Looking to boost its visibility and put more pets into loving homes, SPCA Cincinnati plans to open an Over-the-Rhine adoption center as part of a $3.5 million expansion of its facilities.
The new 1,800-square-foot center at 1312 Main Street will open this fall and include kennels, meet-and-greet rooms and, of course, pets in need of homes. Chris Seelbach, the nonprofit group’s president, said a higher-profile location in the trendy, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood is expected to speed up adoption times.
“This is about meeting people where they are,” he said. “We are taking adoption out of the shelter and placing it directly into the community—where a moment of curiosity can become a lifelong connection.”
SPCA to also build new medical clinic,
The nonprofit is also breaking ground this summer on a new 4,000-square-foot medical center at its Sharonville campus. The new facility will expand surgical and diagnostic capabilities and also provide space for intensive care (for life-threatening illnesses or injuries) and isolation care (in the event of contagious conditions).
The nonprofit said it will boost safety and efficiency at the facility, which handled more than 1,600 surgeries and 5,200 vaccinations last year.
Group will expand foster care in Sharonville
With a new medical center, the nonprofit will convert its current Sharonville facilities into a dedicated foster center. Among the 2,500 pets that the nonprofit placed for adoption, more than 1,000 were fostered. With the additional space, the nonprofit wants to expand those operations.
“This is a shift in how we think about care,” Seelbach said. “Foster has always been a powerful part of our work. This investment fully integrates and expands it—making it a central driver of how animals heal, recover, and ultimately move more quickly into homes.”
About the SPCA Cincinnati
Seelbach, a former city council member from 2011 to 2022, became the nonprofit’s leader last year.
Founded in 1873, SPCA Cincinnati is the fourth-oldest humane society in the U.S. and serves more than 35,000 animals each year. The nonprofit offers adoption, advanced veterinary care, education and community services throughout the Greater Cincinnati region.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: SPCA Cincinnati to open adoption center in Over-the-Rhine
Reporting by Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
