Timelapse 2024 Home & Garden Show presented by Ohio Mulch construction
Timelapse: 2024 Columbus Dispatch Home & Garden Show presented by Ohio Mulch construction
The Franklin County Dog Shelter will have adoptable dogs at the 2026 Central Ohio Home & Garden Show.Adoption fees for these dogs will be covered by the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show.A foster-to-adopt program is available for families unsure about committing to a new pet.
Bringing the fauna to accompany the flora, Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center will be onsite with adoptable dogs during the 2026 Central Ohio Home & Garden Show.
The shelter will be at the Puppy Playpen booth every day from Feb. 14-22, except Feb. 16 and 17.
The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show will pay for the adoptions of the dogs to promote getting the furry friends into new homes. Each dog is already spayed or neutered and microchipped, and has all its vaccines ahead of time, so these will not be additional costs for the adoptive families.
The show operates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays in the Bricker and Celeste Buildings at the Ohio Expo Center. The only exception is Feb. 17, when the show will be closed.
The partnership between the shelter and the event launched in 2025. From the start, more dogs were adopted from the show than the shelter staff expected, the shelter’s marketing and communications manager, Erin Hamill, said.
“It’s helping break down barriers, just showing that shelters can be a welcoming place,” she said.
“We’re here to connect with the community. We’re here to be a resource. We want you to be a part of our mission, and we can’t do what we do without the support from our community.”
For those who may be unsure of the life-changing decision, the shelter offers a foster-to-adopt program, which allows families a few weeks to make sure they are ready for the new pet and that it will be a good fit for their lifestyles.
With the show launching on Valentine’s Day, the shelter staff can act as “matchmakers” for families who may not know what they are seeking in a canine companion, Hamill said.
“Even if you come to the show and you’re not meeting a dog there that you really match with, we can help to try to connect you with other dogs still at the shelter,” she said.
Downward dog with dogs
From 5-6 p.m. on Feb. 20, the show will offer a free puppy yoga class on a first-come, first-served basis. The Central Ohio Home & Garden show is covering the costs of the class and donating the funds to the shelter.
Led by Columbus yoga instructor Peace Yoga By Cheryl, the class includes adoptable puppies to “help” with the yoga poses.
Hamill described the class, which the shelter has previously offered in partnership with Peace Yoga By Cheryl, as a little bit of yoga with a lot of puppies, who provide yoga help with snuggling and falling asleep on the mats.
“Everybody that comes is excited to see the puppies, but everybody’s taking selfies and they’re having a good time. The puppies are getting adopted. Overall, with the support and the help, it’s a win-win for everybody. It really brings the community together; brings animal lovers together. Some people come for the yoga and then leave with a puppy,” Hamill said.
Normally, the $20 registration cost of puppy yoga goes toward the Community Pet Pantry, which provides pet food to owners in need. To donate to the pantry, visit the shelter’s Amazon Wish List.
For those seeking a garden yoga experience not infiltrated by canine chaos, Cheryl will also offer a $20 class from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Feb. 22.
Kindness and religion reporter may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com.
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