About Us

About Friends of the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter (FCCAS)

A Story That Began With a Simple Desire to Help

In the spring of 2013, Becky Bynum began volunteering as a dog walker at the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter (CCAS). She soon connected with Mindy Naticchioni, the shelter’s director. Out of a shared desire to fund programs and enhancements that would benefit the dogs at the shelter, they decided to create a 501(c)(3) organization. The goal of FCCAS was modest: to fill some of the gaps between the shelter’s needs and what the county could provide. The impact has far exceeded these expectations.

Our programs have saved the lives of thousands of dogs in Cuyahoga County.

When dogs arrive at CCAS, they are often malnourished, suffering from urgent medical issues and heartworm disease, and in serious distress. In many cases, their owners simply didn’t have the means to care for them any longer. FCCAS invests in the care of these dogs. Through our Modi Heartworm Fund, we offer life-saving treatments to dogs suffering from heartworm disease. Our behavioral modification programs help dogs get a second chance at life through training that they haven’t received previously. And our Pet Pantry program helps families feed their pets during times of economic hardship. It matters. The alternative is proven to be abandonment, which affects shelters directly as more animals find their way to our protection. The pantry program helps keep these families together.