About Us
Our Mission
To provide safe, compassionate care for dogs in need, to reunite and place dogs in loving homes, and promote humane and responsible communities.
Our
History
The Wayne County Dog Shelter opened in September 2015. We are a county operated dog shelter that is responsible for caring for the stray dogs in Wayne County, Ohio. Our shelter is funded primarily on the sale of dog licenses and donations. We work very hard to reunite dogs with their owners, we provide adoption services, and we offer educational programs on canine care and safety to the community.
In January 2019 the Wayne County Board of Commissioners appointed shelter Director, Katelyn Lehman, as the Dog Warden for Wayne County. Dog Warden services are now provided through the Wayne County Dog Shelter. These services include enforcement of dog licenses laws, impounding dogs running at large, and investigating dog bites and deeming dogs nuisance, dangerous, or vicious.
In 2020 PAWS for the Wayne County Dog Shelter, a 501c-3 nonprofit organization, was created with a purpose of supporting the Wayne County Dog Shelter through fundraising efforts. PAWS has since created 4 play yards with play yard equipment, improved the quality of vaccinations given to the dogs, provided heartworm prevention to all dogs at the shelter, added acoustic paneling to the kennel areas, and begun funding a spay and neuter program so that all dogs will be spayed and neutered prior to adoption.
In 2021 the Wayne County Commissioners entered into a contract with the City of Wooster to allow the county Dog Wardens to enforce chapter 959 of the Ohio Revised Code as it relates to dogs. Contracts with Orrville, Rittman, and Doylestown later followed giving the county Dog Wardens the ability to enforce laws protecting dogs from cruelty, abuse, neglect, and abandonment within these jurisdictions.
Vision
The vision of the Wayne County Dog Shelter is to create a community where every dog is safe, valued, responsibly cared for, and given the opportunity for a positive future.
Organizational Pillars
01
Protect
Keeping dogs and our communities safe. Protecting both dogs and people.
02
Reunite
Keeping dogs in a home is the priority. Every dog deserves the opportunity for a safe outcome.
03
Care
Providing humane shelter, care, and enrichment. How we care matters.
04
Educate
Proactive community resource. We are here to help our community succeed with their dogs.
05
Serve
Being a trusted resource for Wayne County. Serving with integrity.
CORE PRINCIPALS
"COMPASSION WITH ACCOUNTABILITY"
- Compassion: We treat every dog and every person with empathy, patience, and dignity.
- Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and standards of care.
- Service: We exist to serve both the dogs and the community of Wayne County.
- Integrity: We act honestly, ethically, and professionally even when no one is watching.
- Respect: We foster a culture of respect for animals, coworkers, volunteers, and the public.
- Education: We believe informed communities create better outcomes for dogs.
- Collaboration: We achieve more through teamwork and community partnerships.