Across Ohio, animal shelters are facing a heartbreaking crisis. Rising costs of living, driven by inflation, have forced many families to make an impossible choice: keep their beloved pets or surrender them because they can no longer afford food, medical care, and housing. Every day, more animals arrive at shelters that are already over capacity. Kennels meant for one dog now hold two or more. Cats wait in cramped cages for weeks or months. Dedicated shelter workers and volunteers are doing all they can, but without immediate help, the system will collapse.

These aren’t just numbers—they’re stories of family dogs, senior cats, and loyal companions who once had warm homes. They’re victims of economic hardship, not neglect. But when shelters are overcrowded, animals face higher stress, greater risk of illness, and tragically, the possibility of euthanasia simply because there’s no space left.

Ohio can do better. We can work together to protect these animals and the people who love them. That’s why we are calling on state lawmakers, county commissioners, and city councils to provide emergency funding to local shelters. This funding should cover veterinary care, food, staffing support, and temporary housing for pets of families in crisis. By keeping shelters afloat and helping struggling pet owners, we can prevent countless surrenders before they happen.

Animal welfare isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a matter of compassion and community. When we support shelters, we support our neighbors, too. Families deserve the chance to keep their pets through hard times, and animals deserve safe, humane care while they wait for forever homes.

We have the power to change the outcome for thousands of animals across Ohio, but we need swift action. If you believe that no pet should lose its home due to financial hardship, please join us in urging state and local leaders to step in now. The animals can’t speak for themselves—we have to be their voice.

Sign this petition to demand emergency funding for Ohio’s overcrowded animal shelters and protect pets from being abandoned in times of need.