Rescue Village - Questions & Answers

Is Rescue Village a "no kill" shelter?
Rescue Village is a limited admission, unlimited stay shelter which means we do not euthanize (humanely put to sleep) any animal for space or time constraints. Adoptable animals remain in our shelter until a home is found or unless their health or temperament dramatically changes. Animals surrendered to our facility are evaluated based on their health and temperament. Every animal is treated with dignity and respect and our staff works tirelessly in each situation to achieve the best outcome possible. Animals that pose a safety threat to our staff or community or animals with illnesses or injuries beyond our resources are humanely euthanized.
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Where does Rescue Village get its funding?
Rescue Village is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. All of our funding comes from private donations, private foundations, or corporate sponsorships. We are not affiliated with the County and receive no funds from any government agency. All of our life-saving programs and services are made possible by the ongoing generosity of the public.
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Your shelter is beautiful and so modern and clean...do you really need money?
Yes. Did you know that it costs over $3,000 a day to operate Rescue Village? Every year over 2,000 animals come through our doors. All shelter animals are spayed or neutered and vaccinated before adoption. We also offer low-cost spay/neuter services for feral cats; owned dogs and cats through our partnership with PetFix mobile spay/neuter services; and as a free program for cats awaiting adoption. Our Humane Education programs and camps involve 5,000 children and adults. We provide Geauga County with its only Humane Agent to enforce animal protection laws. It takes a staff of almost 30 people and 400 volunteers to ensure that Rescue Village is a shelter of which YOU can be proud and one that provides the animals the quality of care that they need and deserve.
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Is Geauga Humane Society part of the ASPCA or American Humane?
No. We are an independent organization. Donations to the ASPCA, for example, do not come to GHS. We do, however, respect and find common cause with various national animal welfare organizations (see ASPCA, American Humane Society, HSUS).
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How do you keep a shelter with all these cats and dogs from smelling badly?
Staff and volunteers begin arriving at 7:30am every day. Cleaning the kennels, cat cages, and public areas takes about five hours a day. Keeping the shelter clean is a key part of keeping the animals healthy. We also have an air exchange system that helps keep odors down and, more importantly, contributes to preventing disease.
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Does Rescue Village offer low-cost veterinary care for my pet?
No. Unfortunately we do not have a public veterinary clinic. Our clinic was established to care for the shelter animals.
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What is the relationship between Geauga Humane Society and Rescue Village - are you two different organizations?
No. Geauga Humane Society and Rescue Village is a single organization. In 2001 GHS built a state-of-the-art facility on Chillicothe Road in Russell Township, Ohio. We call this facility Rescue Village.
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Is Rescue Village connected to the Geauga County Dog Warden?
No. The Geauga County Dog Warden is an entirely separate county-funded agency responsible for handling stray dogs and their adoption in Geauga County. Rescue Village works collaboratively with the Dog Warden on cruelty cases, some animal transfers, and other projects.
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What else does Rescue Village offer?
When it comes to animal adoptions and animal welfare services, we are a resource for the entire northeast Ohio region. From holding children's camps to providing animal behavior hotlines, from helping people get their pets spayed and neutered to investigating complaints about animal cruelty and neglect in Geauga County, from taking in animals from owners who can no longer keep their pets to speaking out about animal-related legislation ~ Rescue Village is a leader in animal welfare.
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