Humane Department
Animal Charity Suspends Humane Investigations and Intakes Amid Critical Funding and Capacity Crisis
Effective August 19, 2026 — Animal Charity of Ohio, the Humane Society serving Mahoning County, is temporarily suspending humane investigations and humane intakes due to a critical capacity and funding crisis.
Protecting animals from cruelty and neglect is an essential part of Animal Charity’s nonprofit mission. It is the only organization in Mahoning County dedicated to conducting humane investigations and providing shelter and care for animals removed from situations involving cruelty or neglect. The suspension therefore creates a significant gap in the community’s ability to respond to animals suffering from cruelty and neglect.
This decision was not made lightly. Animal Charity does not have the resources necessary to accept new humane cases while providing appropriate care for the animals already in its custody.
Animal Charity hopes to restore these services as soon as practicable. Doing so will require additional funding and operational capacity.
Animal Charity is facing this crisis at a time when nonprofit organizations across the country are competing for support from a shrinking pool of individual donors. For Animal Charity, the consequences are particularly serious. Animal Charity does not receive government funding or funding from any national organization to support its humane investigation work. Its ability to investigate cruelty, accept animals from those cases, and provide them with shelter and care depends on private donations from the community.
Animal Charity has reached the point where it must suspend this critical service until it can rebuild the financial and operational capacity to continue.
“We know how important this work is to the animals and to our community,” said Rachel Hammond, Secretary, Board of Directors. “Being forced to suspend humane investigations is heartbreaking, particularly because there are animals in our community who need this service. We want to resume this work as soon as possible, but we cannot do it without the support of the community we serve.”
Animal Charity is asking the community for urgent financial support. Donations will help the organization continue caring for the animals currently in its shelter and rebuild the capacity necessary to resume humane investigations and intakes.
To support Animal Charity and help restore these critical services, visit www.animalcharityofohio.org.
Every contribution can help Animal Charity continue caring for animals today and move closer to restoring this essential service. While services are suspended, individuals with concerns regarding suspected animal cruelty or neglect should contact their local police department or the county Sheriff’s Office.
Effective June 11, 2026, Animal Charity of Ohio has suspended all Animal Control
services indefinitely.
Animal Control and Humane Services are separate operations. While animal control responds to stray animals and community service calls, Humane Services investigate cases of animal cruelty, neglect, and abuse.
This suspension applies only to Animal Control services and does not affect Humane Investigations. We remain committed to protecting animals and providing care for the animals currently in our care.
For additional information or to learn more about the differences between humane and animal control cases, check out our official community release and announcement on Facebook.
ANIMAL CHARITY OF OHIO IS MAHONING COUNTY'S ONLY HUMANE SOCIETY
Animal Charity of Ohio is a privately funded nonprofit and is the only humane society in Mahoning County. Our Humane Agents cover all 425 square miles of Mahoning County. This number includes land and water.
Our humane agents are available to all police departments in Mahoning County 24/7 when they suspect abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
Animal Charity relies on donations to operate. Please consider donating so we can continue to be a voice for Mahoning County’s companion animals.
Humane societies are governed by ORC 1717 which can be found here.
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