10/22/2025
Yesterday morning we lost Evelyn Tkalec, an incredibly important person to the dogs at the Mahoning County Dog Warden. She passed away after facing some very recent health issues. We are all in such shock and disbelief that she is gone. It does not seem possible.
Back in 2010, Evelyn and her sisters decided to go to the dog pound and walk the dogs. This was when the building was on Industrial Road. The dogs were kept in cramped cages and the building was falling apart. There was nothing good that could be said about their environment. Seeing the nightmare that it was, her sister Shirley told Evelyn that she was not able to go back. She could not handle seeing the dogs like that. Evelyn did not accept that. She told Shirley that it was not about her. It was about the dogs. They were going back. They did just that and the very next year Evelyn was a huge part of the formation of Friends of Fido.
Over the years she has made thousands upon thousands of veterinary appointments for the dogs. The same can be said for transports to and from the vet in her own car and on her own time. She had found her passion back in 2010 when she walked through the doors of the dog pound and she lived that passion every day for over 15 years.
As a volunteer, Evelyn was on call 24/7. She was either taking a phone call from someone at the pound or making a phone call to the vet’s office to make an appointment. Evelyn also took dogs to training classes and picked up special prescriptions from pharmacies often.
She was the direct link between the staff at the pound and the veterinary offices. There were emergencies, messages of hope, good news, devastation and heartbreak. She went through it all with the staff at the Mahoning County Dog Warden with such calmness. She was a much needed comfort during so many chaotic days.
“It’s about the dogs”, is what she lived by. “It’s not about the money” was something that she stated often as well. It did not matter what it took to save a dog she knew that Friends of Fido would find a way. Evelyn volunteered at countless fundraisers over the years so that every dog in need had a chance.
Her determination to help the helpless was engrained in her when she first laid eyes on what the dogs were subjected to back in 2010. She kept that strength and perseverance until the day that she died.
Friends of Fido would not be what it is without her. It might not even exist if she had not made her sister Shirley return.
Evelyn was a force. We don’t think she had any idea how incredible she was. She was a 75 year old Superwoman. Truly one of a kind.
The members of Friends of Fido and the staff at the Mahoning County Dog Warden will forever be grateful for her selflessness and devotion to “our dogs”. Every day there will be something that reminds us of her. Every day we will feel her loss.
Heaven gained a true angel yesterday. We can only imagine the smile on her face when she saw so many pups all running in her direction to greet her.
Rest in peace dear Evelyn. We will take it from here. - FOF and MCDW
Her family is asking that donations be made to Friends Of Fido MCDP in her memory.
Friends of Fido
PO Box 2963
Youngstown, Ohio 44511
https://www.friendsoffidomahoning.org/
