About 2nd Hand Paws
A second-hand pet isn't a lesser pet. It's a dog or cat who already knows what it's like to be left behind — and who will never take a home for granted.
2nd Hand Paws Animal Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit run entirely by volunteers. We pull dogs and cats from overcrowded shelters and owner-surrender situations across Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky & Southeast Indiana, get them fully vetted, and place them in foster homes until the right family comes along.
We don't operate a kennel. Every adoptable pet in our care sleeps in someone's house, learns what a doorbell sounds like, and gets to be themselves. That's how we know whether they're good with other animals, whether they're scared of storms, and how they act when the mail arrives — the things that actually make an adoption stick.
Because nobody takes a salary, your donation goes to the thing that costs money: veterinary care. Spays and neuters, heartworm treatment, dentals, broken legs, and the occasional emergency that no one budgeted for.
No kennels, ever
Foster-based
100% of staff
Volunteer-run
501(c)(3) nonprofit
Tax status
Adoption in plain terms
What's included in the adoption fee?
Spay or neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, heartworm or FeLV/FIV test, and a microchip. Fees vary by pet and go straight toward the next pet's vetting.
How long does it take?
Most applications are reviewed within a few days. We call your vet reference, talk through your household, and set up a meet-and-greet. We'd rather be slow than wrong.
Do you adopt outside the area?
Usually within a reasonable drive so we can do a home visit and stay in touch afterward. Ask us — we make exceptions for the right match.
What if it doesn't work out?
You bring the pet back to us. Always. Every 2nd Hand Paws dog and cat has a home with us for life, no judgment and no questions about it.