After a year of overcrowding, staffing problems and repeated pleas for help at the Scioto County Dog Shelter, local groups are asking residents to do something very simple:
Help the dogs.
Right now, that can mean anything from buying one dog a $10 Thanksgiving dinner to helping pay for vaccines, veterinary care and supplies through Scioto Hounds.
And for six dogs, donated funding could even mean a new home.
$10 Buys a Shelter Dog Thanksgiving Dinner
The Scioto County Dog Shelter is planning a special Thanksgiving meal for every dog currently staying at the shelter.
Residents can sponsor a meal for $10 per dog.
A $20 donation feeds two dogs, while $50 provides Thanksgiving meals for five.
Shelter workers say each dog will get an individual Thanksgiving photo, and the pictures will be shared so donors can see some of the animals their contributions helped.
“These dogs might not have a home to celebrate Thanksgiving in, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have something to be thankful for,” the shelter said in announcing the effort.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a meal can contact the Scioto County Dog Shelter.
The shelter also plans to offer holiday photographs for families and their pets, with an eye toward another photo event for Christmas.
Six Adoptions Already Paid For
There is also some unusually good news for people thinking about adopting.
The shelter announced that a donation has provided funding for six adoptions, while the money remains available.
Those sponsored adoptions include the adoption itself, vaccinations and spay or neuter services.
That removes some of the upfront cost that can keep potential adopters from taking a dog home.
And getting dogs into permanent homes matters.
The Scioto County shelter has repeatedly struggled with overcrowding this year, at times reaching the point where dogs had to be moved quickly to rescues to free up kennel space.
Earlier this year, Scioto Hounds helped arrange placements for 15 dogs facing possible euthanasia during one particularly difficult stretch.
Scioto Hounds Offers Another Way to Help
For people who aren’t ready to adopt but still want to help, Scioto Hounds is collecting donations to support dogs at the county shelter.
The nonprofit says donations help pay for vaccines, veterinary care and supplies for shelter animals.
The organization accepts donations through PayPal and Venmo and also maintains an Amazon Wishlist for people who would rather purchase specific supplies.
Checks can also be mailed to:
Scioto Hounds
22115 State Route 73
West Portsmouth, OH 45663
The organization’s message is straightforward: “Help Us Help Them.”
Scioto Hounds has already played a substantial role at the shelter.
Earlier this year, the organization helped secure nearly 3,000 pounds of dog food, vaccines and rescue placements, including help for a pregnant dog and six other animals.
Scioto County Commissioners later approved an agreement recognizing Scioto Hounds as a nonprofit fundraising partner for the shelter, allowing the group to pursue donations and grants for improvements and animal care.
The organization has also helped fund improvements to the shelter itself, including ventilation equipment.
A Shelter That Has Needed the Help
The requests come after a difficult year for the Scioto County Dog Shelter.
The facility has only about two dozen regular kennels, and overcrowding has repeatedly pushed it toward capacity.
Large confiscations, hoarding cases and everyday owner surrenders can quickly fill those spaces.
The shelter has also dealt with staffing turnover. Most recently, commissioners authorized advertising for another part-time kennel technician after an employee resigned for another job.
Earlier controversies involved maintenance problems, staffing levels, animal-control enforcement and concerns about conditions inside the facility.
County leaders have also increased dog-license fees beginning in 2026 as they look for ways to better support shelter operations.
Through all of that, local rescues, volunteers and organizations such as Scioto Hounds have increasingly filled gaps — helping move animals to rescues, provide food and supplies and raise money for veterinary care.
So What Can You Do?
There are several ways to help without taking on more than you can handle.
You can sponsor a Thanksgiving meal.
You can donate money or supplies through Scioto Hounds.
You can adopt one of the dogs whose fees have already been sponsored.
You can foster or work with an established rescue if that’s something you’re equipped to do.
And simply sharing available dogs can sometimes put an animal in front of the one person willing to give it a home.
For a shelter that has spent much of the year trying to find enough kennel space, enough staff and enough resources, every dog that leaves for a safe home opens a spot for the next animal that needs one.
This Thanksgiving, the shelter is hoping Scioto County residents can help make sure the dogs still waiting get at least one thing to celebrate.