News

CINCINNATI, OH (April 25, 2026) — SPCA Cincinnati has announced a combined $3.5 million capital investment that represents a fundamental reimagining of how animal care, recovery, and adoption are delivered across Greater Cincinnati.

This investment - one of the most significant in the organization’s 153-year history - includes a new, state-of-the-art medical center and expanded foster capacity at its Sharonville campus, alongside a new street-level adoption center in Over-the-Rhine.

Together, these projects are not simply an expansion of services—they are a system redesign intended to accelerate healing, remove barriers to adoption, and move more animals into homes, faster.

“This is not about continuing a legacy,” said Chris Seelbach, President & CEO of SPCA Cincinnati. “It’s about reimagining it. What we are building is a fundamentally different model—one that centers healing, expands access, and transforms how animals move from intake to adoption.”

Over the past year, SPCA Cincinnati has already begun to demonstrate what this future can look like—reducing length of stay, expanding foster capacity, and implementing nationally recognized best practices like Dogs Playing for Life to improve behavioral outcomes and adoption readiness.

This investment builds on that momentum and scales it.

A System Designed for Speed, Healing, and Access

At its core, the $3.5 million investment creates an integrated system:

·      The Medical & Foster Center (Sharonville): Strengthens care, expands treatment capacity, and prepares animals physically and emotionally for adoption

·      The OTR Adoption Center: Increases visibility, access, and real-time adoption opportunities in the heart of the city

Together, they remove longstanding bottlenecks in care and create a faster, more effective pathway from intake to home.

Expansion into Over-the-Rhine

SPCA Cincinnati will open a new Adoption Center at 1312 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine in Fall 2026, marking a strategic expansion into one of the city’s most active, walkable corridors.

The approximately 1,800-square-foot, street-level space will feature dog kennels, meet-and-greet rooms, and a cat adoption area, with storefront visibility designed to connect thousands of daily passersby with animals in need of homes.

“This is about meeting people where they are,” said Seelbach. “We are taking adoption out of the shelter and placing it directly into the community—where a moment of curiosity can become a lifelong connection.”

“To 3CDC, this is the definition of a meaningful partnership. SPCA’s role as a driving force for animal welfare addresses an important and long-unmet need in the Over-the-Rhine community,” said Christy Samad, Executive Vice President of Civic & Commercial Space Activation for 3CDC. 

“We are proud to support SPCA as they carry forward a 150+ year legacy in Cincinnati, and we’re especially thrilled to see that legacy continue on Main Street in the heart of the urban core. Their impact will be amplified at the new adoption center, surrounded by local businesses and engaged residents, and just steps from Ziegler Park – creating new opportunities to activate the space, educate the community, and deepen their roots in OTR.”

A New Standard for Medical Care and Foster Integration

At its Sharonville campus, SPCA Cincinnati will break ground in Summer 2026 on the Peter G. Courlas & Nicholas Tsimaras Medical Center, a new 4,000-square-foot facility representing the largest portion of the investment and made possible through significant philanthropic support.

The estimated $3 million medical investment will significantly expand clinical capacity, including increased surgical volume, advanced diagnostics, and dedicated spaces for intensive and isolation care—allowing the organization to treat more complex cases and serve more animals.

“This facility changes what’s possible for our team and the animals we serve,” said Dr. Jennifer Smith, Vice President of Medical Services at SPCA Cincinnati. “We’ll be able to move animals through treatment and recovery more safely and more efficiently—and ultimately get more of them healthy and into homes.”

In 2025, the medical team performed more than 1,600 surgeries—an average of 10 each day—and administered over 5,200 vaccines, delivering high-volume, lifesaving care to animals across the region.

At the same time, the organization will convert its existing medical space into a dedicated foster center, embedding foster care directly into its care model.

“This is a shift in how we think about care,” said Seelbach. “Foster has always been a powerful part of our work. This investment fully integrates and expands it—making it a central driver of how animals heal, recover, and ultimately move more quickly into homes.”

A Transformational Moment

"This is a defining moment for SPCA Cincinnati,” said Joelle Ragland, Board Chair. “With this investment, we are building a model that has the potential to set the national standard for animal welfare—one that prioritizes healing, removes barriers, and accelerates the path to adoption. "As SPCA Cincinnati enters this next chapter, community support remains critical. Donors, volunteers, and adopters will play a central role in bringing this vision to life and ensuring more animals receive care and find homes.

About SPCA Cincinnati 

Founded in 1873, SPCA Cincinnati is the fourth oldest humane society in the United States and the oldest in Ohio. Serving more than 35,000 animals annually, the organization provides adoption, advanced veterinary care, humane education, and community-based services across Greater Cincinnati. As an independent nonprofit, SPCA Cincinnati is not affiliated with any national organization and is committed to improving outcomes for animals, reducing barriers to care, and keeping pets and families together.

Media Contact

Nyketa Gaffney
513-526-3767
ngaffney@spcacincinnati.org