We have exciting news about our latest initiative! Late last year FCCAS was proud to begin financing Slow the Flow, a program founded by Carianne Burnley to reduce the number of pit bull-type dogs in area shelters by offering free spay and neuter services to owners of pit bulls.
Carianne has been active in animal rescue for the past 20 years, doing everything from walking dogs to serving on a board and writing policy. In January of 2025, a lunch with a longtime friend who is also active in animal rescue sparked an idea. As they discussed the problem shelters face of having too many pit bulls, the friend remarked that the root cause is lack of access to low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter. While Carianne believed that the oversupply of pit bulls was more the result of choices made by owners, she still wanted to do something about it.
As she thought about her friend’s comment, Carianne realized she had an opportunity to address the issue of shelter overcrowding at its root. She started reaching out to the community, via Facebook and a website, offering free spay and neuter to owners of pit bulls. And she contacted animal clinics and private veterinarians across Northeast Ohio, asking whether they would be willing to help. The response was amazing! In 2025, using her own money and gifts from sponsors, Carianne was able to arrange and fund the spay or neuter of more than 90 dogs, coordinating the communication, transport and payment herself.
Carianne’s message to owners of pit bulls is simple: “You are the solution!” Operating with deep empathy for the complicated situations that owners sometimes find themselves in, she is gratified to see, already in the first year of Slow the Flow, that people’s minds can change on the issue of whether to spay or neuter their pets. In fact, the most satisfying thing about the project so far for Carianne is when pit bull owners who have bred their dogs – whether on purpose or accidentally – change their minds and reach out to her for help.
As the proud owner of two rescued pit bulls, one of whom visits nursing homes and is part of University Hospitals’ Pet Pals therapy dog program, Carianne firmly believes “whether you love these dogs or not, we can all agree there are too many of them”. With funding from FCCAS – and the help of pit bull owners who want to be part of the solution – she aims to reduce the number of pit bulls entering shelters here in Cuyahoga County.
In the few weeks since FCCAS began backing Slow the Flow, we have already received generous donations from members of the community who want to help. To them we say a heartfelt ‘THANK YOU!’ Now, here are 3 ways you can help.
If you want to donate to Slow the Flow, click here and choose ‘Slow the Flow’ from the drop-down menu under ‘Select a Campaign’.
If you know of a vet who would like to help Slow the Flow, get in touch with Carianne at slowtheflowfixes@gmail.com.
If you are the owner of an un-altered pit bull and want to sign up for this service, get in touch at slowtheflowfixes@gmail.com.
