Logan County’s only animal shelter to close Thursday

The only animal shelter in Logan County will shut down today and 10 dogs were still available for adoption Wednesday afternoon.

Top of Ohio Pet Shelter Executive Director Barbara Faulkner announced in May that it would shut down. It’s faced with $50,000 in debt and cost $20,000 a month to operate, she said, but doesn’t have enough revenue coming in to cover those expenses.

“We’re selling off everything including the building,” Faulkner said.

>>EARLIER COVERAGE: Shelter closes after it can't make ends meet

At the time of the announcement, the shelter had more than 50 dogs and a dozen cats, she said.

“We had a phenomenal response as far as getting the animals adopted,” she said. “It was a little overwhelming actually.”

Any dogs that aren’t adopted by Thursday evening will be sent to shelters across Ohio that have already agreed to take them.

Top of Ohio acted as the Humane Society of Logan County and had a contract with the county to take any dogs picked up by the dog warden.

“It’s just sad that there’s not any place local right now for them to go,” Faulkner said.

Because it was the only shelter there, Logan County commissioners had to look to neighboring counties to partner with, Logan County Commissioner Dustin Wickersham previously told the Springfield News-Sun.

Now lost or stray dogs picked up by the dog warden will be taken to the Union County Humane Society, Logan County Sheriff Andrew Smith said.

But Faulkner worries that could be too far a drive for some residents.

“My concern is that people won’t go to Marysville,” she said. “They’re going to leave that stray dog out there and so that’s really the big loss.”

While the shelter will close, Faulkner said the organization won’t dissolve. She hopes it will offer some services to the Logan County community in the future in a smaller capacity.

The shelter will hold an auction on its Facebook page through Monday to sell kennels and other supplies, she said. A yard sale to sell other goods will be held at the shelter on June 17. The shelter can be reached at 937-593-4277.

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