Due to the high volume of out-of-county surrenders in years past, in 2022 we began accepting dogs & cats only from Wyandot County. This decision was made with heavy hearts. We still welcome all other species from anywhere. For 37 years (1985-2022) we served hundreds of thousands of animals and people in need. No animal was ever turned away from all over the state of Ohio & beyond. This open-door policy caused WCHS to become the go-to for people & animals across the state who had nowhere else to go.  

By 2021, 87% of the 11,000+ animals accepted yearly came from outside Wyandot County. We were told by thousands of people that their local shelters simply turned them away. They had no other options. We refused to let these desperate animals & people suffer, so for decades we accepted any animal, any time of day or night, never refusing a single one. Many people drove hours to transport helpless animals after their local shelters declined to help them. Over time it became impossible for us to care for so many animals from so many places.

We still receive calls every day from people across the state who have been told by their local shelters that no help is available. We are committed to never turning away an animal from Wyandot County, and we hope that other shelters are willing to expand their services & offer the same assistance to animals and people in their own communities. If every shelter were willing to accept what comes to them from their local area, the homeless animal population would decline & shelters like WCHS would not become so overwhelmed. This is a vital service & it requires public advocacy, community education & local resources.