The Ohio Pet Fund provided Rascal Charities with an educational grant to offer teaching opportunities to veterinary students to improve their skills, confidence and experience while helping the community and animals. We are mentoring the veterinarians of tomorrow while helping the animals of today.

This year, OAA has increased our training efforts – from workshops on the link between animal and human violence, to community cat summits, and the Cleveland State University Animal Law Conference. Thanks to the support of the Kenneth Scott Charitable Trust, the Joanie Bernard Foundation, and United Spay Alliance, OAA, in partnership with Together Initiative for Ohio's Community Cats and Give Them Ten, was able to continue our annual in-person community cat summits in Cincinnati and Cleveland and expand our reach into communities in need.

Ohio’s waterways just welcomed back some very unusual—and very important—residents. This summer, scientists and conservation partners released 116 juvenile eastern hellbenders into protected streams in eastern Ohio, marking another exciting step forward in the fight to save this threatened species.

What if you could help Ohio’s animals every time you buy groceries, without spending a single extra dollar? Good news: you can!

Through the Kroger Community Rewards® program, your everyday shopping automatically generates donations to Ohio Animal Advocates (OAA) at no cost to you. That means more support for our mission to educate, advocate, and empower communities to protect animals across the Ohio , all by doing what you already do.

Ohio Animal Advocates is thrilled to welcome Lilah Foley to our Board of Directors. A longtime supporter of animal welfare and a former OAA intern, Lilah brings her policy expertise, deep community roots, and lifelong passion for helping animals to our leadership team.

This Giving Tuesday, your compassion can go three times as far for animals across Ohio. Thanks to a generous sponsor, every dollar donated by December 2 will be matched with two additional dollars, up to $22,500. That means your $25 gift becomes $75—and your impact reaches even further to protect, educate, and empower.

A devastating tragedy in Pennsylvania this September underscores a heartbreaking truth: domestic violence often endangers not only people but also the animals they love.

According to New York Times, five police officers were ambushed while responding to a domestic violence call in York County. Three officers—Sergeant Detective Cody Becker, Detective Isaiah Emenheiser, and Detective Mark Baker—were killed when the gunman, who had been stalking his ex-girlfriend, opened fire. Investigators later discovered that he had killed her dog before the shooting.

After years of advocacy, the nation is making progress toward reducing and eventually replacing animal testing in research labs — and Ohio Animal Advocates’ Executive Director, Vicki Deisner, was featured in a recent Spectrum News interview discussing this important federal development.

Sunscreen is more than a summer essential—it’s a vital tool for preventing skin cancer. Because so many people use sunscreen daily throughout their lives, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is committed to ensuring that these products are both safe and effective.

Across central Ohio, many families are struggling to make ends meet. According to the United Way of Central Ohio, nearly 40% of Ohio households live below the ALICE threshold (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)—meaning they’re working hard but still unable to cover basic needs like housing, childcare, and food.

Earlier this year, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced an initiative to reduce animal testing and invest in “human-based technologies” such as organ-on-a-chip systems, AI tools, and clinical data modeling. The move was celebrated as a major step toward more humane, human-relevant science.

Ohio is facing its most severe outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) to date, with nearly 7,000 deer confirmed sick or dead across 22 counties, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).