Paw Defender · Ohio · Emergency Appeal
When Human Hands
Reach Their Limit,
God Works Through Yours.
"A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal."— Proverbs 12:10
To whoever God has led to this page —
I don't believe you are here by accident.
My name is Melissa. Fourteen years ago, I pulled a dying dog from a ditch on the side of a road in Ohio. I named him Harper. I paid $800 I didn't have. And I made a promise — to him, and to God — that I would never look away again.
That promise became Paw Defender. For 14 years, it has been just my mother and me. Two women, side by side, every single morning — feeding, treating, holding the ones no one else would take. We have rescued 9,500 animals. We have never turned one away.
My mother is 71 years old. She still shows up before sunrise. She still kneels on the ground to comfort a dog that arrived broken in the night. She has never once asked to stop.
But tonight, we are both on our knees. Not in prayer alone — in desperation. We have 683 dogs in our care, and we cannot pay the bills that keep them alive. Food stocks are running low. Three animals are waiting for surgeries we cannot afford. Neither of us has taken a salary in months. I sold my grandmother's jewelry in April to buy medicine.
We have done everything two human beings can do. Now we need a miracle. And we believe — with everything we have left — that miracles come through people who choose to act.
If God put this page in front of you today, I don't think it was by chance.
Melissa Hart & her mother, Carol
Founders, Paw Defender
Melissa and her mother — the two women who built Paw Defender from a single room in 2011 and have never stopped showing up, every single day.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."— Psalm 34:18
right now
by July 31
since 2011
Found chained to an abandoned post with no food or water. Gentle, patient, and still hoping someone will choose him. He is 6 years old — an age most people scroll past. But God sees him.
Arrived so malnourished her spine was visible through her coat. She didn't bark when volunteers found her. She just looked up — as if she had learned that crying out brings no one. We came anyway.
"They survived abandonment.
Don't let money be what
finishes them off."
Before
AfterArrived unable to stand. Four months of daily care and prayer later, adopted by a retired nurse in Columbus. This is what your donation does.
Before
AfterSix hours of careful work to remove the matted fur without sedation. Today she sleeps on a bed in Cleveland — because someone chose to give.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these... you did for me."— Matthew 25:40
Voices of faith
People Who Chose to Be
the Answer to a Prayer
I've donated to many shelters over the years. Paw Defender is the only one that sent me a personal update about the dog my money helped. That alone told me everything I needed to know about Melissa and her team.
My church shared this page during Sunday service. By the end of the week, our congregation had raised over $3,000 together. God truly works through people who are willing to listen.
I came across this page at 2am and couldn't sleep after reading Melissa's letter. I donated immediately. There's something about this shelter that feels different — like it's being held together by faith alone.
I lost my dog of 12 years last March. Donating to Paw Defender was my way of honoring him. I know he would have wanted another animal to have the same love and care he had.
I've been following Paw Defender for three years. The transparency, the genuine love Melissa has for every single animal — I've never seen anything like it. This is a ministry as much as it is a shelter.
Matthew 25:40 has been on my heart for weeks. When I found this page it felt like an answer. I donated in memory of my mother, who believed that how we treat animals reflects who we truly are.
I'm a college student and $50 is a lot for me right now. But I read Duke's story and I just couldn't scroll past. Some things matter more than being comfortable.
Where the $72,600 goes
Every dollar has a name.
Every name has a face.
This is not a general fund. This is the exact cost of keeping 683 animals alive through the end of July — broken down to the last dollar.
38% funded — $72,600 still needed — 47 days remaining
Choose what your gift does today
Minimum amount is $201. For smaller gifts, choose one of the options above.
Have questions?
We believe in full transparency
Every dollar goes directly to animal care — food, veterinary treatment, medication, and shelter operations. We publish a full breakdown of expenses on this page. Melissa and Carol have not taken a salary in months; they cover personal expenses from their own savings so donations go entirely to the animals.
Yes. All transactions are processed through Shopify's secure checkout, which uses industry-standard SSL encryption. Your payment information is never stored on our servers. We are a registered organization with EIN 45-2871634.
Paw Defender is run entirely by Melissa Hart and her 71-year-old mother, Carol. They founded the shelter in 2011 and have operated it together every single day since — with no corporate structure, no large staff, and no overhead beyond what is absolutely necessary to keep the animals alive and cared for.
We share regular updates on our social media showing exactly how donations are being used — which animals were treated, which surgeries were performed, and which dogs found homes. Donors who leave their contact information receive personal thank-you messages from Melissa directly.
Animal abandonment in Ohio surged in early 2024, and Paw Defender — as a no-kill shelter — accepted every animal that came through the gate. That brought capacity to 683 dogs, nearly double what the shelter was built for. Monthly costs now exceed monthly donations by $17,000. Without reaching the $117,200 goal by July 31, the shelter cannot guarantee food, medicine, and care for all 683 animals through the end of summer.
Yes — Paw Defender welcomes visitors and volunteers. If you are in the Columbus, Ohio area and would like to visit, help with daily care, or meet the animals for possible adoption, reach out through our social media pages. Every pair of hands helps.
They Cannot Pray for Themselves.
But You Can Answer.
Every life saved here is an act of faith made real. Not by chance. Not by luck. By someone who saw a need and chose not to look away.
Be Their Miracle683 souls waiting. $72,600 needed by July 31.
Be Their Miracle →