YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Animal Charity of Ohio is urging city leaders and the community to take action as the organization faces a growing number of animal abuse and neglect cases—without the local funding support it says is urgently needed.

Jane MacMurchy, operations director for the organization, appeared on WFMJ Weekend Today to talk about the increasing strain on their resources and the consequences if things don’t change.

“We don’t have enough funding to really support the amount of animals our team is rescuing,” she said. “And we just really simply can't be doing this any much longer.”

Earlier this week, Animal Charity rescued 14 neglected dogs from a urine-soaked home in Youngstown—just one of many cases they’ve handled recently. MacMurchy said the animals were extremely dehydrated, underweight, and suffering from painful skin conditions. They're now receiving medication, baths, and a new feeding regimen to help them recover.

But she says the issue runs deeper.

Animal Charity is the only agency in Mahoning County solely focused on rescuing abused and neglected animals—and it receives no government funding. In contrast to other counties and cities that fund animal control departments, Youngstown has no city-run animal control, meaning Animal Charity often steps in—at no cost to taxpayers.

“We’re doing free services for the city, and there is no support,” MacMurchy said. “If the city doesn’t want to build a $10 million shelter and staff it, we think it’s time to sit down and talk numbers with us.”

The organization says it’s often called to remove animals from homes after arrests or in hoarding cases, sometimes partnering with the Mahoning County Hoarding Coalition. MacMurchy emphasized that hoarding is typically tied to mental health issues, and the number of calls has only increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite those challenges, Animal Charity continues its mission—relying entirely on donations from the public. Every dollar raised goes directly toward veterinary care, rescue efforts, and humane investigations.

To help support their work, donations can be made at animalcharityofohio.org or through their Facebook page.