Ohio

Northeast Ohio

Love on a Leash®

The Northeast Ohio chapter of Love on a Leash® was established in 2024 by Donna Stottlemyer. With a passion for pet therapy and community outreach, Donna helped bring together a small, dedicated group of volunteers who share the joy of visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and other local facilities. The Northeast Ohio chapter covers an extended area with Cleveland and Akron being the two largest cities along with many smaller cities and towns where teams provide pet therapy visits. Though the chapter is still putting down roots, its impact is already being felt throughout the region as more teams join Love on a Leash’s mission to provide comfort, connection, and smiles through the power of pet therapy.

Meet Our Chapter Leader

Donna had been looking forward to starting a Love on a Leash® chapter in Ohio ever since moving from Texas in June 2021. In Texas, she was the Rockwall/Royse City chapter leader until just before she moved, and was disappointed there was no local chapter near her new home.

Donna joined the Rockwall/Royse City (TX) chapter in 2013 with her first Irish Wolfhound, BreeAnna, and then certified her second Irish Wolfhound, Odin, in 2017. She was happy that her third certified Irish Wolfhound, Albus, could start the Northeast Ohio chapter. The chapter started forming one-by-one until they reached the five certified teams required to establish a new chapter.

The very first week the new chapter was registered on the Love on a Leash® website, Donna received a call from a lady interested in becoming certified with her dog, so that she could volunteer in USO events for the military. And so, the chapter continues to grow!

Volunteer teams visit nursing homes, and hospitals, and one team has children at a library reading aloud to him. Donna looks forward to growing her chapter and finding new locations that welcome therapy visits to bring joy and smiles to everyone!