Cincinnati Animal CARE: Shelter Slumber Pawty

Hi, I'm Mellissa!

Why this matters to me:

I started volunteering at CAC in November 2022, right after moving here from Chicago. What began as walking dogs quickly turned into fostering… and eventually adopting my dog, Rapid who was considered a quirky & behaviorally complex dog who wasn’t an easy placement.

And that changed everything for me.

Dogs like Rapid, the ones with barriers, the ones overlooked, the ones who need a little more...those are the dogs I gravitate toward. Because I’ve seen what happens when someone gives them a chance.  

What I do at CAC:

I’m a volunteer + foster + foster coach, and some of the things I care most about:

• Walk group 
• Photo days (helping dogs get seen online)
• Countless Day trips + short-term fostering
• Behavior support + advocacy
• Offsite events + community outreach

Why CAC needs us:

CAC is an open-intake shelter, meaning we take in every animal that comes through our doors. At any given time, we have hundreds of dogs onsite and hundreds more in foster homes.

• Maintains a 90%+ lifesaving rate
• Recognized as no-kill through Best Friends Animal Society
• Is also a resource center for our community and holds vaccine clinics, food pantries, surrender prevention, and much more.

But here’s the reality: shelters cannot do this alone.

We are in the middle of a national overpopulation crisis, and the system only works if the community shows up. I have seen CAC pick itself up through CDV outbreak, movement between THREE locations, and countless code red's  (population overflow). 

 Why I’m doing this:

Rapid is the reason.

He taught me that dogs who seem “hard” are often just waiting for someone to understand them. There will always be dogs like him. He’s why I keep showing up. Even on the hard days.

So for one night, I’ll sleep in a kennel…

to stand with the dogs who don’t get to leave in the morning.

Please consider donating to my fundraiser for the homeless dogs. Any amount helps. I appreciate your generosity! 

And if you cannot donate, please share my fundraiser. Thank you so much! 

-Mellissa