Partner Profile: Licking County Humane Society

Partner Profile: Licking County Humane Society

OAA is pleased to introduce the Licking County Humane Society (LCHS) and their extensive array of services. LCHS is committed to building partnerships and providing low-cost programming throughout the Licking County community.

Mission: The Licking County Humane Society seeks to improve the lives of animals and people through advocacy, education, and support.

LCHS has been serving animals and their people for over 50 years! They are a managed-intake shelter, with intakes of over 2,000 animals per year. Through their diverse and low-cost programming, they touch the lives of 5,000 animals and 10,000 people annually. Some of their programs are listed below.

  • Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic: This is a drop-in clinic for dogs and cats. Walk-ins are welcome. A variety of non-surgical services are available.  LCHS hosts this clinic three times a month, and it is administered by Licensed Ohio Veterinarian Dr. Sue Zinni. 
  • Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic: This clinic is administered by Rascal’s Mobile Unit, and a variety of surgical and non-surgical services are offered. Participants must come to LCHS to register and pay for all services in advance. This clinic is offered twice a month–once for cats, and once for dogs. 
  • Refugee Canyon Veterinary Services: This clinic comes every Thursday to provide surgical and non-surgical services to LCHS pets and community pets. 
  • Columbus State Spay/Neuter Clinic: Through a unique partnership with Columbus State Community College, LCHS is offering more low-cost spay/neuter options to the community. Using LCHS facilities, local veterinarians from Refugee Canyon are assisted by Columbus State Vet Tech students. 
  • Pet Respite: Pet Respite Services of Licking County is a program designed to provide short-term pet respite care to income-eligible individuals experiencing a health crisis. There is a sliding-scale fee based on income, and the respite is available for up to 30 days with a possible extension. 
  • Foster Program: The goal of foster care is to save the life of an animal by supplying needed supportive care. Socialization, medical treatment, grooming, exercise, and extra attention is given to the pet. Fostering is a critical bridge between intake and permanent adoption. 
  •  Pet Food Pantry: Pet owners in need of some assistance in feeding their pet can come to LCHS and request a bag of food that has been donated to the shelter.  LCHS is happy to donate a bag of food to the pet owner once a month. All that is needed is a photo ID. 
  • Meals on Wheels: LCHS’s Pet Food Pantry has partnered with the Licking County Aging Program (LCAP) to provide free cat and dog food for pet-owning Meals on Wheels recipients in Licking County. There are 8 donation sites in Licking County, and LCHS volunteers pick up the donations once a month and bring them to LCAP for distribution. 
  • Nursing Home Visits: Each month, LCHS volunteers make visits to 10 nursing home/assisted living programs in Licking County.  Residents have the opportunity to interact with the pets and re-experience the joy and companionship of a pet.
  • Dog Obedience Program: LCHS offers a variety of dog training classes for all levels. The classes are available not just for people who adopt from LCHS but for any community member. Classes meet at LCHS at the same day/time for 6 weeks and cost $95. Please register in advance.
  • Thornwood Society: The Thornwood Society recognizes individuals and families who have invested in our future by making a planned gift in their wills, trusts, or estate plans. Should a Thornwood Society member’s pet outlive their owner, LCHS promises to care for the pet and re-home it into a loving family. This gives peace to aging pet owners, knowing their furry friends will be safe 

Service area: Licking County

Learn more: For further information, see the LCHS website, FaceBook page, or contact:
Phone: (740) 323-2100
Email: info@lchspets.org
Location: 825 Thornwood Drive, Heath OH 43056

OAA Interview with LCHS Executive Director, Lori Carlson

Lori Carlson, the Executive Director of the Licking County Humane Society (LCHS), has helped to revitalize animal care in the Newark area. With over a decade of work at LCHS, Carlson has been working on creating animal welfare programs for their community. Her experience as a social worker has also given her a unique perspective on the struggles of poverty within Licking County, which she has used to advocate for further change.

Currently, the LCHS spays and neuters about 1000 pets per year with the help of a mobile veterinary service known as Rascal Unit along with offering similar services to more than 1000 community pets in-shelter. In addition, wellness clinics staffed by veterinarians are available to offer low-cost, non-emergency healthcare services to animals in need. The Humane Society also offers pet food pantries, which have expanded significantly to provide thousands of pounds of pet food to help nearby pantries with the partnership of Meals on Wheels. This opportunity was funded through a contract with the Science Diet pet food brand. Other programs offered by LCHS include a 30-day respite program, Humane Agent services, and community programming.

Notably, LCHS utilizes both grants and merchandising opportunities to fund its projects. The Kenneth Scott Grant, which provides funding for nonprofit humane organizations within Ohio, has provided donations to LCHS every year Carlson has been a part of the team. These funds help to supply Care Packages to those in need – ranging from tick and flea medicine and over-the-counter medicines to heated water bowls, collars/leashes, and cat carriers. In addition, the LCHS thrift store helps fund the operational side of the humane society.

Overall, Licking County continues to face many animal welfare challenges. People in poverty tend to take better care of their animals than themselves, which goes to show that services offered by LCHS are appreciated; however, Carlson has found that she needs to engage in “storytelling” in order to sell the significance of animal rights to those in Licking County. Carlson continues to be committed to serving the people of Licking County.