About Us

How it all began:

In 2005, the Stark County Dog Warden Department was sadly known as a “high-kill” facility with a heartbreaking turnover of dogs in its care. Adoption advocacy was not nearly as robust as it is today, so volunteer Margie Serri and Dog Warden Department employee Mike Evans began contacting animal shelters across the eastern part of the United States with the hope that they could get many of these dogs to safety and into adoptive homes. Serri and Evans would transport the dogs out of state to accepting shelters that would find these dear pups forever homes. In 2007, Serri and Evans discovered PetSmart Charities and the Rescue Waggin’. Within a year, the Rescue Waggin’ began rescuing puppies and dogs from Stark County, taking them to shelters where they could be adopted, allowing Margie and Mike the opportunity to focus on advocating for adoption and transfer to rescue at the Dog Warden Department. These early efforts at getting the dogs at the Dog Warden Department adopted, along with providing care and comfort to the dogs while in the facility, eventually became a volunteer organization—Friends of Stark Pound.

About Friends of Stark Pound

In 2008, Friends of Stark Pound was incorporated as a 501c3 organization whose mission is to reduce the population of homeless dogs at the Stark County Sheriff Dog Warden Department by providing funding for spay/neuter procedures as well as basic veterinary care. In addition to providing medical care, we educate the public on the importance of adoption and responsible pet ownership. We work in cooperation with the Stark County Sheriff Dog Warden Department staff to significantly enhance the quality of life for the homeless puppies and dogs and to increase their opportunities for placement through adoptions or transfer to rescue groups. The community has been extremely supportive of our efforts, and today, the Stark County Sheriff Dog Warden Department is known as a great place to adopt a homeless dog and a safe place for a stray dog to find shelter, care, and medical attention.

Friends of Stark Pound encourages the public to visit the Stark County Sheriff Dog Warden Department (formerly “the pound”) to meet the dogs currently available for adoption. Please visit the Stark County Sheriff Dog Warden Division on petfinder.com to see dogs at the facility.