Q: Who owns the Clermont County Animal Shelter?
A: The Clermont County Animal shelter is a public dog kennel that is municipally owned and operated by Clermont County. The shelter keeps, houses and cares for dogs as stipulated by Chapter 955 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Q: Who runs the shelter?
A: The Board of County Commissioners is responsible for overseeing the shelter, which is staffed by employees of Clermont County.
Q: What are the staff positions at the shelter?
A: The administrator, who reports to the Board of County Commissioners, oversees all aspects of daily operations at the shelter with the help of full-time staff, who include trained medical personnel, office support, a kennel supervisor and attendants, a chief dog warden and deputies. The administrator also oversees the dog wardens whose responsibilities include retrieving strays and responding to calls from the public about strays, mistreated dogs and nuisance situations. The warden also enforces applicable legislation and educates the public about the legal responsibilities of pet ownership.
Q: Besides county staff, are there others who help the shelter?
A: The county sheriff’s trustee participants help clean the shelter and grounds. We also have support from a network of individual volunteers who perform hands-on tasks such as walking, bathing, feeding and fostering our dogs. Several local veterinarians provide specialized medical care to supplement the services of our in-house vet tech. We also work with behavior specialists and approved rescue organizations to help our dogs who need care that isn’t feasible at the shelter.
If you are interested in doing business with the shelter, please email kennel@clermontcountyohio.gov.
Q: How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
A: The price varies, depending on the dog’s age:
Q: When can a stray dog be adopted?
A: Ohio Revised Code stipulates that a stray is legally available for adoption after 72 hours of impoundment at the shelter, with the following exceptions:
Q: Is the shelter a no-kill facility?
A: Our shelter operates as a no-kill facility with euthanasia rates significantly below national averages. In 2024, the shelter euthanized 14 dogs, or approximately 1.7 percent of those 811 taken in. Euthanasia is a last-resort option that is pursued only in rare circumstances and with the guidance of kennel staff and licensed veterinarians. Shelter Animals Count and the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals provide national statistics on euthanasia rates.
Q: How are injured or malnourished dogs handled at the shelter?
A: We have a room dedicated for sick or injured dogs to make sure they get the care needed for recovery. In addition to on-site medical personnel, we work with several local veterinarians who assess and treat our dogs in need. In some cases, an injured dog may be transferred to a rescue or put in foster to give it more specialized attention while it recovers.
Q: Where is the shelter located and how big is it?
A: The facility includes 10,752 square feet of indoor kennel, medical and office space as well as 7,545 square feet of outdoor kennel and play area spaces on its campus at 4025 Filager Road, Batavia, Ohio, 45103.
Q: When is the shelter open to the public?
A: The shelter is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The facility is closed to the public on Sundays, Mondays and holidays.
Q: What is the shelter’s annual budget?
A: The shelter’s annual budget for 2025 is $1.25 million.
Q: How many dogs does the shelter house?
A: The shelter takes in an average of 800 dogs per year. On any given day, the number of dogs we care for varies, depending on in-takes, adoptions or emergency situations where we get a large number at once.
Q: What is the shelter’s capacity?
A: We measure capacity by a combination of factors – the number of indoor kennels as well as the size, type and health of the dogs in our care. In total, we have more than 100 individual indoor kennels. However, we estimate our overall capacity as approximately 55 dogs, given the variety of dogs we typically house on site. In emergency situations, we can use temporary, pop-up kennels to accommodate more dogs on a short-term basis. We also have dogs off site in foster care.
Q: Where do dogs at the shelter sleep?
A: Each dog spends the night indoors in its own kennel, which is sized for its height and weight.
Q: How many indoor kennels does the shelter have?
A: We have indoor kennels located in different rooms designated for specific needs. This ensures that all our dogs are set up to receive the most appropriate care for their respective situation.
Our main room has up to 35 kennels. We also have a room with kennels sized for puppies, another room has kennels for smaller dogs, another room is dedicated to dogs that need to be kept in isolation for health reasons, another room is dedicated to dogs with behavioral issues. We also have a stray-hold area and an area for dogs recovering from surgery.
Q: What is the purpose of the shelter’s outdoor kennels?
A: Our staff uses outdoor kennels to temporarily house our dogs while they clean the indoor kennels and to give our dogs the opportunity to get some fresh air. We have 23 outdoor kennels with plans to more than double the number.
Our staff takes dogs to the outdoor kennels a few at a time while they hose down, clean and refresh the indoor kennels every morning and more frequently, if needed. The expansion will allow staff to relocate most of our dogs at one time, rather than a few a time. This will be a great improvement because it will allow staff to clean the indoor kennels much more efficiently.
Q: What role do volunteers play at the shelter?
A: Volunteers provide significant support performing hands-on tasks such as walking, bathing, feeding and fostering our dogs.
Q: How do I volunteer?
A: Those interested in volunteering are asked to sign up in person at the shelter or online for an orientation and training session. As part of our onboarding process, we require volunteers to sign a liability waiver and agree to follow our written policies and procedures that outline roles and responsibilities for volunteers.
Q: Does the shelter accept donations?
A: Yes, the shelter accepts donations. We appreciate the public’s generosity and the extra enrichment donations provide to the dogs in our care. We regularly update our wish list of the items we can use the most.
Q: What is the status of the donation for a new washer, dryer and dishwasher?
A: The county has hired an architectural firm to design the project, obtain the associated permits and manage the contractor.
Q: What is foster care?
A: Foster families volunteer to give dogs a temporary home, which help them socialize, adjust to living in a household, recover from illness or injury and prepare for adoption. Fostering gives our dogs invaluable one-on-one attention and reduces our population on site at the shelter.
Learn more about best practices for fostering dogs and other animals in Ohio.
Q: What is the difference between the county shelter and a rescue?
A: Our shelter is taxpayer funded. Most legitimate rescues are set up as nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organizations funded by donations.
Q: What criteria do you use to guide your decision on a dog being transferred to a rescue?
A: Our shelter occasionally transfers a dog to a rescue. Each situation is unique. Rescues interested in partnering with us, please email us at kennel@clermontcountyohio.gov or call (513) 732-8854.
Q: What happens to dogs that don’t get adopted?
A: Our long-term resident dogs may stay in foster care until they are adopted or remain in our care at the kennel. Our shelter does not euthanize healthy, adoptable dogs due to space limitations.
