Tickets to the premiere of a new documentary about Cincinnati’s only open-intake animal shelter sold out in just 24 hours, so organizers scrambled to add a second showing Wednesday night at the Esquire Theatre in Clifton. The film, Shelter Me: Cincinnati, puts a local spotlight on the animals, staff and community partners of Cincinnati Animal CARE, which faced a June code red with nearly 900 animals in its care and a substantial number of owner-surrender requests.
According to Cincinnati Animal CARE, the newly added screening starts at 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave. Tickets cost $20, and the shelter says 100% of ticket proceeds will benefit its operations. The addition came after the shelter announced that tickets to the earlier premiere screening had sold out within a single day.
A Red-Carpet Night With Community Leaders
The original screening carries a bit of extra glamour, featuring a red-carpet entrance and appearances by community leaders, as reported by WCPO 9 Cincinnati. Accounts of the exact start time differ: Cincinnati Animal CARE's own release describes a red carpet entrance at 7 p.m., while CityBeat reports the premiere is set to begin at the Esquire at 7:20 p.m. Either way, animal lovers and community supporters are expected to fill the Clifton theater for a night organizers hope will shine a spotlight on animal rescue efforts across the region.
Shelter Me: Cincinnati is the newest installment of the nationally acclaimed PBS series Shelter Me, filmed over six days in May 2025 to highlight the shelter's people, animals, programs and partnerships. The film is directed and executive produced by Steven Latham. Cincinnati Animal CARE says the documentary is expected to air on PBS at a later date, and the shelter has plans for additional holiday-season fundraising screenings.
Why the Shelter Needs the Boost
Cincinnati Animal CARE describes itself as Hamilton County's only open-intake animal shelter and the sole provider of animal services in the county. Since opening in August 2020, the organization says it has maintained a save rate above 90% while serving more than 50,000 animals. That track record has come under strain this year: the shelter hit what it called a code red in June, caring for nearly 900 animals with only 15 empty kennels the week before, according to WVXU.
The same report pointed to a substantial increase in owner-surrender requests, with the cost of living and cost of food cited as pressures pushing pet owners to give up animals they can no longer afford. July tends to be the shelter's busiest month for intakes, as fireworks and thunderstorms send frightened pets running and into the shelter's care, per the outlet's reporting.
A New Shelter Still Years Away
The crowding pressure is part of why Hamilton County Commissioners in 2024 authorized $10 million to purchase land for a new, state-of-the-art shelter, along with an additional $6.2 million to renovate the county's Dane Avenue overflow facility, according to CityBeat. The planned replacement is intended for an 80-acre site at Gray and Winton roads in the Spring Grove neighborhood, a significant upgrade from the shelter's current three-acre home on Colerain Avenue. The Dane Avenue renovation, meanwhile, is planned as a four-phase project focused on upgrading kennel systems, improving conditions for dogs and creating a more efficient layout for staff and volunteers.
For now, Wednesday's screenings offer a nearer-term boost. Every dollar from the 9 p.m. showing's $20 tickets is earmarked for Cincinnati Animal CARE, with organizers hoping the film's ticket sales help raise funds to support shelter operations and animal care services even as the county's longer-term building plans continue to take shape.
