This page is a compilation of helpful Ohio and national resources, as well as resources related to law enforcement, shelter operations and animal care, and grant opportunities. If you know of an organization or resource not listed here that may be beneficial to others, please send email to ohiofedhs@gmail.com
OHIO RESOURCESLink to the 135th General Assembly. Descriptions and links to bills that Ohio Fed is keeping an eye on as they move through the legislative process. OHIO COUNTY DOG WARDENS ASSOCIATION The OCDWA objective is to promote effective, efficient, and humane dog control programs for the health and safety of the public and their companion animals. Improve, promote, and obtain education, training, benefits, equipment, and adequate facilities for Dog Wardens and staff. ANIMAL ABUSE RECOGNITION & REPORTING HANDBOOK Developed by the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association. Includes links to where to report animal abuse, domestic violence safe havens for pets, Ohio pet food pantries and low cost S/N clinics. GUIDE FOR CHARITY BOARD MEMBERS Prepared by the Ohio Attorney General's Office, this guide explains the legal duties and responsibilities of non-profit board members. IDENTIFYING OHIO'S COMMUNITY CAT RESOURCES: A STATE OF THE STATE REPORT (2023) A joint project of Ohio Animal Advocates and the Together Initiative for Ohio’s Community Cats. FOR MEMBERS ONLY: OHIO FED WEBINAR LIBRARY (members only) Members of Ohio Fed have access to a limited library of recorded webinars originally offered live throughout the year. Log in to view. This webinar series is sponsored by Petco Love. OHIO FED SHELTER ANIMALS COUNT COALITION (members only) The Ohio Fed SAC Coalition is designed to foster collaboration and provide data tracking and reporting among our members at a statewide level. Participating in the coalition will help us gain a better understanding of what's going on in Ohio and compare it to what SAC reports nationally. NATIONAL RESOURCESASPCApro provides training, research and resources to help animal welfare professionals save more lives. NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL ASSOCIATION Committed to setting the standard of professionalism in animal welfare and public safety through training, networking, and advocacy. A resource from the Humane Society of the United States. ASSOCIATION FOR ANIMAL WELFARE ADVANCEMENT The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement’s mission is to champion, advance, and unify the animal welfare profession. Provides our industry with a national voice, funding for bold ideas, learning resources and opportunities to collaborate and share strategies. Founded in its present form in 1993, Best Friends is a 501(c)3 nonprofit animal welfare organization that works nationwide with shelters, rescue groups and members to promote pet adoption, no-kill animal rescue, and spay-and-neuter practices. HeARTs Speak is a nationally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that’s uniting art and advocacy to increase the visibility of shelter animals. NATIONAL LINK COALITIONA monthly report of news from the National Resource Center on the link between animal abuse and human violence. NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS AGENCIESA directory of agencies that respond to animal abuse complaints in over 6,500 counties, cities and towns, including 105 communities in Ohio. The directory was created by the National Link Coalition to make it easier report suspected animal abuse. It also contains hotlines for reporting child abuse, elder abuse and domestic violence. SHELTER ANIMALS COUNT Resources provided by the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement. Human Animal Support Services (HASS) is an international coalition of animal services leaders and more than 30 pilot organizations transforming the traditional sheltering system to serve the entire community in supporting the human-animal bond. |
LAW ENFORCEMENTThe Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation. ORC CHAPTER 959 ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY A clear explanation on who is authorized to enforce ORC Chapter 959: Offenses Relating to Domestic Animals. OHIO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HANDBOOK - ANIMAL CONTROL This Chapter of the Handbook addresses a number of topics concerning dogs, including options for administration of Ohio’s dog laws; registration of dogs and kennels; fees and penalties; transfer of dogs; the dog and kennel fund; animal claims; the impounding, disposition, or humane destruction of dogs; dangerous and vicious dogs; contracts with municipalities; rabies quarantines and required vaccinations; and, relationships with humane societies. |
OHIO ANIMAL LAW HANDBOOK (updated for 2024) The Ohio Animal Law Handbook is a reference intended for persons who regularly investigate and enforce Ohio laws relating to animal control, cruelty, neglect and abandonment. It includes items the Editors believe will be of most use to investigators. It is not an exhaustive collection of every law pertaining to animals in Ohio. Price includes shipping and handling. Ohio Fed members can access a free, online version of this handbook by clicking here. Edited by J. Jeffrey Holland, Holland & Muirden, Attorneys at Law, in February 2024. Order online (right) or non-profits should download an order form to avoid sales tax. |
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OHIO ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS MANUAL (updated in 2024)Animal cruelty has been a crime in Ohio for more than 140 years. Yet the subject remains misunderstood by many courts, prosecutors, attorneys, the press, and even law enforcement officers. Animal offenses are some of the most difficult to detect and prosecute, largely because the “victim” cannot speak. And unlike other property offenses, animal victims are often owned by the offender, so there is no objective person with an interest in the damaged property to report the crime. The purpose of this manual is to remove some of the mystery and confusion by providing clear explanations, simple standards, and an easy reference for humane agents and other law enforcement officers involved in the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty, neglect, and abandonment. Order online (right) or non-profits should download an order form to avoid sales tax. |
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FOR MEMBERS ONLY: SAMPLE JOB DESCRIPTIONS (members only): TIP SHEET - CALCULATING COST OF CARE (members only) This tip sheet is meant to provide guidance for determining the amount of a bond or cash deposit that is needed to provide for a seized and impounded animal's care and keeping for thirty (30) days beginning on the date on which the animal was impounded. This tip sheet is now available here for Ohio Fed members. Log in to view. |
GUIDELINES FOR STANDARDS OF CARE IN ANIMAL SHELTERS - updated in December 2022
Published by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
This guide applies only to locations licensed as terminal distributor of dangerous drugs that meet the definition of a “animal shelter” in rule 4729:5-15-01 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
Transport Best Practice guidelines, templates, and tools developed by leaders at The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, along with recommended links to other resources. Sample policies are intended to be guidelines only.
From UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.
PETFINDER SHELTER SOFTWARE GUIDE
Which software is right for your shelter or rescue group? There are many to chose from and this site managed by Petfinder can help.
AMERICAN HUMANE OPERATIONAL GUIDE: RECORD KEEPING
Accurate and efficient record keeping is crucial to all animal shelters. This manual lays the groundwork for successful record keeping and makes it easier to keep accurate and efficient records.
DETERMINING SHELTER STAFFING NEEDS
The National Animal Care and Control Association recommends that each animal care and control shelter be staffed each day with the appropriate number of kennel personnel to insure that the facility, and every animal within, is maintained at, or in excess of, minimum care standards.
ANIMAL ENRICHMENT MODEL PRACTICES
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement developed the Enrichment Model Practice guidelines, templates, and tools, along with a webinar series and recommended links to other resources.
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement developed the following Adoption Model Practice guidelines, templates, and tools, along with a webinar series and recommended links to other resources.
PROVISION OF VETERINARY CARE IN A SHELTER SETTING MODEL PRACTICES
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement's model practice will provide a comprehensive overview of a shelter medicine program so the leadership and administration of animal welfare organizations understand the key components necessary to meet the medical needs of the animals in their care.
As proven lifesaving strategies and shelter medicine continue to evolve, so should shelters’ procedures, programs and protocols in pursuit of providing humane care for the animals. When measuring your shelter’s proficiency in these lifesaving areas, it is critical to analyze the average length of stay (LOS) for animals. Best Friends' manual can help.
ANIMAL SHELTER APPLICATIONS AND QUESTIONNAIRES
From Outcomes for Pets Consulting, this document contains: adoption questionnaire; new foster sign up questionnaire; dog owner surrender questionnaire; lost dog intake survey for finders; and new volunteer survey
For veterinary hospitals, animal control facilities, and shelter staff members seeking to streamline the process of reuniting lost pets with their owners, AAHA offers the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool.
FOR MEMBERS ONLY:
SAMPLE MANUAL OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (members only)
This Microsoft® Word document contains basic standard operating procedures (SOPs) for some of the most commonly performed tasks in animal shelters. It is designed for you to edit and expand to reflect your agency’s policies and procedures.
INTAKE PROCEDURES (members only)
Standard dog and cat intake procedures prepared by the National Animal Care & Control Association.
BEHAVIORAL EUTHANASIA IN SHELTER DOGS (members only)
Guidelines for euthanasia elected in cases when, despite treatment, the Five Domains of animal welfare are not met and maintained and/or the dog is a serious safety risk to people or companion animals.
MICROCHIP LIST (members only)
Have a microchip you need to identify? Use this handy list to find phone numbers of microchip providers compiled by the National Animal Care & Control Association.
MICROCHIP DISCOUNT (members only)
Organizational members of the Ohio Animal Welfare Federation are eligible for these special PetPoint discounts:
Ask your PetPoint representative for details! |
GRANT OPPORTUNITIESNumerous grants for things like enrichment programs, play yard renovation and senior pet programs. Log in to the Petfinder Foundation Grant-Management System for details and to apply. List of funders compiled by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Explore grant opportunities for municipal agencies and nonprofit organizations ASSOCIATION OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS (in collaboration with the Stanton Foundation) Grants provide prosecutors with resources to ensure that canine cruelty and dogfighting cases are thoroughly investigated and properly adjudicated by addressing some of the financial barriers that exist for law enforcement and prosecutors. |
CAREER CENTER |
© 2018 Ohio Federated Humane Societies (d.b.a. Ohio Animal Welfare Federation)
Ohio Federated Humane Societies is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. P.O. Box 21328, Columbus, OH 43221