About Us

AFHS was established in 1952 and is the only open-admission shelter in Butler County. Our mission is to promote humane principles, to protect lost, homeless, abandoned and mistreated animals, and act as advocates for animals in our communities. Prior to opening the animal shelter over a half century ago, stray dogs were kept (until they could be claimed or destroyed) in a shack on a Middletown city dump and in a small block building on County fairgrounds in Hamilton.

The original shelter was enlarged in 1986, so that more animals could be sheltered at once. Other upgrades over the years include an in-house veterinary clinic for spaying, neutering and medical treatment and the purchasing of a PetMobile trailer and van in which volunteers take adoptable animals to public events on a regular basis.  Most importantly, we have developed an active volunteer program where adults and children 16 years of age or older assist in various capacities from walking dogs and socializing cats to raising funds at annual events.

We relocated to Hamilton in 2009 and now occupy a 22,500 sq. foot facility with top-notch ammenities for our shelter population. Animal Friends Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

On a typical day, Animal Friends Humane Society houses between 200 and 300 dogs and cats in our facility. We are Butler County's largest and oldest non-profit animal shelter. Thank you for helping us continue our lifesaving work by supporting our cause!