Lisa's Shelter Slumber Pawty Fundraiser - CE Team!

My name is Lisa Colina, and I’m the Senior Manager of Community Engagement at Cincinnati Animal CARE. But before that, I was just someone scrolling social media who saw a post that changed everything.

On March 28, 2022, I came across a message from the shelter saying they were fuller than they had ever been and urgently needed fosters. Even if it was just for a few days.

        

I looked at my two dogs, thought “maybe we can help,” and that same day, my husband and I went to the shelter.

We left with a 26lb, overbred little pittie mix named Precious Epperson.

Precious was part of an active cruelty case. She had been living in a small, filthy room without consistent food or water. For over two months, we had to keep her completely hidden while her case was ongoing. No walks around the neighborhood. No photos. No sharing her story.

But slowly, she healed.

   

And when her owner finally relinquished her through the court system, she was free.

We named her Piggy. And we adopted her.

She’s now 56 pounds of pure love, and she completely changed the trajectory of my life.

Because after Piggy, I couldn’t, and wouldn't, stop.

Locke '22, Kika '24, Lil Wayne '23

Since then, I’ve fostered 46 dogs and one cat, each one with their own story, their own challenges, and their own second chance. What started as “maybe we can help” became a calling. I began volunteering, then consulting, and eventually joined Cincinnati Animal CARE full-time as the Community Engagement Senior Manager, overseeing the marketing, press communication, volunteer program, and events for the shelters.

Now, this work is my life.

Every day, I see the reality of what it takes to care for animals who have been failed by people, by systems, or by circumstance. I’ve seen the joy of adoptions and the heartbreak of loss. I’ve celebrated wins and sat on the floor holding dogs in their final moments, making sure they felt loved.

This work is not easy. But it is everything.

And that’s why I’m participating in the Shelter Slumber Pawty.

For one night, I’ll be sleeping in a kennel at the shelter, alongside the animals we care for every single day. Not as a stunt, but as a small glimpse into their world, and a way to raise critical funds to support them.

Because here’s the truth:

We cannot do this work without our community.

Every dollar raised helps provide medical care, food, enrichment, staffing, and second chances for thousands of animals who come through our doors each year.

If my story resonates with you, I’m asking you to take the next step.

Donate. Share. Support.

Be part of their second chance.