Actions = Pound
Actions speak louder than words. From 2019–2021, Columbus Animal Care and Control had $3,671,745 budgeted but only spent $3,217,861.92 — leaving $453,884 unspent.
Over the same three years the city spent about $74,069.29 on veterinary services for 12,917 impounded animals — less than $5.73 per animal — while adoption and return-to-owner rates dropped significantly. Rescues carried the load to maintain “no-kill” status while the city met only minimum standards.
The conclusion: instead of progressing toward a true shelter model, the city’s actions point back toward a pound.