LCHS: Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between the Licking County Animal Shelter and Licking County Humane Society?
I’ve found a stray cat or dog. What should I do?
I’ve lost my dog or cat. What should I do?
How do I surrender, adopt or foster a dog or cat?
What’s the difference between the Licking County Animal Shelter and Licking County Humane Society?
The Licking County Animal Shelter (aka “the pound”) is the county animal control facility which is operated by the county. They house stray animals in Licking County.
The Humane Society is a no-kill 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We do not receive tax dollars to care for our pets. We cannot accept strays. We accept adoptable dogs and cats of sound health and temperament who are likley to be adopted. Cats and dogs enter our care through owner surrender or we "pull" them from Licking County Animal Shelter as we have space. The Humane Society also oversees the Humane Agent who serves the unincorporated areas of Licking County, as well as some of the villages and townships. The Humane Agent investigates animal cruelty cases in the County and the Humane Society provides for any animals confiscated or surrendered to the Humane Agent.
The County Shelter and Humane Society are located next door to each other on Dog Leg Road in Heath, Ohio.
Neither the County Shelter or Humane Society are able to manage or house wildlife. For problems with wildlife, please contact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, District 1 at (614) 644-3929 or Ohio Wildlife Center at 614-793-9453 or http://www.ohiowildlifecenter.org
I’ve found a stray cat or dog. What should I do?
Contact the Licking County Animal Shelter (animal control) at (740) 349-6562. LCHS cannot accept strays, and by law, all stray animals must go to the county shelter for at least three days to allow time for their owner to find them.
I’ve lost my dog or cat. What should I do?
Check next door with the Licking County Animal Shelter. It’s not enough to call – you must visit in person to see if your missing pet is there. Start looking as soon as you know your pet is gone, then continue to check over the next couple months, as sometimes it takes a lost pet that long to make it to the shelter. (Lost pets may continue roaming, evade capture or a good Samaritan may have taken your pet in temporarily.) As we do not accept strays, it is unlikely we will have your pet, but as we occasionally receive animals from the county shelter once their waiting period is up, it certainly doesn’t hurt to check.
How do I surrender, adopt or foster a dog or cat?
All of these questions are answered in the Surrender Brochure, the Adoption Brochure, or the Foster Brochure, which are available for download at this site or at the shelter.
The most important thing to remember is that none of these services are available on a walk-in basis. Surrender requires an intake screening appointment, which in some cases can take up to several weeks to obtain. Foster and adoption require reference and veterinary checks, and for fostering, a home visit is required.