Adopt

Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center

We provide compassionate care for impounded animals at the shelter, as well as adoption and lost dog services to the community. We also educate the public and teach dog owners to be more responsible citizens.

Our mission is to enforce the dog laws in Franklin County and keep the public safe from animal-related health or safety dangers.

We respond to service requests, investigate complaints about nuisance, dangerous and vicious dogs, investigate dog bites, impound stray and dangerous dogs, file criminal charges, make court appearances, and assist the police in crimes involving dogs, injuries caused by dogs and livestock attacks.

Contact
visit shelter
Email

Meet their adoptable pets

4340 Tamarack Blvd.,
Columbus, OH, 43229

Keep up with newly added pets at this shelter

Create an alert and get notified with newly adoptable pets that meet your criteria.

Adoptable pets at Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center

This shelter doesn’t have any adoptable pets right now - check out adoptable pets nearby or start a custom pet search below.

Shelter FAQs

We are a large municipal dog shelter serving the citizens of Franklin County. Last year nearly 10,000 dogs and puppies entered the shelter. The majority of the dogs we offer for adoption are unclaimed lost dogs or owner turn-ins. Last year we adopted, returned or rescued 8,162 dogs and puppies.

  • 1. Visit the Facility and Find a Pet

Additional adoption info

The first step to adopting one of our dogs or puppies is visiting with our adoptable dogs. When you come to the shelter, you will meet with an Adoption Counselor and have a conversation about your lifestyle, needs and what type of dog you are interested in adopting. After finding the right match for your family, you will meet with the dog and decide if adoption is right for you.

Small dogs and puppies are extremely popular! These are usually adopted within 48 hours of the time we move them to the adoption floor. For best selection, plan to visit on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday mornings.

Don't forget to check out our foster dogs that are also available for adoption, but may not be out on the adoption floor because they are living in foster homes. If you are interested in adopting a dog in a foster home, please email foster@franklincountyohio.gov.

The adoption fee for puppies and dogs under 5 years old is $123 (includes dog license, vaccinations, spay or neuter, and microchip). Some dogs may be discounted to $73 including all dogs 5 years or older, and our Shelter Favorites who have been here longer than most are waived adoption fees. These dogs may be adopted for just the price of the dog license, $18.

We accept cash, checks, or credit cards with proper identification at the Franklin County Dog Shelter for adoptions and license tags.

Search for a dog or cat

  • Columbus, OH
  • Columbus, OH
  • Columbus Grove, OH
  • Columbus Grv, OH

Sorry, we can’t find that location! Please try again.

Animal Charities in Columbus, OH

HeARTs Speak

HeARTs Speak develops resources that help shelter animals to be seen and find homes, ultimately transforming public perceptions of pet adoption, shelters, and animals in need. Each year our work helps nearly 1 million pets in your community and beyond.

Learn more

Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs

There is a tremendous need for new methods of sterilization that are faster, easier, more accessible, and less expensive than surgery. ACC&D works tirelessly to bring together key stakeholders to advance this field.

Learn more

Animal Legal Defense Fund

Every day, Animal Legal Defense Fund works to enact tougher animal cruelty laws, provide care and legal assistance for animal victims of cruelty, offer rewards to bring abusers to justice, and provide free legal assistance to prosecutors and law enforcement to put abusers behind bars.

Learn more