CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day is celebrated on April 30 to promote finding animals with fur, feathers, tails, or scales a home to call their own.
But for too many precious pups in Northeast Ohio kennels, the hopeful holiday has just come and gone for years with no luck in finding their ‘fur-ever’ family.
Below are just a few of the local dogs that have spent most of their lives in the shelter.
All of these dogs have patiently waited at least a year to be adopted… several have been available for over half a decade!
Some have already been featured on 19 News, but are still waiting for you to adopt them.
Click on their name to learn how you can rescue your next best four-legged friend!
SIX YEARS
Onyx
Onyx has been at the Animal Charity of Ohio Humane Society in Mahoning County since July 2018.
That’s almost seven years ago!
He’s an 8.5-year-old mixed breed who’s still waiting for his “fur-ever” family!
Nitro
April 30 marks Nitro’s 2424th day without a permanent home.
This Great Dane mix is just over six years old, so he’s spent most of his life in a shelter.
He is waiting for you to adopt him from the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project in Warren.
FIVE YEARS
Emerald
Emerald was rescued from a ‘disgusting’ Youngstown apartment on Oct. 18, 2019.
She has been waiting to be adopted from the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project shelter in Warren ever since.
This is most of this 9-year-old Boxer mix’s life.
FOUR YEARS
Winger
Winger was found limping around the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, and was captured on June 17, 2020.
He was named after the mascot of the base has been cared for by the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project in Warren ever since.
This 6-year-old mixed breed is waiting for you to be his wingman!
Rutger
This American Bully was originally at City Dogs Cleveland.
Rutger was then brought to the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project in Warren on Aug. 4, 2020, where he has been ever since.
He’s now about nine years old, and would love to spend his senior years outside the shelter!
Saint
Saint is a Terrier Mix who came from the Berkeley Animal Center.
He then arrived at the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project on April 30, 2021, where he’s been ever since.
This means almost his entire five years of life has been spent in a shelter.
THREE YEARS
Tangerine
Tangerine is a Retriever Mix who came from the Berkeley Animal Center when he was still a puppy.
He was brought to the Healthy Heart and Paws Project shelter in Warren on June 25, 2021, where he has been ever since.
This 4-year-old boy has spent just about his whole life without a home to call his own.
Riggs
Riggs was found in a frozen snow bank as a stray puppy on Oct. 4, 2021.
He been in a foster home or at the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project shelter in Warren since then, but has never had a permanent home.
This 3-year-old Terrier Mix has never had a permanent home to call his own.
Jackson
Jackson was brought from the Trumbull County Pound to the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project.
He has been at the Warren shelter since Dec. 2021.
This Terrier is about four years old.
TWO YEARS
Dozer
Dozer was found as a stray in Aug. 2022 and brought to the Humane Society of Summit County in Akron.
This Pit Bull Mix is about nine years old.
He’s in a foster home waiting for you to give him a ‘fur-ever’ home.
Marnie
Marnie was still a puppy when she was brought to the Euclid Animal Shelter in Sept. 2022.
This Pit Bull/Terrier Mix is now three years old, and the shelter’s longest resident.
She’s been in an out of foster care, and has spent all but six months of her life waiting to be adopted.
Louise was first brought to the Wayne County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center in Wooster in Oct. 2022.
This American Staffordshire/Terrier Mix is three years old, and the shelter’s longest resident.
She has spent nearly her whole life without a home to call her own.
Clifton came to the Humane Society of Summit County in Akron as a stray in Jan. 2023.
The humane society said he may have been hit by a car before coming into their care, but that hasn’t slowed him down one bit!
This American Pit Bull/Terrier/Bulldog Mix is four years old.
ONE YEAR
Summer
Summer came to the Richland County Dog Warden as a stray on June 17, 2023.
Her owner left her in the shelter’s outside kennels.
She is a 3-year-old Pit Bull/Terrier Mix still at the Richland County Dog Shelter in Mansfield.
Mowgli
Mowgli came to the Humane Society of Summit County in Akron in July 2023.
The humane society said he had a rough start in life, but has been working hard to show how much love he has to give.
This Rottweiler/Black Lab Mix is four years old.
Gizmo
Gizmo’s weary bones have been waiting to be adopted from the Humane Society of Summit County in Akron since Feb. 2024.
This 10-year-old boy is a American Pit Bull/Terrier Mix.
He’s the oldest pup in the shelter, and would love to spend his senior years sleeping in a cozy home instead of a kennel.
Spot
Spot was found as a stray on Oct. 20, 2023.
This Pit Bull Terrier is about three years old.
He’s been waiting for you to adopt him from the Richland County Dog Warden and Adoption Center in Mansfield.
North
North was found as a stray on Dec. 26, 2023.
This Pit Bull Terrier Mix is over one year old.
He’s been waiting just about his whole life for you to adopt him from the Richland County Dog Warden and Adoption Center in Mansfield!
Honeycutt
Honeycutt was found as a stray on Dec. 30, 2023.
This Pit Bull Terrier is over one year old.
He’s been waiting just about his whole life for you to adopt him from the Richland County Dog Warden and Adoption Center in Mansfield!
Seacrest
Seacrest was brought to the Richland County Dog Warden and Adoption Center in Mansfield as a stray on March 9, 2024.
He was moved to the Mansfield Correctional Institute to be trained in their ManCI Prison Program, but is ready to be adopted!
This American Staffordshire/Terrier Mix is about two years old.
Danny
Danny was found as a stray on March 16, 2024.
This Pit Bull Terrier is just over one year old.
He’s been waiting just about his whole life for you to adopt him from the Richland County Dog Warden and Adoption Center in Mansfield!
Editor’s Note: This is, unfortunately, a growing list. If you know a Northeast Ohio pet who has waited to be adopted for over a year, email rachel.vadaj@woio.com to get them featured!
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