Pound Pup Legacy

Citizens for Humane Action Inc. (CHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation operating an animal shelter in Westerville, Ohio, on the northern outskirts of Columbus, Ohio.

CHA depends upon a small staff and many volunteers dedicated to providing hope and homes for the lost, abandoned, and unwanted animals of Franklin County and neighboring counties.

CHA differs from the traditional humane societies because it euthanizes only a tiny fraction of its animals. These are the animals with more serious illnesses and severe behavioral problems, not the 75% common in many shelters.

The CHA shelter is open for adoptions Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.<!-- #EndLibraryItem --> CHA cats are also available for adoptions at PETsMART at 6010 Sawmill Rd., Columbus. CHA dogs are available there once a month.

Adoption fees, designed to offset a portion of the costs of food, shelter, and medical care, are currently<!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Adoption fee.lbi" --> Puppies (under 6 months) are $125, dogs (6 months and older) are $100, kittens (under 12 months) are $100, and cats are $70 (all prices include micro-chipping, spay/neuter, and all required shots). <!-- #EndLibraryItem -->Some animals have special sponsors, making their adoption fee lower.

Since 1975

CHA started in 1975 when three friends noted the growing number of stray animals wandering the streets of Franklin County and decided that they could make a difference. They formed a non-profit corporation under O.R.C. § 1717.05 and set out to feed, shelter and find homes for the homeless animals.

At that time, the human population of Franklin County was about 860,000, much less than today's 1,000,000+. The animal population was smaller then, too, but there were still more homeless pets than the Humane Society could possibly rescue. Thousands were being euthanized annually, and many others never even made it to any shelter.

Originally operating out of the basement of one of the founders, CHA was able to care for only a small number of dogs and cats at one time. Despite the size they found people to adopt many of these animals, and the word spread. If you find a stray kitten or an abused dog, call CHA.

Expanding our services

By the early 1980s, the demand for CHA's services exceeded the capacity of anyone's basement. The all-volunteer group managed to rent an old farmhouse on Westerville Road, its current facility. Here they had cages for up to 60 animals at one time, but many more arrived on their doorstep daily. The group began an aggressive program of finding "foster homes" for their animals, providing a family environment and temporary respite from the institutional setting until the animal could be placed in a permanent home.

By the 1980s CHA was also working with veterinarians of the community to educate pet owners about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets and to provide these services for lower fees. The population of unwanted animals kept growing, but CHA was doing all it could to curb the growth.

When CHA began, donations were minimal. Income the first year was under $7,000. Through continuous fundraising projects, membership fees, and pet adoption fees, CHA had increased its annual income by the early 1980's to $20,000+. The costs of food, medicine, veterinary expenses, utilities, and office supplies also increased with the number of animals helped by CHA. By 2001, CHA's monthly expenses were running about $12,500.

Even operating under serious restrictions (inadequate facilities, limited budget, overworked volunteers), CHA has succeeded in accomplishing most of its goals. In 2001 alone, it has found 800 homes for dogs and cats, while just 3% of the animals had to be euthanized, mainly due to extreme illness. In addition to membership and adoption fees, numerous fundraisers resulted in an income of over $180,000 in 2001.