designed to make it easier to choose the right dog for you.  Our website has been an integral part of increasing adoptions and expanding our adoption audience throughout Franklin County and beyond.  More than 3,000 people visit the website each day.

In 2003 Friends of the Shelter, a non-profit 501c3 charity, was formed to coordinate fundraising activities for programs that directly benefit the dogs at the shelter.  They provide money for additional medical care in special cases. Also in 2003, FCDS became the first shelter east of the Mississippi to implement the Open Paw behavioral training system.  Open Paw improves the adoptability of shelter dogs by creating more interaction with people through a reward-based conditioning technique, resulting in calmer, more people-focused dogs.