Ohio

Northeast Ohio shelter takes in 7 neglected dogs abandoned within in 3 days

Published

2 years ago

May 18, 2024

Northeast Ohio shelter takes in 7 neglected dogs abandoned within in 3 days

WARREN, Ohio (WOIO) – The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project is desperate for help after taking in five malnourished puppies and two dogs with untreated tumors within three days – all neglected and abandoned.

Founder Jason Cooke stated funds are already depleted with 127 animals in their care, on top of the veterinary bills, operating costs, and the construction costs of the new shelter.

Scroll to the bottom of this story to see a list of resources that can help those struggling to care for a pet, and how you can help those in need.

Cooke said the Warren City Health Department called him on May 7 about a dog who was allegedly abandoned at a Palmyra home in Warren.

The dog was spotted through an open window “extremely underweight” with a “had a large, oozing mass on her side with insect activity,” Cooke described.

There was also no food or water in sight, according to Cooke.

Warren City police and Warren City Animal Control helped remove the dog from the residence “which was in deplorable condition,” said Cooke.

Warren police said no arrest has been made at this time.

Cooke said the dog, who rescuers named Beatrice, was immediately brought to Countryside Veterinary Service in Kinsman.

Beatrice was described by Cooke as malnourished and anemic, and suffering from the “extremely large mass on her side that was left untreated and has since become infected.”

Veterinarians had her undergo chest x-rays, blood work tests, take fluids, antibiotics, and pain medications to treat her in an attempt to build up strength and get the infection “under control,” according to Cooke.

Unfortunately, vets saw Beatrice’s health was even worse than they hoped once she underwent surgery, and she crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Cooke shared the following explanation:

“Beatrice had a very proportionally large mass on her side, at the junction of the chest and abdomen. The mass was extremely painful and infected, even after a course of antibiotics. In an attempt to remove it surgically, it was found that the mass extended all the way through the body wall. This made the option of surgical excision impossible, so it was decided to euthanize her.”

WARNING: The photos of Beatrice’s neglect may be disturbing.

Within hours of first finding Beatrice, Cooke said he was notified that five malnourished puppies were found abandoned in a box in front of a vacant home on Tod Avenue in Warren.

He arrived to find all five puppies were also dehydrated and covered in their own urine and feces.

Cooke said he called police and rushed the puppies to Countryside Veterinary Service in Kinsman to save their lives.

Sadly, the puppy they named Rocky did not survive despite his valiant fight, and crossed the Rainbow Bridge on May 9.

The other four were brought back to the shelter, and three are still up for adoption: Liberty, Skye, and Zuma.

Three days after finding Beatrice and the five puppies, Cooke said a “severely neglected dog” was again found on Tod Avenue in Warren on May 10.

Cooke said she too was immediately rushed to Countryside Veterinary Service in Kinsman where “it was determined that she is extremely malnourished; matted beyond belief; and has a large, painful mass on her mouth that is also infected…”

She was named Emerson, given pain medication and antibiotics, and was groomed by Dog House.

Emerson is scheduled to have surgery to remove a mass on her mouth as soon as next week, depending on how she recovers, Cooke shared.

She is currently in the care of a medical foster, however, she is still available for adoption.

Cooke said the veterinary care the dogs and cats of the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project received last week alone totaled $3,055.

This included exams, testing, medication, antibiotics, spays, neuters, and vaccinations, Cooke listed.

The project typically rescues dogs who test positive for heartworms because the cost of treatment is unfortunately expensive, which is why heartworm-positive dogs are more likely to be euthanized.

“Our mission is to promote animal welfare through education and by providing care and temporary placement for heartworm positive and emergency medical-needs dogs to give each dog a second chance at a positive outcome,” founder Jason Cooke stated.

Once the heartworm-positive dogs are successfully treated and cured, they are put up for adoption.

If you want to open your hearts to the joy of adoption by giving the gift of a “fur-ever” home, here is the link for dogs waiting for you at the shelter.

Click here to view adoptable dogs.

One of which is Nitro, who has spent over 2,000 days – most of his five years of life – without a permanent home to call his own.

[Adopt Nitro: Northeast Ohio dog spends 2,000+ days waiting in shelter ]

If you would like to adopt Emerson, Liberty, Skye, Zuma, Nitro, or any other four-legged best friend, click here to fill out an application.

Even if you aren’t able to adopt at this time, but still have some room in your home and heart, you can click here to learn about fostering.

You can help save a life even if you can’t make make a lifelong commitment.

For those who are unable to adopt or foster at this time but still want to help, you can donate necessities for the shelter and presents for the animals there.

Click here to donate.

If you are unable to donate money or items, consider donating your time by volunteering at The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project.

Click here to learn how to become a volunteer.

The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project is located at 909 Martin Luther King Blvd. SW in Warren.

Call 234-855-5847 with questions.

City Dogs Cleveland listed the below information on pet pantries and programs that may provide free and low-cost pet care in Northeast Ohio.

“There is absolutely no shame in reaching out during times of hardship,” City Dogs encouraged.

Services: Pet food pantry, low-cost pet supplies, low-cost vaccinations and vetting, microchips, and more.
Address: 3711 E 65th St., Cleveland, OH 44105
Phone number: 216-505-5853
Website: https://www.neighborhoodpetscle.org/
Email address: info@neighborhoodpetscle.org

Services: Pet food pantry, pet supplies, help with vet costs
Address: 5376 Ridge Rd., Parma, OH 44129
Phone number: 216-307-7814
Website: www.companionpetsofcleveland.com
Email address: CompanionPetsOfCleveland@gmail.com

Services: Low-cost vet services with financial assistance available
Address: 1729 Willey Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone number: 216-771-4616
Website: https://clevelandapl.org/community-pet-clinic/
Email address: contact@clevelandapl.org

Services: Pet food pantry open from 10am-12pm on the second and fourth Sundays of the month
Address: 10015 East River Rd., Columbiana Township, OH 44028
Phone number: 440-243-2034
Website: https://www.bereaanimalrescue.com/pet-pantry/

Services: Pet food pantry for residents of Cuyahoga County. Please see the website for the client application for a monthly food pick-up.
Address: 9500 Sweet Valley Dr., Valley View, OH 44125
Phone number: 216-706-9363
Website: https://fccas.org/what-we-do/pet-pantry-program/
Email Address: pantry@fccas.org

Services: Low-cost spay and neuter services. Spaying or neutering your pet is a critical way to help curb the animal shelter overpopulation crisis!
Address: 885 E. 222nd St., Euclid, OH 44123
Phone: 216-732-7040
Website: https://www.petfixnortheastohio.org/
Email: appointments@petfixnortheastohio.org

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Ohio

Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Thousands of people are expected to head to downtown Columbus for the 23rd annual Home Improvement Show this weekend.

Organizers say visitors can find ideas for everything from small interior design projects to major renovations.

The event is being held at the Ohio Expo Center and includes seminars, exhibits and demonstrations from local and national companies.

The show begins at noon Friday and runs until 6 p.m.

It continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adult tickets cost $5 at the door.

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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

Published

14 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

Matt Patricia’s contract extension earlier this offseason included a pay raise that figures to make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football this year.

But Patricia, who will make $3.75 million in guaranteed compensation as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2026, also held an appreciation for his situation.

“Ohio State is such a special place, not only just the history, the tradition, the football program, the school, but the people here,” Patricia said. “Having a chance to have a little stability with my family, it’s hard when you have to move your family around, your kids and the new school and all that.”

Before he joined Ryan Day’s staff last year, the 51-year-old Patricia had bounced around as an assistant in the NFL for much of the decade.

He spent 2021 and 2022 in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots, then a year as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. He took off from coaching in 2024. The frequent relocation gave him perspective.

“We had an unbelievable experience settling into Columbus,” Patricia said. “Everybody’s been so nice and welcoming. It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us to be in a place where everybody’s happy. That’s really important.”

Patricia had a significant impact on the Buckeyes in his first year replacing Jim Knowles. Despite heavy roster attrition following their national championship season, he kept the defense atop the Football Bowl Subdivision. For the second straight season, no one allowed fewer points than Ohio State.

The 9.3 points per game allowed by the Buckeyes were the fewest by any defense since Alabama in 2011.

The success made Patricia a hot commodity on the coaching market, rebuilding his reputation as a sharp and creative football mind only a decade removed from his tenure as a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the Patriots. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.

Patricia said he heard about opportunities in the NFL and elsewhere across the college football landscape, though none of them would pry him away from Ohio State.

“It wasn’t necessarily something where you’re looking to leave,” Patricia said, “but you do have to listen when those things come up. I’m just glad everything worked out.”

His challenge in his second season mirrors his previous one, as the Buckeyes are again managing the loss of eight starters on defense.

But unlike 2025, they have fewer returning pieces, relying on a larger class of transfers to help fill the holes on the depth chart.

“With as much coming into the program for the first time, not only are you trying to catch them up on the football scheme, but you’re also trying to catch them up on everything else,” Patricia said. “This is how we work, this is how we do things, this is the standard we’re looking for, this is how we practice, this is how we prepare, this is how we go to school. That has to be also taught. It becomes a lot, but that’s why you bring in the right guys that have the mental makeup to do all that.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

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Ohio

Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Which central Ohio schools get the best results for their money?

Which central Ohio school districts get the most bang for their buck?

On average, school districts in Ohio spend $16,069 per-pupil for education, according to the education think tank Fordham Institute.

However, different district types spend different amounts of money. For example, large urban districts with very high poverty spend around $21,000 per-pupil, but small towns with low poverty spend around $14,900. The district type closest to the state average are those considered rural and high poverty and suburban districts with low poverty.

Aaron Churchill, lead Ohio researcher for the Fordham Institute, said that urban districts – like Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district – often have higher spending because they can pull more in tax revenue and the state supports them at a higher rate because they are serving a higher proportion of disadvantaged students. Small, high-poverty towns on the other hand, generate less tax revenue from property values and district employee wages, the highest expense for schools, may be lowered by less market competition.

Churchill said schools should be focused on directing their funding toward initiatives that improve student outcomes and achievement.

“It’s making sure we’re focused on quality, we’re focused on performance, and that we’re rewarding performance,” Churchill said. “And we don’t do enough of that in the education system now.”

Churchill said there is a long-running debate among education researchers about whether increasing spending translates to meaningful results for students. Overall, school funding has increased on average over $2,000 per-pupil since 2015 and reached a record-high in 2025, according to the Fordham Institute.

“You can see in the numbers that we’re spending more than we ever have,” Churchill said. “The real million-dollar question is ‘Can our schools spend the money well?’”

Which central Ohio districts have the best results compared to funding?

The Dispatch compared overall spending per-pupil for central Ohio school districts to the ODEW’s performance index, using 2025 state data.

The Performance Index uses the performance level results for students in third grade through high school on Ohio’s state testing. The Performance Index (PI) score accounts for the level of achievement of every student, not just whether they are “proficient.” Higher performance levels receive larger weights in the calculation, but all achievement levels are included. Overall, the state average of performance scores was 91.8, according to 2025 state data.

The central Ohio school district with the highest spending was Columbus City Schools, which spent $24,505 per pupil and received a PI score of 60.7. The district with the highest PI was Grandview Heights Schools, which received a 106 PI score and spent $21,567 per pupil. New Albany-Plain Local Schools was a close second in PI at 105.1 while spending more than $4,000 less than Grandview Heights at $16,923 per-pupil.

Here’s how central Ohio schools stack up by spending versus achievements on tests, according to the Ohio Department of Education (sorted by highest spending per-pupil):

Columbus City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $24,505; PI score: 60.7
Grandview Heights Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,567; PI score: 106
Bexley City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,025; PI score: 102.7
Dublin City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18,702; PI score: 97.6
Worthington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18.573 ; PI score: 94.3
Madison-Plains Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $17,646; PI score: 88
New Albany-Plain Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,923; PI score: 105.1
Westerville City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,815; PI score: 89.7
Olentangy Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,780; PI score: 103.9
Groveport Madison Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,236; PI score: 72.6
Upper Arlington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,282; PI score: 103.6
Canal Winchester Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16.154; PI score: 89.1
Average Ohio school district – Spending per-pupil: $16,069; PI score: 91.8
Reynoldsburg City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,956; PI score: 72.2
Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,742; PI score: 89.7
Hilliard City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,694; PI score: 90
South Western City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,600; PI score: 78.5
Whitehall City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,593; PI score: 66.95
Johnstown-Monroe Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,163; PI score: 94.5
Jonathan Alder Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,803; PI score: 95.9
Pickerington Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,470 ; PI score: 90.9
Big Walnut Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,239; PI score: 95.1
London City – Spending per-pupil: $13,750; PI score: 81.3
Marysville Exempted Village Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,608; PI score: 95.5
Licking Heights Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,585; PI score: 85.4
Hamilton Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,971; PI score: 82.2
Bloom-Carrol Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,720; PI score: 90.89
Licking Valley Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,587; PI score: 85

Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report

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