What SPCA Cincinnati does

SPCA Cincinnati (legally Hamilton County SPCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1873 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the fourth oldest humane society in the United States and the oldest in Ohio, operating independently from any national umbrella organization. The organization's core products and services include pet adoptions, foster care, veterinary medical services (1,600+ surgeries and 5,200+ vaccines performed in 2025), spay/neuter services, dog licensing for Hamilton County, humane education, community food assistance through the Chow Now Pantry (serving 700+ pets weekly), disaster response, and international animal rescue coordination. Operational assets include the Sharonville campus (11900 Conrey Road), SPCA Simmonds Farm in Cleves, mobile adoption units, and a forthcoming OTR Adoption Center in Over-the-Rhine (Fall 2026) via partnership with 3CDC, plus a new 4,000 sq ft medical center (Peter G. Courlas & Nicholas Tsimaras Medical Center) and expanded foster capacity at Sharonville representing a combined $3.5 million capital investment.

The organization serves individual pet adopters and families in Greater Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and the Tri-state area, alongside secondary segments including military veterans (Veteran Pet Adoption Program), low-income pet parents (Chow Now Pantry, low-cost spay/neuter, Trap-Neuter-Return), and partner shelters requiring transfer capacity. Its revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure: tax-deductible donations (including recurring gifts), one-time adoption fees (partially subsidized by sponsors such as the TQL Foundation, which sponsors one free dog adoption daily), corporate sponsorships and partnerships (Kroger Community Rewards, Boehringer Ingelheim, Iams), retail-based micro-donations (Shell Pump for Pets at $0.01/gallon), events including the annual Fur Ball gala, and platform-mediated giving (Target Circle). The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer across physical shelter locations, mobile adoption units, the website, and an omnichannel social presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok), with strong reliance on an embedded ecosystem of volunteers, fosters, and corporate/community partners.

Name

SPCA Cincinnati

Legal name

Hamilton County SPCA

Website

https://spcacincinnati.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SPCA Cincinnati is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1873, serving Greater Cincinnati with pet adoptions, veterinary care, foster programs, and community food assistance. It operates the Sharonville campus, Simmonds Farm, and an upcoming OTR Adoption Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare and Adoption Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Animal adoption services
• Humane society operations
• Veterinary medical services
• Animal rescue and foster care
• Pet welfare programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individual donors supporting the organization's animal welfare mission. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 31-0543284.
2. Adoption Fees: Fees charged for pet adoptions, sometimes sponsored or waived through partnerships (e.g., TQL Foundation sponsoring one free dog adoption daily).
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners sponsor adoption events, medical programs, and operational needs (e.g., TQL Foundation, Boehringer Ingelheim, Evan's Auto Care).
4. Retail Partnerships (Pump for Pets): $0.01 per gallon donations from Shell gas station pumps under the Gilligan Company/goco Convenience Stores partnership.
5. Special Events and Galas: Annual Fur Ball gala and other fundraising events generate revenue for operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SPCA Cincinnati operates an animal welfare shelter and adoption organization providing rescue, rehabilitation, adoption, foster care, and veterinary medical services for dogs, cats, and small animals. The organization runs adoption pathways (standard, TQL Foundation-sponsored free dog adoptions, Veteran Pet Adoption, Pets for People, Paw Pass Adventures trial stays), an in-house medical program performing 1,600+ surgeries and 5,200+ vaccines annually, foster care, spay/neuter services, humane education, Hamilton County dog licensing assistance, and community support through the Chow Now Pantry serving 700+ pets weekly.

Product overview

SPCA Cincinnati is an animal welfare organization offering a comprehensive suite of animal care and adoption services. The organization operates primarily through its Sharonville campus and Simmonds Farm location, providing veterinary medical services, adoption programs, and community education. Key programs include adoption services (standard and specialty programs like Veteran Pet Adoption and Pets for People), veterinary care (with over 1,600 surgeries performed annually), foster care, the Paw Pass Adventures trial-stay program, and Chow Now Pantry for pet food assistance. The organization is undergoing significant expansion including a new Peter G. Courlas & Nicholas Tsimaras Medical Center and an OTR Adoption Center in Over-the-Rhine, representing a fundamental reimagining of its service delivery model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adoption Services Core animal adoption services connecting rescue dogs, cats, and small animals with adopting families. Includes standard adoptions plus specialized pathways such as TQL Foundation-sponsored free dog adoptions and Paw Pass Adventures trial stays, for individual pet adopters in Greater Cincinnati.
• Veterinary Medical Services In-house advanced veterinary care including surgeries, diagnostics, treatment, and vaccinations for shelter animals and community pets. The medical team performed more than 1,600 surgeries and administered over 5,200 vaccines in 2025.
• Foster Care Program Foster care program placing animals needing temporary care with volunteer foster families, with capacity being expanded at the Sharonville campus through a dedicated Foster Center.
• Peter G. Courlas & Nicholas Tsimaras Medical Center New 4,000-square-foot medical facility at the Sharonville campus with expanded clinical capacity, increased surgical volume, advanced diagnostics, and dedicated intensive and isolation care spaces.
• OTR Adoption Center New approximately 1,800-square-foot street-level adoption center at 1312 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine featuring dog kennels, meet-and-greet rooms, and a cat adoption area with storefront visibility.
• Dog Licensing Services Service helping Hamilton County residents license their dogs, ensuring pets are properly registered and can be returned home if lost.
• Spay & Neuter Services Spay and neuter surgical services as part of the organization's pet overpopulation reduction efforts and Trap-Neuter-Return programs.
• Humane Education Educational programs and services provided to the community about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.
• Veteran Pet Adoption Program Special adoption program supporting military veterans in finding companion animals through discounted or sponsored adoptions.
• Pets for People Adoption program connecting pets with people, focused on reducing barriers to adoption.
• Chow Now Pantry Community pet food pantry program helping pet parents in need, distributing food weekly for 700+ dogs, cats, and small animals across pop-up locations.
• Paw Pass Adventures Program allowing community members to take shelter dogs out for afternoon or overnight trial stays with no commitment, providing enrichment and socialization for the animals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,000+ animals served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TQL FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026The TQL Foundation is an invaluable community partner guaranteeing one free dog adoption every day for a year at SPCA Cincinnati. Their commitment and contribution make a huge impact on animal welfare in Greater Cincinnati.
• 3CDC (Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20263CDC is providing street-level commercial space at 1312 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine for the new OTR Adoption Center opening Fall 2026. Christy Samad, EVP of Civic & Commercial Space Activation, called it a meaningful partnership addressing an important long-unmet need in the OTR community.
• Boehringer IngelheimcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Medical Mondays 'Road to Recovery' video series, a social segment providing humane education on medical topics presented by SPCA Cincinnati's medical team using the hashtag #SPCACincyMedical.
• Humane Society International / Humane Society of the United StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership for international animal rescue operations. In 2020, SPCA Cincinnati rescued 23 dogs from South Korea's dog meat trade as part of HSI/HSUS coordinated efforts.
• Brandywine Valley SPCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cross-state animal rescue operations, including the transfer of over 100 animals from Hurricane Ida-affected shelters in the New Orleans area.
• Wings of RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit flight service that flies at-risk shelter pets from disaster areas. Sponsored by Petco Love for transporting animals displaced by Hurricane Ida.
• Gilligan Company / goco Convenience Stores / Shell Gas StationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPump for Pets program: $0.01 per gallon donated from five decorated Shell gas station pumps across Greater Cincinnati (Madison Road, Blue Ash, Ridge Avenue, Gilbert Avenue, North College Hill).
• Clossman CateringcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to feed 700 dogs, cats, and small animals weekly through the Chow Now Pantry program.
• Tikkun FarmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for identifying Chow Now Pantry pop-up locations. Tikkun Farms is a 3.5-acre family farm in Mt. Healthy.
• Evan's Auto CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarch Puppy Mayhem partnership sponsoring dog adoptions for every shock/strut replacement, with free alignment for customers. Also collects pet food donations for Chow Now Pantry.
• Busken BakeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual 'Luck of the SPCA' cookie sales for St. Patrick's Day, with adoption events at the Hyde Park location. Doggie Donuts given away with each cookie purchase.
• Cincinnati Chamber OrchestraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer Barkestra Concert Series: live classical music performances at the shelter for animal enrichment, reducing stress and anxiety. CCO previously performed at the Joanie Bernard Cat Center.
• KrogercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards program with rewards number MQ589, providing donations based on purchases made with registered Kroger Plus cards.
• IamsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular donations of pet food for dogs and cats ensuring consistent diet for shelter animals. Long-standing partnership supporting shelter operations.
• Target CircleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTarget Circle Giving Program where community votes generated $5,999.39 for SPCA Cincinnati to further its mission.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill advocacy and shelter-support organization running adoption programs and Sanctuary in Utah. Overlaps with SPCA Cincinnati on national adoption-promotion programming and grassroots advocacy.
• ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals): National animal welfare incumbent with nationwide shelter support, grants, and policy work. Comparable in mission scope but operates at vastly larger scale and is not a direct regional competitor for adoptions.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): National animal welfare policy and rescue coordination body. Already a direct coordination partner with SPCA Cincinnati on international rescue operations (South Korea dog meat trade, Hurricane Ida).
• PetSmart Charities: Major national animal welfare grantmaker supporting adoption, spay/neuter, and disaster relief across North American shelters. Highly relevant peer/funder ecosystem for SPCA Cincinnati's expansion of community veterinary and adoption programs.
• Petco Love: National pet welfare foundation funded by Petco. Already a financial partner of SPCA Cincinnati (Hurricane Ida Wings of Rescue flights) and supports adoption and lifesaving programs across the country.

Regional players

• Pet Helpers: Regional low-cost spay/neuter and adoption organization serving the Charleston, SC area. Comparable operating model centered on community veterinary services and adoptions, though in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Animal CARE: Hamilton County's current contracted animal care provider following SPCA Cincinnati's 2020 exit from the Dog Warden role. Direct regional competitor for animal intake, adoption, and municipal shelter services in the same geography.
• Brandywine Valley SPCA: Direct shelter peer and active transfer partner for SPCA Cincinnati (coordinated Hurricane Ida animal transfers). Operates a comparable adoption, veterinary, and community-services model in Pennsylvania/Delaware.
• Humane Society Silicon Valley: Innovative regional shelter operator known for modern medical centers and community veterinary programs. Comparable in adopting progressive shelter design and expanded veterinary service delivery models relevant to SPCA Cincinnati's medical center buildout.

Others

• Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the same geography as SPCA Cincinnati. Not a direct competitor, but a relevant philanthropic intermediary and potential funding/grant relationship for SPCA Cincinnati's capital expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SPCACincinnati
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdHXnVAYxhaHkeRGXlEAGiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/spcacincinnati
• Instagraminstagram.com/spcacincinnati
• TikToktiktok.com/@thespcacincinnati
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spca-cincinnati

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPCA Cincinnati