Here for the Animals

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton's Fostering Program provides loving care and temporary housing for animals not yet ready for adoption, offering an invaluable service that saves lives. By fostering, you give these animals the time, compassion, and socialization they need to prepare them for their forever homes. Fostering also doubles your impact by freeing up cage space to allow us to help more animals in need. We work with your schedule and provide all necessary medical care and supplies to ensure a successful fostering experience. Join our Foster Roster, today!

We are proud to be the largest animal adoption agency in the Miami Valley helping nearly 2,500 animals find homes each year. We are also the only organization in Montgomery County that is finding homes for all types of animals. This includes cats and dogs, but also rabbits, horses, farm animals, pocket pets, reptiles and more.

Since we were first established in 1902, our organization has always had a cruelty and neglect investigations department ensuring that all animals in our community are valued and free from suffering. Each year, our humane society agents investigate hundreds of cases of cruelty and neglect on all types of animals in Montgomery County.

With our expansion of the Dayton Humane Veterinary Hospital, we are now able to provide wellness exams, surgeries and thorough veterinary care to those in our community. Plus, with our low-cost services and financial payment plans, we will work with any pet owner to ensure their pets are healthy and happy!

To battle overpopulation and keep animals in our community safe, our veterinary team performs nearly 8,000 spay and neuter surgeries every year. These surgeries are on adoptable animals through our shelter, owned animals in the community as well as community cats through our Trap-Neuter-Return program.

The One Health Program enhances the well-being of humans and animals in our community. Managed by a licensed social worker, the program supports clients addressing issues such as housing, food insecurity, abuse, elder care, hoarding, and mental health. It also provides grief support for pet loss, collaborates with humane society officers on neglect cases, offers mental health support, and develops social work externship opportunities in veterinary social work. The goal of the program is to ensure that not just pets are cared for, but owners undergoing difficult times have the resources they need to also thrive.

As part of our Golden Ears Program, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton collaborates with the Senior Resource Connection's Meals on Wheels initiative. Through this partnership, we make sure that local seniors receiving Meals on Wheels have access to the resources needed to keep their pets happy and healthy. We supply pet food to seniors within a nine-county area who are enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program and have pets, ensuring both pets and their owners have ample food to thrive.

Our pet therapy program is designed to bring the positive effects and benefits of pets to members of our community. Studies have shown that pets can provide companionship, boost the immune system, lower anxiety and depression, and reduce blood pressure. Through this program, we aim to deliver these health and emotional benefits to those we serve.

The Book Buddies program creates a unique opportunity for young readers to gain confidence and improve their literacy skills while providing comfort and companionship to shelter animals. Accompanied by a parent, children read aloud to the shelter pets, which not only enhances the children's reading abilities but also helps the animals socialize and feel more at ease.

The Community Cat Initiative is an overall program that works to ensure the safety of the cats within our community. It aims to battle cat overpopulation and ensure the well-being of community cats by spaying or neutering them. Through our Trap-Neuter-Return Program, we collaborate with community members to provide a humane and effective solution to overpopulation with low-cost or free options.

Additionally, our Working Cats Program offers alternative home environments, giving community cats safe shelters outside of traditional homes. Our mission is to provide these cats with the necessary resources to stay safe and healthy.

Ensuring the overall well-being of the pets in our shelter is a top priority for our team. We recognize the importance of not only their physical health but also their mental well-being. That's why we provide enrichment activities such as food puzzles, snuffle mats, lick pads, and other brain teasers to keep them mentally stimulated. Additionally, our Doggy Day Out program allows members of the public to take our dogs out for the day. Whether it's going for a hike, shopping, playing in the backyard, or relaxing on a patio at a local brewery, just a few hours away from the kennel environment can significantly reduce stress levels for our dogs and enhance their adoptability through increased socialization.

Our goal is to ensure that animals are accessible to people wherever they go. That's why we offer adoptions at more than just our Adoption Center; we also have the MeowZa Cat Boutique, an offsite adoption spot situated within the Dayton Mall. Since its establishment in 2008, MeowZa has facilitated the adoption of nearly 6,000 cats and kittens into forever homes. Additionally, we've extended our reach with offsite adoption locations in many of the region's pet stores, making the choice to adopt rather than shop more convenient for people.

Through the Working Cat Program, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton works with individuals and companies to place unsocialized cats into non-traditional homes. These cats are mostly feral or semi-feral and do not do well in a home environment, but they are still wonderful and healthy cats.

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton offers immediate shelter for pets in a secure location when families flee domestic violence situations. Collaborating with the YWCA of Dayton and the Artemis Center, we ensure pets receive the care they need while their families seek safety and support. To access this program, individuals must first contact either the YWCA of Dayton or Artemis Center, who will provide necessary information to ensure the safety of their pets.

Volunteers with the Humane Society of Greater Dayton are essential to our organization, contributing thousands of hours of service across all areas and programs. Whether you're socializing animals, working at MeowZa, taking photos or helping with administrative tasks, we have opportunities for everyone. Our Volunteer Coordinator will match you with tasks that align with your interests and passions, helping to advance our mission.