Columbus, Indiana
Friends of Columbus Animal Care Services
Benefiting the animals and community of Columbus, Indiana in alliance with Columbus Animal Care Services
We have desperately outgrown our current facilities, please consider making a donation to our Capital Campaign...
Whiskey - adopted May 2025
Thelma, adopted May 2025
What we do
Our organization's mission is to "benefit the animals and community of Columbus, Indiana in alliance with Columbus Animal Care Services." We are the not-for-profit fund-raising arm of Columbus Animal Care Services.Programs include The Adoption Medical Fund, Furry Friends Food Bank, Friends' PetFix, and Kitty Caravan. Fundraising includes Moonlight Loop bike ride, CATalina, Mardi Growl, direct mailings, and grant applications.Most programs are “alternatives to intake” at the shelter - to ensure the always crowded shelter is available for animals most in need.
programs
Adoption Medical Fund
The medical fund helps to offset the cost of providing spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations, micro-chipping, and exams for the adoptable animals at the shelter, helping us keep adoption fees low.
In 2024, Friends provided $120,00 to be used towards vet expenses!
Petfix - a low-cost spay and neuter service
For the owners of cats and dogs residing in Bartholomew County, our PetFix program transports those animals to clinics which provide high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter services to domestic and feral cats and dogs.
In 2024, PetFix volunteers transported and serviced more than 700 pets and drove over 12,000 miles!
Furry Friends Food Bank
Furry Friends helps the local community keep their pets in their home with food assistance and was created as an “alternative to intake” at the shelter.
In 2024, Furry Friends gave away more than 60,000 pounds of pet food!
Paws and purpose
Paws and Purpose is...
In 2024, Paws and Purpose...
Events
Moonlight Loop Bike Ride
A 19-mile ride that starts downtown and winds through the north side of Columbus, at night, after dark - you need to experience this one for yourself!Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. Interested? Email us at [email protected]
In 2024, the Moonlight Loop raised over $8,000!
Catalina wine mixer
The CATalina experience includes complimentary food, wine, spirits, craft beer, a live and silent auction, and a 50/50 cash raffle.Get ready to dance the night away with your friends for a great cause!This event is by invite only.Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. Interested? Email us at [email protected]
In 2023, the CATalina Wine Mixer event raised $240,000!!
Learn more about us
FRIENDS BOARD MEMBERS
Nicohl Birdwell-Goodin, CACS Director
Wendy Elwood
Doug Evans, Board President
Colleen Herrick
Sandra McNulty
Christina Merritt, Board Treasurer
Karen Nissen
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
View Tax Form 990
POLICIES
View our Document Retention policy
View our Conflict of Interest policy
View our Whistleblower policy
You can do a lot!
Donate
The needs are many and your donations make a powerful impact in the care we can provide our furry friends.
Volunteer your time
We love our volunteers! Here are just a few of the things that you could help with at the shelter:
Take a pet for a walk
Have ‘play time’ with a pet
Help feed the pets
Help maintain the kennels
Help with laundry
Please complete a volunteer application and a team member will be in touch to discuss opportunities with you!
We also need volunteers who can help with events that raise awareness or are fundraisers. Could you help out every now and then?
Take home a new forever friend
Adopting from an animal shelter is a “win-win” proposition for all involved. Saving the life of a dog or cat is truly a noble cause, and we thank you, the animals thank you. And you will be rewarded with unconditional love from your new companion.It is not every day that you get to be a HERO!
Be a pet foster
You can make the world a better place by taking home a foster pet from our local shelter and fostering a pet can be hugely rewarding.Fostering is so important because Fostering creates more space in the shelter for other animals in need. A foster home is a safe, healthy environment for animals needing to heal, grow, or get some extra TLC.
And, fostering is great because your life becomes more full and more interesting when you welcome a fun-loving and grateful companion into your home! You literally can save lives - time and space in a loving home greatly increases the odds of adoption.
follow us
We regularly post on social media to keep the community informed of all that's going on at Animal Care Services, and ways the community can step up and help the furry friends, so please join us on...
Be a Promoter!
Spread the word among your family, friends, and work friends about the opportunities above, and - thanks!
HERE WE GROW!
As of July, 2025, the Animal Shelter Capital Campaign is at (XX)% donor funding,The campaign will end on (date), please make your donations now...
GOAL : $8,000,000
RAISED : $1,500,000
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About the new facilities
We are pleased to tell you all about the proposed new facility, which will be located directly across the road from our current location. It will increase our capacity by.......Etc.
Contact
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Contact
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Thank you
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