YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Animal Charity Humane Society is now looking to area cities and municipalities for financial support.

Each year the Animal Charity Humane Society responds to about 12-hundred calls of abuse, neglect and abandonment in Mahoning County.

The non-profit is often thought of as an animal shelter, but the main mission of Animal Charity is to enforce criminal laws for animal abuse and neglect.

Two humane agents work for the charity, and of the eight jurisdictions they respond to, Youngstown makes up 67-percent of their calls.

"It seems to be possibly the economy, there are a lot of rental properties around the area too, so a lot of people get evicted, falling behind on rent, then move out and leaving animals behind," said Executive Director Talia Musolino.

The Charity is now going to Youngstown, as well as the other cities and villages they operate in, asking for help paying the salaries for their two humane agents. A total cost of about 46-thousand dollars.

"I don't think Youngstown should support the whole county so if it got pro-rated on an on going basis I think that would be the fairest way of handling it," said Chairman Gary Pilcher.

He warns, if the organization does not receive the financial help it needs, some of their services will be cut.

"Just decide there are certain calls we cant go on, certain types of charitable activities we can't provide anymore,"said Pilcher.

"Such as picking up injured cats and kittens that no one else can respond to, or animals that are left behind by owners who are deceased, hospitalized, or in custody," explained Musolino. "We do take those animal and incur those costs."

Those jobs would then becomes the responsibility of police officers, or the dog warden.

"Somebody has to perform this and if we don't do it then either YPD (Youngstown Police Department), or some other law enforcement agency will have to and if they don't have the time to do it then it just wont get done at all," said Pilcher.

21 News attempted to reach members of city council. Several did not return our calls, but those who did said while they recognize the importance of Animal Charity, more conversations need to take place before providing financial assistance.

Warning.. if they don't receive the financial help, some of their services will have to go...