FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AT GIGI'S

Gigi’s is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of shelter dogs™. We help under-resourced rural shelters by providing high-quality shelter, veterinary, behavior, and adoption services. Based in Columbus, Ohio, our team works behind the scenes to get dogs out of overcrowded shelters and into permanent homes—faster and healthier.

Whether it’s through lifesaving transport, affordable vet care, or behavior support, everything we do is designed to give shelter dogs the care and opportunity they deserve.

Yes—Gigi’s is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We’re funded by private donations, grants, and mission-driven services like adoption, veterinary care, and training. Because of the generosity of our founders’ vision and support, 100% of every donation and every dollar earned goes directly into caring for dogs. That means your support stays within the animal welfare community—where it makes the biggest difference in improving the lives of shelter dogs™.

Every bit of support helps us in improving the lives of shelter dogs™. Here are a few simple but powerful ways to make a difference:

1. Make a gift. Nothing beats direct support. Monetary donations fuel every part of our mission—from emergency vet care to lifesaving transport. You can give at gigis.org.
    
2. Donate items. Gently used household goods like blankets, towels, sheets, and dog beds are always welcome. You can drop them off at Building 3 (at the corner of Gender and Wright Road) anytime. You can also send supplies directly through our Amazon Wish List.
    
3. Link your Kroger card. Enroll in Kroger Community Rewards and select Gigi’s as your nonprofit. It’s a free way to give back—every grocery trip can help save lives.

Gigi’s partners with rural shelters across Ohio and beyond—places where resources are stretched and the need is great. We also support the organizations that serve those shelters, including rescue groups and nonprofit partners. Our work helps reduce overcrowding, provides lifesaving care, and creates a clear path from shelter to home for dogs who need it most. 

 All of the dogs in our care come from our network of rural shelter partners—communities where shelters are often overwhelmed, underfunded, and doing everything they can with limited resources. Many of these dogs arrive at their local shelter after facing tough circumstances: abandonment, neglect, or life on their own without consistent care.

Gigi’s steps in to provide the next chapter. Once dogs arrive at our campus, they receive high-quality shelter, veterinary, and behavior care—along with a clear pathway to placement, whether through adoption or rescue transfer. Every dog deserves that chance, and at Gigi’s, we work to make it happen.

Gigi’s is not a public intake shelter. Instead, we focus on helping rural shelters that often have limited staff, funding, and space. By supporting those shelters directly, we help more dogs get home—faster and healthier. If you need help rehoming your dog, we encourage you to reach out to your local county shelter or a reputable rehoming resource. 

In Ohio, every county is legally required to provide sheltering services for stray dogs through its dog warden or county shelter. Please contact your county’s shelter—they are the right place to ensure the dog receives care and has the best chance of being reunited with their family. 

Our campus isn’t open for general walk-ins. Most of our work happens behind the scenes, supporting shelters and rescues through veterinary care, behavior support, and transport. When we offer public-facing programs—like adoptions or special events—you’ll find those opportunities shared on gigis.org and on Facebook and Instagram @gigisfordogs.

We know how special it is for kids to spend time with dogs, but Gigi’s is not set up for drop-in visits or casual playtime. Our dogs are here for focused medical and behavioral care, and many are on individualized treatment plans. When family-friendly events or volunteer opportunities become available, we’ll share them on our website and social channels. 

We love that you want to help. While we’re still a young organization and our volunteer opportunities are currently limited, we’re actively growing our volunteer programs. As we expand, we’ll be offering more ways for individuals and groups to get involved in meaningful, hands-on ways. Stay tuned to gigis.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @gigisfordogs to be the first to know when new opportunities launch. We’d love to have you join us in improving the lives of shelter dogs™. 

 We love seeing students get excited about helping shelter dogs—and we believe deeply in creating meaningful learning opportunities for the next generation of animal welfare professionals.

That said, structured student programs take time and staffing to do well, and our small team is focused on providing the best possible care to the dogs in our system. While we aren’t able to offer formal programs year-round, we do occasionally host internships or student-led projects when capacity allows.

If opportunities become available, we’ll share them on Facebook and Instagram @gigisfordogs. In the meantime, thank you for your interest in improving the lives of shelter dogs™. We’re so glad you’re here.

 Yes—we’re grateful for your generosity. We accept many common household goods, especially items that support the comfort and care of our dogs. Blankets, flat sheets (no fitted sheets), towels, beds, and other gently used dog care items are always appreciated.

You can drop off donations anytime at our campus. Look for the donation cart located at the back door of Building 3, which is at the corner of Gender Road and Wright Road.

If you’d prefer to make a direct purchase, you can also support the dogs by shopping from our Amazon Wish List, which features our most-needed items and allows for direct shipment to Gigi’s. Thank you for helping us in improving the lives of shelter dogs™.

 We can accept unopened dog food only—thank you for checking! For safety reasons, we’re not able to accept any medications, even if they’re unused. If you’re unsure about a specific item, feel free to reach out before dropping it off. Every safe, usable donation helps us in improving the lives of shelter dogs™. 

Gigi’s veterinary services are designed specifically to support nonprofit and government-run shelters and rescues. We’re not a public clinic and are not able to offer veterinary care for personally owned pets. If you need help finding affordable care in your area, we recommend reaching out to a local veterinary clinic or low-cost community program. 

 Gigi’s is focused on improving the lives of shelter dogs™ by providing access to high-quality shelter, veterinary, behavior, and adoption services that help dogs move into permanent homes. We currently partner with several rural, under-resourced shelters in some of Ohio’s most underserved communities.

While we’re not currently expanding our intake shelter partnerships, we are accepting new Adoption Partners—organizations that receive dogs transferred from Gigi’s for placement. We also offer low-cost veterinary care through Gigi’s Rescue Veterinary Services, which is available to eligible shelters and rescues.

If you’d like to explore adoption partnership or veterinary service options—or connect about a potential future intake partnership—please email us at info@gigis.org. We’re grateful for the work you do for shelter dogs.

Gigi’s does offer fostering, though our model is a bit different from traditional long-term foster care. Most of our dogs move quickly through the system, so foster placements are typically short-term and purpose-driven—supporting a medical recovery, behavioral plan, or special case.

That said, the core of our foster program is traditional: volunteers open their homes, and Gigi’s provides everything needed—medical care, food, supplies, and support.

If you're interested in joining our foster network, apply at gigis.org/foster. It’s one more way you can help in improving the lives of shelter dogs™.

Fostering is a powerful way to support dogs in need. If you're interested in joining our foster network for those situations, you can apply at gigis.org/foster.

We provide everything you need—just bring the love. Thank you for being part of improving the lives of shelter dogs™.

 Yes! Gigi’s offers training and behavior support through our in-house Behavior Services team.

We provide:

• Puppy Support Group – for puppies ages 7–14 weeks, with rolling admission.
   
• Skills & Manners Classes – for dogs 16 weeks and older, focused on practical behavior topics and reward-based methods.
   
• Private Behavior Support – one-on-one sessions for dogs needing personalized behavior modification plans.
   

All classes are held on-site at Gigi’s with an expert trainer and are open to any dog who meets vaccination requirements.

To learn more or register for a class, visit gigisbehavior.org.

We also offer a growing library of digital behavior resources and webinars, available anytime at puppypassports.com Whether you're working on basic skills or managing complex behavior, we’re here to help you in improving the lives of shelter dogs™.

Gigi’s is not a boarding facility and we do not offer board-and-train services. Our campus is dedicated to serving shelter dogs from under-resourced communities through medical, behavioral, and adoption support.

If you’re looking for boarding or training options for your personal pet, we recommend connecting with a local provider who uses positive, science-based methods. You can search for a certified Fear Free® professional in your area through the “Fear Free Near Me” tool at fearfreepets.com.