There is nothing quite like the love of a pet, and the love of a rescued pet is particularly unconditional. If you’re looking to add to your family with a furry friend, you can find an affordable and loving pet by visiting a shelter or rescue. Having a pet is a lifelong commitment, but comes with some serious perks, since living with pets has proven to have health benefits like decreased blood pressure and better mood. To help you find your new pet, we picked out five Central Ohio pet rescues that are filled with cats, dogs, and more looking for the perfect homes!
Colony Cats Adoption Center. If you’re a novice when it comes to owning pets, you may want to start with cat ownership. Cats are well-known for being able to take care of themselves, as they don’t require extensive training or daily walks, but can also provide the same affection as a dog. Colony Cats is located in Dublin and serves as a rescue for mostly cats, with a few dog rescues (and even a pot-bellied pig!), with the mission to curb the overpopulation of cats. You can meet the cats and kittens in their unique cage-free cat adoption center, giving you a real-life feel for how the cat will be in your home.
Pets Without Parents. Located in Clintonville, Pets Without Parents is a no-kill, all-breed shelter for both cats and dogs. Pets Without Parents is a great option for both those with more experience with rescuing pets as well as those who may need some guidance through the process. The team at Pets without Parents does thorough checks of personal references and landlord rules, and they strive to ensure each new pet owner knows what they should expect with their adoption. The shelter has a smaller selection of animals, allowing each potential adopter to get to know the personality of who they may be bringing into their family.
CHA Animal Shelter. CHA Animal Shelter is located in Northeast Columbus and serves as a safe shelter for cats and dogs on their way to finding their forever homes. The shelter also focuses on community education and outreach, supporting efforts to increase spay and neuters to curb pet populations. By limiting the growth of the pet populations, animal shelters are able to find more homes for the pets that already need them. CHA Animal Shelter has a diverse selection of cats and dogs looking for homes.
Columbus Humane. Formerly the Capital Area Humane Society, Columbus Humane serves as the humane society for Franklin County, investigating issues of animal neglect and cruelty. They go beyond that, though, with a mission to place pets in homes (they average 210 pets in their care!) and to free all animals of suffering. You can find dogs and cats at this shelter, but you can also find more unique animals, as they receive all stray animals in the country that are not dogs. If your apartment community has particularly strict rules about dogs and cats, Columbus Humane is a great place to find small animals like guinea pigs and rabbits. These little guys add light to your life without the expenses and training required for a dog or cat.
Cozy Cat Cottage Adoption Center. Since 1998, Cozy Cat Cottage Adoption Center has served Central Ohio cats and kittens through its Powell location. The center has placed over 10,000 cats and kittens in their forever homes through its years of work! Additionally, Cozy Cat Cottage works with local communities in Trap-Neuter-Release programs for feral cats, where wild felines are spayed and neutered before being returned to their environments in an effort to curb the feral cat population.
Before adding a furry friend to your family, be sure to check with your leasing office to learn more about breed and weight restrictions as well as associated pet fees. All Oakwood communities are pet-friendly, but restrictions vary by location.