When someone is facing eviction, domestic violence, hospitalization, or another crisis, one of the hardest fears is:

“What will happen to my pets?”

For many people, pets are not just animals — they are family. They are emotional anchors during already traumatic times. That’s why it’s so important to understand the difference between temporary safe housing and surrender for adoption before signing any paperwork.

In an important advocacy win, with meaningful implications for people and animals across Ohio, Congress has passed a government funding bill that includes significant new investments in housing and homelessness programs. This reverses earlier proposals that would have cut critical support. This bipartisan legislation ends the brief government shutdown and provides $77.3 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Fiscal Year 2026, including protections for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program — the backbone of homeless services nationwide.

The clock is ticking—and Ohio families, pets, and communities are depending on us to act.

Right now, Ohio Senate leaders are making critical decisions about what to include in the state budget. One dangerous amendment added by the House to HB 96, the biennial state budget bill, would gut the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF)—a vital source of state funding for affordable housing, emergency home repair, and homelessness prevention across all 88 counties.

A new poll shows that Ohio voters overwhelmingly agree: housing affordability is a serious issue, and it's time for elected leaders to take action.