Sarge recovers from six bullet wounds at the Lucas County Dog Pound, but he may not survive accusations of biting his owners.
(THE BLADE / JEREMY WADSWORTH)
From Sylvania to Alaska, dozens of dog lovers have expressed their support for an East Toledo German shepherd named Sarge who was shot six times in a cage last week and survived.
Several well-wishers have even offered him their loving homes.
“I have plenty of room and a big barn,” said Alana Yoder, who lives outside Dayton and read about Sarge's story on the Internet.
Yet those wishing to liberate the plucky pooch from the Lucas County pound where he's recovering may have to go through an intermediary, such as a rescue group.
County Dog Warden Julie Lyle said Thursday that Sarge is ineligible for direct adoption from the Lucas County pound because he has a record of biting.
“I don't see any situation in which I would be placing an adult, biting dog into a home directly from us,” Ms. Lyle said.
Paperwork on file with the warden says that on July 1, Sarge allegedly bit both his owner and the owner's girlfriend. The bites were reported to the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department by M ercy St. Charles Hospital, where the girlfriend sought treatment for bites on her right arm, leg, and buttocks.
Eight days later on July 9, owner Lawrence Mick, 57, of 631 Federal St., and a friend, Adam Collins, 35, of 317 River Place, are accused of having taken turns shooting the captive dog outside the Federal Street house. Neighbors recall hearing the animal howl in pain.
Sarge amazingly survived the six 25-caliber bullet wounds in his head and chest, and is recovering under Ms. Lyle's care at the pound. Toledo police arrested both men for animal cruelty, among other charges.
Sarge, in the yard of one of his original owners, Mario Kiezi of Point Place, is well-trained and generally friendly, Kiezi said.
(PROVIDED TO THE BLADE)
As news spread of Sarge's ordeal, dozens of people made phone calls and wrote e-mails to inquire about his future. But Ms. Lyle said that a direct adoption from her office won't happen.
Sarge is being held at the pound for the minimum 14 business days required by state law for licensed dogs. When that period is up at month's end, Ms. Lyle said she may temperament-test him to see if he shows aggressive tendencies. If his behavior is acceptable, he could then leave the pound via transfer to a rescue group.
Still, Ms. Lyle said it's too early to make promises about when or how Sarge might leave the pound, “because if he's considered a public-safety threat, we won't be in that situation — we will be euthanizing him.”
Ms. Yoder, whose police officer husband trains K-9 dogs, said she would love to bring Sarge to their 15-acre homestead in Xenia Township outside of Dayton. She said she called the dog warden's office Wednesday and was disappointed to learn that even someone like herself, who is aware of Sarge's past and willing to accept liability, can't offer him a home.
“I'm hoping against hope that they don't put the seventh bullet in him,” she said.
Nikki Morey, executive director of Planned Pethood Inc., a Toledo-area rescue group, said her group would need to know more about Sarge's temperament and the July 1 bites before deciding whether to seek his transfer from the pound.
“If he's got a bite history then we have a liability for ourselves, because if we get sued we're done,” she said.
John Dinon, executive director of the Toledo Area Humane Society, said that by policy they don't adopt out dogs with bite histories to the public.
“As much as we would like to help Sarge, I don't think we would be able to rehome him,” he said.
Mick's girlfriend, Melinda Perry, 51, told authorities that Sarge attacked her at home unprovoked as she sat in a chair. The dog bit her extremities as she raised her arm to guard her face. Mick was bitten as he tried to pull the dog off her, according to the report.
A woman who answered Ms. Perry's phone yesterday hung up on a reporter.
One of Sarge's original owners, Mario Kiezi, 20, of Point Place, was surprised by the purported circumstances of the July 1 bites.
“As a previous owner, I know Sarge would never bite a woman unless provoked,” Mr. Kiezi said in an interview. “He generally was a pretty friendly dog.”
Mr. Kiezi said his family got the dog as a pup from a Sandusky breeder about 3½ years ago and named him Sarge. He was very popular at his family's Navarre Carryout in Oregon, where customers often brought him treats.
As Sarge grew older, he received training in obedience and other skills that he could use at the store.
“We had him trained on a special word if he ever needed to attack,” Mr. Kiezi said, “but we never really used it.”
Mr. Kiezi said it was a sad day when they returned Sarge to the breeder about a year ago as three members of his family were expecting children. “We had a house filled with babies and we didn't want to take a chance with babies around,” he said.
Mick has been charged with cruelty to animals, discharging a firearm, inducing panic, obstructing official business, and having weapons after he had been convicted on drug charges.
He is being held at the Lucas County jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond and is to appear Monday before Toledo Municipal Judge Timothy Kuhlman.
Mr. Collins pleaded no contest in Toledo Municipal Court and was found guilty of cruelty to animals, inducing panic, giving false information to a police officer, and discharging a firearm. He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court July 21.
Toledo area animal shelters overcrowded this summer
The extreme heat can obviously be a big concern for pets, but summer also presents another problem - overcrowded shelters. The head of one local rescue group says they get hundreds of calls every week just about stray cats. The problem is there isn't enough room to take them all in, but there is a simple fix for the problem.
The animal emergency and critical care clinic is not a shelter, but the vets try to help find homes for animals brought to them when they can.
Dr. Kittsen McCumber says, "This kitten was found in a box with two other kittens that had already died. She was dehydrated, thin, sickly and had worms and she would have died if she hadn't been brought here for help, but there is no place for this kitty."
There are dozens of cats and dogs up for adoption at the Toledo Area Humane Society. The biggest problem is with cats. John Dinon with the Toledo Area Humane Society says, "We're getting 20-30 cats a day and we are not adopting that many out, so do the math. And we do have to euthanize for space and we are in contact with other rescue groups and everybody is full right now."
Planned Pethood is an animal rescue organization that helps find homes for dogs and cats. They get up to 200 calls a week about cats. "We're turning away people every day. We want people to come to us sooner rather than later for help so we can help them with some alternative solutions so they don't have their backs against a wall and have to get rid of the pet," says Nikki Morey of Planned Pethood.
Like other rescue groups, the Lucas County dog pound is always at or near capacity during the summer months, but there is a simple solution. Lucas County dog warden Julie Lyle says, "We need to spay and neuter our pets so they are not out running loose and being part of the problem."
Below are links to the Humane Ohio website and all the other groups in our area:
Maddy Manz, 5, of Syracuse, N.Y., cuddles Ace the Siberian Husky as Maddy's mom, Gina Manz, looks on at the Dog Days of Summer event at the Imagination Station in downtown Toledo.
( THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT )
Yipping and barking drowned out the usual background noise of children's chatter Saturday during a two-day canine adoption event at the Imagination Station in downtown Toledo.
"I think this is great," said Rick Smith, 31, of Holland. "It shows that there are so many different dogs out there that need a good home. … It gives you a choice if you want to adopt a dog rather than to just go to puppy-mill places."
Mr. Smith was among scores of people looking at dogs being showcased for adoption by several area rescue shelters at the free event, which continues from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
He was there to adopt an Italian greyhound and look at others, he said.
While showing dogs for the first time at the Imagination Station's Dog Days of Summer event, shelter representatives also were demonstrating how to train pups, keep them healthy, groom them, feed them, and clean after them.
Lisa Gardner, special events manager for the Imagination Station, said she conceived the idea for the event in February.
The dog owner said there is science behind both adopting and training dogs. "I was just looking at organic dog treats, to be honest, the science behind it, why they are healthier for your dog," she recalled.
"I started to research it, and I was going to do an event around organic dog treats, and then from that I thought, 'You know what? Why not blow it up and invite other organizations down here and promote dog adoption and dog training along with it?'"
Heather Smith of Holland comforts a frightened Italian Greyhound. Dogs from the breed were candidates for adoption at the Imagination Station event.
( THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT )
Participants in the event in-clude Planned Pethood, Hairy Houdini Husky Rescue, Herr Pet Training, Scoop-It Pet Waste Removal, Bubble and Bones, Assistance Dogs of America Inc., Fur Kids Rescue, Golden Retriever Rescue, Italian Greyhound Rescue of Northwest Ohio, and Humane Ohio Spay/Neuter Clinic.
Those wishing to adopt dogs are able to fill out paperwork during the event so shelter representatives can run background checks to determine whether they qualify for adopting.
Heather Luedecke, the northern Ohio representative of the Italian Greyhound Rescue of Ohio, said her organization does reference and veterinary checks on those who want to adopt and also visits their homes.
That helps the rescue group weed out those who don't keep their dogs up to date on vaccinations or spay or neuter their current pets, as well as those who live in apartment complexes where dogs are not allowed or who don't understand the peculiarities of the breed, she said.
Contact Mike Sigov at:
sigov@theblade.com
or 419-724-6089.
Ohio House Agriculture and Resources Committee scheduled a hearing on April 14th for HB 79.
Finally! On Wednesday April 14th, the Ohio House Agriculture and Resources Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 79. Your State Representatives need to hear from you. Ohio is the only state in the union that defined pit bull terriers as vicious regardless of behavior. Now is the time to change this and save the lives of good, loving innocent dogs. Vote Yes on HB 79!
Previously, we reported the news that Rep. Barbara Sears introduced a bill, (HB 79), that would remove the sentence that arbitrarily defined pit bulls as inherently vicious. You can read that article here.
A hearing is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 14th in the House Agriculture and Resources Committee. Ohio residents, your legislators and the committee members need to hear from you. The hearing is at 9:30am in Statehouse Room 18. Anyone who wishes to speak must bring 30 copies of their testimony and is limited to three pages.
What the members of the committee need to hear is that by canine profiling - arbitrarily judging a dog by its subjective appearance - the State is interfering with an individual right to own property. Citizens of Ohio should be able to own whatever breed or mixed breed of dog they choose without government interference.
What you can do:
Citizens of Ohio are asked to please write to the members of the House Agriculture and Resources committee and ask them to support HB 79:
Rep. John Domenick (Chair)
77 S. High Street, 12th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-3735
Fax: (614) 719-6995
E-mail: district95@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Allan Sayre (Vice Chair)
77 S. High Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8035
Fax: (614) 719-6996
E-mail: district96@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Jeff Wagner (Ranking Minority Member)
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1374
Fax: (614) 719-6981
E-mail: district81@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Richard Adams
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8114
Fax: (614) 719-3979
E-mail: district79@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Troy Balderson
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-6014
Fax: (614) 719-6994
E-mail: district94@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Linda Bolon
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8022
Fax: (614) 719-6971
E-mail: district01@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Terry Boose
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-9628
Fax: (614) 719-3958
E-mail: district58@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Timothy Derickson
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-5094
Fax: (614) 719-6953
E-mail: district53@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Dan Dodd
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2500
Fax: (614) 719-6991
E-mail: district91@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Matthew Dolan
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-5088
Fax: (614) 719-6998
E-mail: district98@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Jennifer Garrison
77 S. High Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-8728
Fax: (614) 719-6993
E-mail: district93@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Dave Hall
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2994
Fax: (614) 719-6997
E-mail: district97@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Dennis Murray
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-6011
Fax: (614) 719-6980
E-mail: district80@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Deborah Newcomb
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1405
Fax: (614) 719-6999
E-mail: district99@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Mark Okey
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1464
Fax: (614) 719-3961
E-mail: district61@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Raymond Pryor
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-7928
Fax: (614) 719-6985
E-mail: district85@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. Margaret Ruhl
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1431
Fax: (614) 719-6990
E-mail: district90@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. W. Carlton Weddington
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-5343
Fax: (614) 719-3581
E-mail: district27@ohr.state.oh.us
Rep. James Zehringer
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-6344
Fax: (614) 719-3977
E-mail: district77@ohr.state.oh.us
Please visit the original story for talking points.
A pit bull released from the Lucas County Dog Warden's Office on December 14th is one lucky puppy. The adoption of pit bull terriers and pit bull-type dogs has long been prohibited by dog warden Tom Skeldon. Because Skeldon will retire as of January 31st, and has already left office, it is possible that the release of the puppy on December 14th will set a new precedent for Lucas County.
Nikki Morey, Executive Director of Planned Pethood, an all-breed rescue based in Toledo, is waiting to see whether the regime change will lead to a positive change in the way that dogs - including pit bull terriers - are treated by Lucas County, which operates separately from the city of Toledo.
Currently, the Dog Warden's Office has a reputation of low adoption numbers, high euthanasia rates, and an unwillingness to work with all-breed rescues, with the exception of the Toledo Area Humane Society. In 2009, 3,000 voters signed a petition calling for change; and they won an important concession. On November 24th, County Commissioners passed a moratorium on the euthanasia of puppies under three months of age.
When Morey went to the shelter on December 14th, her agenda was "to leave with a dog." However, once she saw the female pit bull terrier puppy, "that became the agenda." Though the moratorium protected the puppy from immediate euthanization, Morey feared that she would be in danger as soon as she reached three months and a day.
Determined not to leave until the puppy was freed, Morey waited in the lobby for more than four hours, while an assistant to Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop, and representatives of the Toledo Area Humane Society, negotiated with pound officials. The puppy was finally released to the Humane Society and transferred to Morey in the parking lot.
Once deemed blind and unadoptable by the Lucas County Dog Warden's Office, the puppy certainly has a new lease on life. "Her vision is fine, and lots of people wanted to adopt her," Morey says. One special family did adopt her, on Sunday, January 10th. Dr. Bob Esplin, a local veterinarian, sensitive to the plight of pit bull terriers, threw a "pittie party" to celebrate the official adoption of the puppy now named Liberty.
So far, Liberty has been the only one of her kind to leave the Dog Warden's Office and to find a loving home; the future of pit bulls in Lucas County is still obscure. Since the November 24th moratorium that saved the young pup's life, the Lucas County Commissioners - Pete Gerken, Tina Skelton Wozniak (first-cousin to Tom Skeldon), and Ben Konop - voted 2-1 to not allow pit bull puppies to be released from the Dog Warden's Office. Konop was the only hold-out against the policy of euthanizing pit bulls, and the only Commissioner to attend Liberty's adoption party. (Liberty's adoption party pictured on left.)
Despite this setback, Nikki Morey is cautiously optimistic that Tom Skeldon's replacement will overhaul the system and bring Lucas County more in line with other Ohio counties. She would like to see the new Dog Warden expand adoption hours and promote low-cost spay and neuter clinics. And she says that people are starting to become proactive about the way that pit bulls terriers are treated. "People are starting to pay attention to [the officials] they support."
In addition to the spread of public awareness, more and more rescues like Planned Pethood are taking in pit bulls and becoming more vocal about it. Organizations like 4 Lucas County Pets and Ohio Coalition Of Dog Advocates are joining the battle against Breed-Discriminatory Legislation (BDL).
People can help by becoming informed citizens and dog owners. Learning the local rules and regulations governing dog ownership is crucial to preventing the spread of BDL. The climate in Lucas County might be difficult to change, but an informed and proactive citizenry can help facilitate that change in Ohio and beyond.
How You Can Help
Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara requested a committee charged with oversight of the Lucas County Dog Warden examine and evaluate the city's law for "vicious dogs." For more information,
please click here.
Those interested in joining the advisory task force can e-mail Mr. Steel at steven.steel@toledo.oh.gov or send a letter to his attention to One Government Center, 640 Jackson Suite 2200, Toledo, OH, 43604
The leader of the Toledo-area rescue group Planned Pethood Inc. was thrilled last month when Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon was prohibited from killing puppies, but Monday her happiness turned to outrage.
The Lucas County board of commissioners unanimously extended from Dec. 31 to March 1 a moratorium preventing the dog warden from killing dogs up to 3 months old, but "pit bull" puppies will not get the same protection.
"I would like to see the dog pound operate like other dog pounds around Ohio, and for it to be less restrictive and more open to the adoption of all animals, regardless of breed," said Nikki Morey, Planned Pethood executive director.
The moratorium was first enacted by commissioners on Nov. 24.
Commission President Pete Gerken yesterday proposed that legislation include a measure prohibiting the adoption of "pit bull" puppies.
The commissioners then voted 2-1 to approve Mr. Gerken's amendment to the moratorium extension. Commissioner Ben Konop cast the no vote.
"I think we have a long-standing policy against adopting out 'pit bulls,'" Mr. Gerken said. "We are not going to euthanize 'pit bull' puppies, but we are going to control those dogs at the pound."
Mr. Konop argued that the amendment would allow for the warden to keep "pit bull" puppies at the pound until they are older than 3 months and then have those dogs euthanized.
"They are going to keep the puppies until they are determined to be 3 months and 1 day old, and then [they] can be killed," he said. "Nothing in the Ohio Revised Code prevents the dog warden office from adopting out 'pit bull' puppies or any 'pit bulls.'"
Jean Keating, co-founder of the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, said the amendment Mr. Gerken made and that Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak supported is a loophole to delay the euthanasia of dogs deemed to be "pit bulls."
"We were definitely making steps in the right direction," Ms. Keating said. "Vicious dogs are made vicious by people. Pete Gerken has no qualifications in his background about what dogs live and what dogs die."
Toledo City Council President Joe McNamara took issue with the county commissioners' vote yesterday.
"No 3-month-old puppy is a threat to public safety," Mr. McNamara said. "The decision by the Lucas County Commissioners to exclude so-called 'pit bull' breeds from their extended moratorium is disappointing and should be reconsidered."
Mr. Skeldon has had a long-standing policy against adopting or transferring out any "pit bulls" from the pound. Mr. Skeldon is to leave office at year's end and retire on Jan. 31.
Mr. Konop yesterday referred to a "pit bull" puppy that on Dec. 14 avoided death at the pound after transfer to a rescue group.
The milk-chocolate brown puppy, a female that has since been named Liberty, arrived at the pound on Nov. 25 after Toledo police found her "confined in a fecal-covered portable kennel" while they were serving a warrant at 721 Spring St. in North Toledo.
The puppy was placed in the pound's isolation area because kennel workers believed she was sick and feared that she could be blind because her eyes were cloudy. Under traditional circumstances, the puppy could have soon been euthanized.
But the puppy made it through and was placed into the care of Planned Pethood because of the moratorium against puppy killing at the pound.
The dog is now living with a foster family.
Once a "pit bull" dog reaches 3 months of age, there are no restrictions against Mr. Skeldon's practice of killing all adult "pit bulls" regardless of behavior.
A "pit bull" is a generic descriptive term for a dog trained to fight and may refer to multiple breeds, including the American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, and other mixed breeds that Mr. Skeldon can determine to be "pit bulls." Ohio law considers "pit bulls" inherently vicious.
In November, the commissioners adopted the recommendation of the Dog Warden's Citizen Advisory Committee to end puppy euthanasia through the end of 2009. The only exception would be puppies that are ill, as determined by a veterinarian.
The advisory committee specifically included "pit bulls" in the moratorium for two reasons - because no 3-month-old puppy of any breed would be a threat to people and because it is too difficult to determine that such a young dog is a "pit bull."
In other business, the commissioners yesterday voted 3-0 to approve a policy against nepotism.
The policy says no one who is a family member of a commissioner will be considered for hire as a county employee.
It does not affect anyone currently employed by the county. If a commissioner's relative is already employed by the county, that commissioner will not vote on any personnel issue regarding his or her relative, it states.
Mr. Konop, who wrote the legislation, acknowledged that it affected him.
Dennis Isenberg, the son of former Lucas County Commissioner Sandy Isenberg and a cousin of Mr. Konop, was hired as an outside contractor by the county sheriff's office to do "drive-by" appraisals of foreclosed properties. He was the highest-paid appraiser last year, taking in $150,342.
Ms. Wozniak has been criticized by Mr. Konop because of allegations that she protected her cousin, Mr. Skeldon, in his job as Lucas County dog warden in the face of complaints about the low rate of dog adoption.
Ms. Wozniak and Mr. Gerken voted against firing Mr. Skeldon on Nov. 10, with Mr. Konop voting to dismiss him.
Mr. Konop said his relationship to Mr. Isenberg has never been the subject of a vote of the commissioners and that he would recuse himself if it did, as he has "implored" Ms. Wozniak to do in connection with her own cousin.
LITTLE CANINE GETS A REPRIEVE
'Pit bull' pup freed from Lucas County Pound
Konop applauds transfer to rescue group transfer
A puppy Monday escaped an almost certain death at the Lucas County Dog Warden's Office and is now in the care of an animal rescue group after a rare transfer of a "pit bull"-type dog out of the county's pound.
"I think this has set a precedent", said Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop, who supports adoption of "pit bull" puppies to responsible dog owners. "There is no such thing as a vicious puppy. If this didn't happen today, the dog would have been euthanized probably in a month or two, so this is a victory for the decent treatment of animals."
The milk chocolate brown puppy, a female, arrived at the pound on Nov. 25 after Toledo police found her "confined in a nasty fecal-covered portable kennel" while serving a warrant at 721 Spring St. in North Toledo.
The puppy was placed in the pound's isolation area because kennel workers believed she was sick and feared that she could be blind because her eyes were cloudy.
Under traditional circumstances, the puppy could have soon faced euthanasia under
Dog Warden Tom Skeldon's longstanding policy against adopting or transferring out any "pit bulls" from the pound. Mr. Skeldon is to leave office at year-end and retire Jan. 31.
But the puppy made it through yesterday - and into the care of Planned Pethood Inc. - thanks to the county's recently adopted moratorium against puppy killing at the pound. County commissioners passed the moratorium Nov. 24, the day before the pup was picked up.
Once a "pit bull" dog reaches 3 months of age, there are no restrictions against Mr. Skeldon's practice of killing all adult "pit bulls" regardless of behavior.
'This is a victory for the decent treatment of animals,' says County Commissioner Ben Konop.
A "pit bull" is a generic descriptive term for a dog trained to fight and may refer to multiple breeds, including the American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, and other mixed breeds that Mr. Skeldon can determine to be "pit bulls". Ohio law considers "pit bulls" inherently vicious.
Nikki Morey, executive director of rescue group Planned Pethood, visited the pound yesterday to inquire about a litter of non-"pit bull" puppies that she said she heard were there.
All but one of those puppies had been adopted already, she said. Ms. Morey said she was browsing the pound's isolation area for the unadopted pup, which was sick, when she noticed the brown "pit bull" mix puppy. The dog looked like it could be part weimaraner, she said.
At first, pound officials wouldn't give Ms. Morey the dog. Not only does Mr. Skeldon forbid adopting out "pit bulls", but he refuses to give any dogs to "all-breed" rescue groups aside from the Toledo Area Humane Society.
So Ms. Morey enlisted the help of Mr. Konop, who sent a staff member to the pound to help her get the dog. After a several-hour standoff, the dog warden's office agreed to transfer the "pit bull" to John Dinon, the humane society's executive director, who could then transfer the puppy to Ms. Morey.
Mr. Konop noted yesterday how the moratorium resolution passed last month also required the pound to "make every effort to see that healthy puppies surrendered to the county are adopted or transferred to the Toledo Area Humane Society and area rescue centers."
Although initially reluctant to break from past policy to have the "pit bull" leave the pound, Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak explained in a statement yesterday afternoon that "we chose to give this puppy to the humane society after the county consulted with John Dinon about its health and adoptability."
While signing the dog transfer papers, Mr. Dinon said the occasion marked the first time in recent memory that the humane society received a "pit bull" from the dog warden.
"This is a little bit unusual, and I think we need to work out a procedure so it's not an event every time dogs get transferred", he said.
The pup seemed to have largely recovered from its illness and regained much of its vision. Mr. Dinon carried her out in a dog carrier, which he set down in the parking lot beside Ms. Morey's vehicle. Ms. Morey then loaded the dog into a cage in the back of her vehicle.
Ms. Morey said the puppy will live with a foster family while the organization looks to find a new, permanent home for her with a responsible owner.
Dog warden: There's no dog killing controversy within Fulton County
An uproar in Lucas County over what Commissioner Ben Konop and other administrators consider an excessive number of unmerited dog euthanizations has led to the announced retirement of embattled Dog Warden Tom Skeldon.
His brother, Fulton County Dog Warden Pete Skeldon, said there's no controversy locally. Not only does his office maintain an acceptable 28 percent rate of euthanasia, but he also has administrative and public support.
"We'll have people complain when we have to go out and tranquilize a vicious dog. We don't have complaints about killing somebody's dog," he said.
The main differences between the two counties is Fulton County's more rural locality and the fact that "this isn't Toledo. Fifty percent of the dogs that come in here are not pit bulls," Skeldon said.
In Ohio it is illegal for county dog pounds to adopt out pit bulls due to their vicious reputation. A vicious dog is described as any dog that has bitten unprovoked, killed another dog or can be described as a pit bull or pit bull mix.
Of the sometimes nearly 1,000 animals the dog pound takes in each year, about 600 - or close to 65 percent - are strays, and about 400 of those find new homes. About 100 dogs taken in each year are a pit bull variety.
Between Jan. 3 and Oct. 24 this year, the county dog pound collected 728 dogs. Of those, 74 were reclaimed by their owners, 19 were sold or adopted out and 190 were claimed by Planned Pethood.
A total of 309 others were euthanized. They included vicious dogs, 97 dogs surrendered by owners who paid a $50 euthanization fee, ill and injured dogs and about 55 dogs brought from the Williams County dog pound to be cremated. About 75 of the dogs were pit bulls or pit bull mixes.
Of the 28 percent euthanized each year, 95 percent fall into one of those categories. The most recent euthanization occurred Oct. 29.
Skeldon said once an owner pays to have a dog euthanized it cannot by law be adopted.
Otherwise, "if the temperament on a dog is good ... it's not sick, it's not injured, we adopt them out," he said.
And there are many that qualify for adoption. People seem to think abandoning dogs in rural areas gives the animals a greater chance of survival or to be rescued quickly, Skeldon said.
A dog wearing a license will be returned to its owner. The dog pound is required by law to keep those without a license for three days before they can be adopted.
There have been cases in which the county dog pound kept strays for two or three months with the hope of adopting them out, Skeldon said. Planned Pethood can usually take them about 10 days after they're brought in.
"But something's got to happen somewhere down the line," Skeldon said. "Sometimes a decision has to be made after you've put forth a good effort to find it a home."
He said the euthanization process "is more humane than what hospitals do to people. (The dogs) feel nothing."
Still, the percentage of healthy dogs the county must eventually euthanize remains very small, he added. Most rural counties have fairly good numbers among dogs that are saved.
Planned Pethood, a rescue and adoption agency for pets begun in northwest Ohio 30 years ago, takes 150 to 250 dogs a year from the dog pound. Executive Director Nikki Morey said without their intervention many of those dogs would probably be euthanized.
"Without rescues their options are very limited," she said. "If you don't have somebody working aggressively marketing the dog, you're limiting its options by limiting its exposure. We have a great relationship with the Fulton County dog warden."
During his 15 years as dog warden, Skeldon has never received a complaint regarding the number of dogs euthanized. Now and again a county commissioner will relay a resident's complaint over how a situation was handled, he said. But the commissioners receive a weekly report on the dog pound's operation.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time we have done it correctly and by the law, without incident," Skeldon said. "They know that we don't kill because we like killing dogs. We'd much rather see them leave the building."
County Commissioner Dean Genter said no public complaints have been filed about unnecessary euthanizations.
"I don't think it's an issue here in Fulton County. If it was an issue, I would complain," he said.
He praised Skeldon's working relationship with Planned Pethood, saying, "Financially, we can only keep a good dog so long."
Lucas County dog death toll rises as controversy swirls
Warden's records show 70 breeds hit by agency extermination policy
By JC REINDL
BLADE STAFF WRITER
There were candlelight vigils, calls for resignations, and reports that fewer dogs should be killed by Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon, but the warden says he's doing a fine job and that "criminal elements" are part of the opposition against him.
Animal-rights groups say Mr. Skeldon refuses to work with them and is focused on killing dogs.
Almost lost in the controversy are the thousands of dogs killed each year by Mr. Skeldon's office - 2,483 last year and 1,848 so far this year, based on a Blade review of records in the dog warden's office.
From the 145 Labrador retrievers to the single Welsh Corgi, a favorite breed of Queen Elizabeth II, dozens of unwanted dogs are chemically injected each week, frozen in room-sized freezers at the pound, and buried in area landfills.
Dog Warden Tom Skeldon talks about his office's policies
The Blade review found that so far this year, about 70 breeds were represented in the kill records - from the 131 German shepherds, 88 Chows, 38 Beagles, 31 Cocker Spaniels, and 16 Shar-peis, to the 16 Chihuahuas, 12 miniature pinschers, 11 Jack Russell terriers, 7 pugs, and 5 Lhasa Apsos.
The continued killing is at the center of recent calls for the warden to shape up or step down.
In the eyes of animal-rescue activists and members of a county dog warden oversight committee, the numbers show Mr. Skeldon is putting down too many dogs and not adopting out enough to new homes.
The county killed either 77 percent or 66 percent of all dogs that entered the pound last year, depending on how one counts the number of animals reclaimed by owners. Mr. Skeldon prefers the counting method leading to the lower number.
But something not in dispute is that Lucas County's dog adoption rate was 13 percent, much lower than in neighboring counties.
As Mr. Skeldon sees it, his adoption and kill rates are "statistically glowing," and those calling for his resignation are misguided.
He said his critics must consider how his primary duties as dog warden are law enforcement and protecting people from dogs, not dogs from people. He also noted that the pound's kill rate has gradually declined through the decades after topping 10,000 a year in the 1970s, when the pound was run by the Toledo Humane Society.
The 'pit bull' issue
Mr. Skeldon insisted that his staff euthanizes only the lamest, oldest, meanest, and most incorrigible of the dogs in their care. Except for the so-called "pit bulls."
Every "pit bull" without a legal owner is killed, the warden said, no matter if it is vicious or not, no matter if it is the smallest puppy and has never bitten anyone.
They all end up the same: killed, frozen, and buried, except for perhaps eight times a year, especially when the weather is treacherous or area police agencies need to incinerate confiscated illegal drugs. Dead dogs then will be disposed of in the pound's on-site incinerator.
It seems, according to pound officials, that it takes several dog bodies thrown onto the fire to make it hot enough to properly burn the marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and paraphernalia that police need to dispose of several times a year.
"Now there are some dogs here that are not 'pit bulls,' that haven't been hit by a car, aren't sick, and haven't been surrendered by their owners … that do get euthanized," Mr. Skeldon explained. "But they're dogs who are snapping and snarling at you and won't let you take them out of the cage. They're the dogs that would be a danger for us to put out there."
Staying the course
The dog warden discussed his observations, procedures, and job record last week in an exclusive Blade interview. He addressed the claims of those who say that he is too quick to kill dogs and those who argue he is resistant to suggestions that would improve pound operations and the overall welfare of Lucas County's dogs.
Mr. Skeldon, who has been warden since 1987 and is the son of former Toledo Zoo Director Phil Skeldon, also said that he will not step down from his job and vowed to stay the course until his planned retirement, "sometime in 2011."
"They can come at me hot and heavy, but I'm not going to stop doing my job," he said. A first cousin, Tina Skeldon-Wozniak, sits on the Lucas County Board of Commissioners.
The Blade review of his agency's records found that so far this year, 78 puppies under three months of age were among the 1,848 dogs put down.
The most common breed on this year's kill list - as it is year after year - is the "pit bull," a type of dog considered inherently vicious under Ohio law and that Mr. Skeldon refuses to adopt out to individuals or rescue groups.
Breed- specific battles
The dog warden's office has killed at least 932 "pit bulls" or "pit bull" mixes this year, including 46 "pit bull" pups.
"He is so focused on this outright vendetta against 'pit bulls,'•" said Jean Keating, co-founder of the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, which believes breed-specific legislation or enforcement action is ineffective and punishes responsible dog owners.
The coalition held a candlelight vigil last month outside the county pound near downtown Toledo to pay respect to all the dogs that have died there. Members of the group have called for the warden's resignation, as has Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop.
"Tom is doing a lot of things it seems by the seat of his pants in determining what dogs are going to live and what dogs are going to die," Mr. Konop said. "I've given him a couple years to reform things there, and I have just not seen the progress the community deserves."
However, Barb Knapp, president of the Ohio County Dog Wardens' Association, said she fears Mr. Skeldon is being targeted for simply carrying out the duties of an all-too-often thankless job.
"We're employed to protect the public," said Ms. Knapp, who is dog warden of Erie County.
On some fronts, Mr. Skeldon believes he has been scapegoated by "pit bull" advocates who are taking out on him their frustrations with state and city of Toledo laws regarding vicious dogs.
The term "pit bull" comes from 19th-century Britain and describes several breeds of dogs, including the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier, and many mongrels.
Toledo residents are prohibited from owning more than one "pit bull" and must keep their animals leashed and muzzled when outside the owner's premises. Animal-welfare groups say Ohio is the only state where every "pit bull" is by law deemed inherently vicious, regardless of behavior.
"I think I have made the 'pit bull' lobby, locally, nationally, and internationally, unhappy because of court decisions we have won and the numbers we show through vigorous enforcement of the law," said Mr. Skeldon, who suggested a "criminal element" is present in groups such as the Ohio coalition of dog advocates that vigorously defend pit bull ownership.
"There is a criminal element that's part of it," the warden said. "No one who has been obeying the law as 'pit bulls' are concerned is bothered by me."
The Rottweiler issue
Mr. Skeldon said he considers the Rottweiler breed to be potentially vicious, which is why he refuses to place Rottweilers in the pound's adoption area for the general public.
"We'll adopt out a good Rottweiler," he explained. "But if we put a Rottweiler in the adoption area, I'll get gang bangers [gang members] coming through here kicking the cage, seeing if he's mean enough for them to want to adopt."
Paul Hubbard, a past president of the Greater Toledo Urban League, said Mr. Skeldon's use of the term "gang bangers" is an unfortunate choice of words that could be construed as a racial remark.
"I think it kind of stereotypes black youth because oftentimes when that word is used, the image in people's minds is kids with their pants hanging too low," he said. "It probably would have been better to say people involved in dogfights or using dogs in the wrong way."
Mr. Skeldon's refusal to allow placement of Rottweilers in the public adoption part of the county dog pound may be the reason their kill numbers are so high. The breed is sixth-highest on the pound's kill list so far this year, with 60 put down through October.
Mona Guinaugh of South Toledo, who owns two Rottweilers and boards Rottweilers for the animal rescue group Planned Pethood, said Rottweilers that come from an abusive environment can be rehabilitated.
She said her Rottweilers came from surrounding county dog pounds because Mr. Skeldon will not adopt out the dogs to her group.
"Whenever we can pull these from those pounds, we do," she said. "Just like with any dog, Rottweilers are very intelligent and they are very loyal and they just need the right type of owner."
Ms. Keating objected to Mr. Skeldon's characterization of her coalition group as including a "criminal element" and said that its members are considerably more focused on issues such as decreasing the pound's euthanasia rate.
"The 'pit bulls' is just one issue, and he always wants to focus on the 'pit bulls' - a lot of people in our group don't even own 'pit bulls,'•" she said.
The pound
The dog warden's office is mostly supported by proceeds from the roughly 62,500 dog licenses issued in Lucas County. The annual licenses carry a $25 fee, the highest in Ohio, according to Mr. Skeldon, who has an annual salary of $69,097.
The office does not receive money from the county's general fund.
Dogs find their way into the warden's kennels in several ways, including impoundment and owner surrender.
Those owning unlicensed dogs have at least three full days to come in and claim their pets. Dogs with licenses are kept for at least 14 business days.
Once those periods elapse, dog pound officials determine whether a dog is a candidate for adoption.
They check the dog's health and behavior, observe the animal while it's fed, walked, and played with.
Visitors are often surprised to learn about one of the county's most definitive temperament tests: a squeeze of the genitals.
"A dog that will allow you to do that is a dog that isn't going to bite some kid who happens to step on his toe," Mr. Skeldon explained.
The 'blue mile'
The decision on which dogs are fit for adoption lies mostly with Pound Manager Bonnie Mitchell, who started the job in 2008, after stints as Mr. Skeldon's executive assistant and office dispatcher.
She provided The Blade a tour of the county dog pound last week, including a walk down the "blue mile," the blue-floored kennel run reserved for dogs about to be euthanized.
Tuesdays and Fridays are "kill days" at the pound. Last week, several dogs were awaiting their fate, including a comely older chocolate-colored cocker spaniel named Buddy, who had been left at the pound by its owners to be put down.
Ms. Mitchell said Buddy had a heart condition and had serious trouble with vision.
Although Ms. Mitchell is not a vet technician, Mr. Skeldon said she has years of experience in veterinarian offices and years of dealing daily with dogs and is doing an excellent job.
To properly certify her for her post, she took two courses - tranquilizing animals and euthanizing them.
The humane option
The adoptable dogs that aren't adopted after about two weeks are transferred to the Toledo Area Humane Society, where they're put up for adoption again.
This arrangement came about in a contract between the two organizations struck in the early 2000s. The humane society receives the dogs free of charge and in exchange provides spay and neutering services for the pound for a fee - $65 a dog in 2010.
John Dinon, the humane society's executive director, said his organization has received 281 dogs from the warden so far this year, up from the 258 it received last year. As long as those dogs remain healthy and friendly, they will find homes, he said.
"We have a 100 percent adoption rate on adoptable dogs here at the humane society," Mr. Dinon said.
Mr. Dinon, who is also a member of the volunteer dog warden advisory committee, said the society could take in more dogs than Mr. Skeldon is giving. In fact, the society is importing dogs from Hardin, Carroll, Franklin, and Montgomery counties because it can't get enough here. "Can they [the Lucas County pound] send us more dogs? From a capacity point of view, absolutely. We accept every dog that the Lucas County dog warden offers us," he said.
Mr. Dinon continued: "It seems to me that the main way they could increase adoptions or transfers from there is if they determine that more dogs are adoptable. I'm not sure how many dogs they handle that they do not deem adoptable that we would, but my suspicion is that there are some dogs that we would deem adoptable that they do not."
Mr. Skeldon disputed the humane society's insistence that it has accepted every dog offered by his office. He also dismissed Mr. Konop's allegation of needlessly killing adoptable dogs.
"Neither of those people know what they're talking about - Ben Konop or John Dinon - when it comes to what we do down here," the warden said.
More adoptions?
It is tricky to make comparisons between the kill rates of dog warden agencies throughout the state because of caveats in each organization's procedures. However, a survey conducted by the Ohio State University college of veterinary medicine estimated that 46 percent of all dogs handled by state animal care and control agencies were euthanized in 2004, down from 61 percent in 1996.
To reduce euthanasia rates and increase adoptions in Lucas County, Commissioner Pete Gerken recently proposed that the humane society review all nonvicious dogs at the county pound after the three-day and 14-day waiting periods.
All dogs deemed adoptable would be transferred to the society's kennel and put up for adoption there. The humane society's board members are to discuss this proposal at their regular meeting this month, Mr. Dinon said.
For his part, Mr. Skeldon said he has no problem with Mr. Gerken's proposal. However, he expressed doubt that the humane society would get on board. "I would predict they'll moonwalk away from that [proposal]," Mr. Skeldon said, "because the guy who takes over that job will be targeted because then he'll be the bad guy who is making decisions on whether dogs live or die."
Possible changes
The dog warden oversight committee last month presented its first four recommendations aimed at improving operations at the pound. To increase adoptions, some committee members are considering whether to ask Mr. Skeldon to change his policy against transferring adoptable dogs to "all-breed" rescue groups aside from the humane society.
Many animal rescue groups probably would jump at the chance to accept the dogs, said Nikki Morey, executive director of Planned Pethood, which has tried for years to persuade Mr. Skeldon to reverse his policy against rescue groups.
But Mr. Skeldon said the policy is there for a reason.
"The trouble with the multibreed rescue groups is that in the past they wanted to come through and shop and cherry-pick," he said. "In other words, they all wanted the sweet little dog. They don't want the bigger, older dog. And so I would end up with vying groups all claiming one dog at the same time."
Moreover, Mr. Skeldon said he doubts that his critics would be able to reduce the euthanasia rate at the point any more than he has over his 23 years at the job. "When I came into this job we were picking up way, way, way more dogs than we do now, and we were having to euthanize a whole lot more dogs than we have to euthanize now," Mr. Skeldon said. "They assume that they would adopt out more dogs than we do. I would argue they wouldn't. I think they would make the same decisions if they were in my position as I make."
Thanks to The Blade for its continuing efforts to educate their readers on the plight of Lucas County dogs.
As executive director of the Toledo area all-breed rescue Planned Pethood, I would like to respond to Tom Skeldon's quote in Sunday's Blade, where he said he is unwilling to work with all-breed rescues because they will “cherry pick” the “sweet, small” dogs.
Yes, those dogs are generally adopted out very quickly and so they should never be euthanized as unwanted. Planned Pethood's rescue efforts are by no means limited to only small, high-demand dogs, however.
As our Web site shows, every week we find homes for big dogs, mixed breed dogs, older dogs, dogs with health problems, even dogs with behavioral problems short of aggression, all of which come from local pounds, with the exception of Lucas County.
While other Toledo-area rescues (including the Toledo Area Humane Society) bring in dogs from other parts of the state and even farther away, our efforts are completely focused on northwest Ohio dogs.
We believe that as long as even one nice northwest Ohio dog is being put down because there is no rescue or shelter space available to save its life, there is no reason to look elsewhere for dogs to save.
We look forward to a time when everyone's efforts on behalf of the dogs in our county pay off in the way that matters most: by giving as many dogs as possible the second chance they deserve.
The growing feral cat population in Lucas County is a major concern for Planned Pethood. Executive director Nikki Morey said she is determined to fight it with or without the support of tax dollars.
Planned Pethood, a nonprofit organization with the mission of reducing overpopulation of cats and dogs, aims to get a handle on this growing pet population by providing the community with low-cost spay and neutering.
The organization has been implementing programs like these for the past 30 years.
“There are currently 71,000 free roaming feral cats in Lucas County alone,” Morey said. “And, unfortunately, our tax dollars aren’t spent on cats, only dogs.”
According to the Lucas County dog warden’s Web site, cats are not permitted in the facility due to “health concerns.”
Morey said there are many benefits beyond population control for their spaying and neutering program.
“We trap them neuter them and then release them to the areas where they came from. If you release the cats, it stops fighting and spraying. Then, you have our rodent population under control and no new cats.” she said.
Planned Pethood stresses that it works toward alleviating pet overpopulation in our area only.
“Planned Pethood only focuses on our own backyard; every cat is from the Toledo area, every dog is from Lucas or a surrounding county.”
Working alongside Humane Ohio, Planned Pethood uses grant money and donations to offer low-cost spay and neutering to specific ZIP codes.
“If someone can only afford to reimburse us $5, we’ll accept that.” Morey said. “People have given to us for 30 years and we’re going to try to give back to them.”
For more information on Planned Pethood’s services or membership, visit www.plannedpethood.org.
Toledo Blade: Article published April 05, 2009
Recession hurts pets too Groups struggle to help animals whose owners can’t afford to keep them
By ANN WEBER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Mattie looks expectantly down the aisle at the Petco store in Bowling Green. Her tail wags.
Yes! A young couple is walking her way. Oh boy, oh boy! To fuss over her, to stroke her velvet ears, maybe to take her home?
No.
They disappear down a side aisle.
Of course, the black-and-white 6-year-old greyhound doesn’t understand why she’s here at this Saturday “meet and greet” sponsored by G.R.A.C.E. (Greyhound Retirement Adoption Care and Education), a nonprofit organization that operates in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana to foster and find homes for retired racing greyhounds.
So vice president Marsha Serio explains: “She was returned to us in December along with her housemate, Moses. The family was foreclosed upon and moved into a place that didn’t allow dogs. ... She was in the home for three years.”
Add Mattie, Moses, and many other family pets to the long list of victims of this heartless economy. Add another source of misery for people who feel they have no choice but to give up beloved dogs and cats because of financial hardship.
“The economic downtrend affects all the family members, including the four-legged ones,” observed Lori Friedes, a board member for Maumee Valley Save-A-Pet.
A “foreclosure” category has been added to the list of reasons why animals come to the Wood County Humane Society in Bowling Green, said Jamie Fairbanks, assistant manager. “We never used to have a spot for it on our report,” he added.
But foreclosure isn’t the only reason why people give up pets. Some families can’t afford to feed them. Some can’t afford medical expenses — like the owner who took an adult boxer mix to the Wood County Humane Society at the end of January because the dog had a broken leg.
At the Toledo Area Humane Society, an analysis of the recession’s impact on finances and animals from September, 2008, through February, 2009, found that animal surrenders were down 19 percent from the same period a year earlier, but that the number of people saying they were giving up their pets for economic reasons was up 50 percent. Abandoned animals went from zero to 50, and cruelty confiscations — an economic issue because most are cases of pets that are not being fed or given veterinary care — increased 42.6 percent.
And in the case of greyhounds, more racing dogs are looking for homes nationwide as tracks have closed because of financial problems and some state bans on the sport. A ban approved in Massachusetts last fall will lead to the closing of two tracks there by Jan. 1, 2010.
Meanwhile, adoptions and donations are slowing at some humane societies, shelters, and rescue groups, and operating expenses are up.
“This is happening all across the United States. This is a national problem,” said Helen Bensch, executive director of the Toledo Animal Shelter.
Her heart breaks for people who feel they have no choice but to give up the family pet for economic reasons. Some have tried to find homes for them with friends or relatives and come to an agency as the last resort.
She and Nikki Morey, executive director of Planned Pethood, advise people not to wait too long to figure out what to do with their pet.
“The sooner that you start working toward a solution, the better the outcome’s going to be,” Ms. Morey said. “If you call on Friday and say I have to move on Monday, that really limits your options.”
Don’t just walk away from the problem.
“Don’t abandon them,” Ms. Bensch said. “That is the worst thing that can happen to the pets.”
Some animals that have been left behind in empty houses have been near starvation — or have died — by the time they have been found, said John Dinon, executive director of the Toledo Area Humane Society.
“If you’re having a hard time, call us and we’ll see what we can do to help you keep your pet,” he said. “If you can’t keep it, the best option is to turn it over to the humane society or another animal agency that will find it a new home.”
Some organizations will share their extra dog or cat food to help owners feed their pets over a rough patch — when payday is a week away and the bag of kibbles is empty.
“If that’s what it would take, we certainly would rather the animal stay in the home,” said Renee Valtin, shelter manager at the Wood County Humane Society. Sometimes the owners return the favor by volunteering for a morning or two at the facility.
The Paws and Whiskers cat shelter in South Toledo started seeing an increase in animal returns in mid-2008, “and the beginning of this year has been pretty bad,” said Kim Ferguson, kennel supervisor. Checking her roster one day in March, she counted 23 cats out of a population of 45 that had been returned.
One man who had adopted a cat from Paws and Whiskers in 2002 had to return it recently because he was unemployed, lost his home, and moving into a homeless shelter,
“He was crying hysterically,” she said. “He comes in every day to visit his cat.”
Like many other rescue organizations, the shelter’s policy is that any animal it places for adoption can be returned. Because of the surge in those numbers — and expecting that more are on the way — she’s keeping the shelter population lower than normal.
“We’re not filling spots as cats are adopted,” Miss Ferguson said. So someone who finds a stray and calls looking for a place to take the animal is being turned away.
Adoptions are roughly half of what they were two years ago.
Thirty cats were adopted in January, she said, compared with 35 in January, 2008, and 57 in January, 2007. In February, 25 cats were adopted, down from 48 in February a year ago, and 52 in February, 2007.
Ms. Serio of G.R.A.C.E. said their adoptions picked up in January after being at a standstill in December. To help generate interest and educate people about the gentle, laid-back greyhounds, volunteers regularly take foster dogs to area pet stores for meet-and-greets.
Other groups hold animal “adoptathons” every weekend around the area.
“The cat program has minimally three adoption events every weekend,” said Ms. Morey of Planned Pethood. “The dog program does one adoption event every Saturday, sometimes also on Friday and Sunday.”
The Wood County Humane Society has started a year-long “special of the month” to encourage cat adoptions. Each month a half-price adoption fee is offered on certain types of cats. In March, the deal was good on cats with orange, calico, or tortoiseshell marking.
The recession is tough on pet rescue organizations, too, not just on the animals.
“We impress on volunteers and staff that we have to stretch our resources to their fullest potential to make sure we can get through on this,” said Mrs. Valtin of the Wood County Humane Society.
About a month ago the shelter received a kitten with a badly broken leg. In the past, the staff would have arranged for surgery, but this time they considered amputation instead — an option that would save money while still allowing the kitten to be healthy and mobile.
“Fortunately one of our volunteers stepped forward and offered to pay for the surgery,” Mrs. Valtin said. “In some cases, you don’t have any choice.”
Other financial pressure comes from taking in sicker animals. Many have parasites, ear infections, and other medical problems, and most are not current on their vaccinations, said Ms. Bensch of the Toledo Animal Shelter. “Almost every animal coming through the door we are treating medically. We’ve always done that in the past, but I don’t think to this degree.”
Donations to Maumee Save-A-Pet are down almost 50 percent in the first quarter of 2009, said Mrs. Friedes, the board member.
The biggest financial hit for the Toledo Area Humane Society stems from a 35 percent drop in the value of its endowment fund since February, 2008. Endowment income makes up about one-third of the society’s operating revenue, Mr. Dinon said.
Donations that come from direct-mail and newsletter appeals are about the same, although the amount of the average donation is down slightly. Donations that people drop into collection boxes at local businesses are down, but donations of goods such as cleaning supplies are up significantly.
“Our resources are squeezed, but the need for our services is not going away,” Mr. Dinon said, urging people who are staying afloat in these tough times to “please help us out.”
‘Love to be loved’
Despite the grim picture overall, there are happy endings for some pets and people.
Ms. Bensch said a couple times families have surrendered their dogs because of evictions, only to call back a few days later saying they’d found a place that allows them to have dogs. “So we just give them back to them. We don’t charge them anything. We waive the adoption fee.”
Here’s another:
Jeri Gilbert of Findlay adopted two female greyhounds from G.R.A.C.E. in January — 4-year-old Messa, who was returned to the organization six months after her first adoption because of a job loss in that family, and 3-year-old Pandy, who retired from racing in October.
She didn’t plan on adopting two greyhounds, “but when they brought them to me I couldn’t resist either one,” Mrs. Gilbert said.
“I just love these girls. They just love to be loved, and we love to love them.”
And Mattie — the retired racing greyhound who was looking for a new home after her first family had to return her — has found one in Temperance. Her adoption was finalized about a week ago.
Contact Ann Weber at: aweber@theblade.comor 419-724-6126.
Katie Maskey, left, and Chrissa Liskai, chairman of the Prom for Paws fund-raiser for Planned Pethood, Inc., organize a rack of dresses. Students find ways to cut the cost but keep the magic of the big night
By RYAN E. SMITH
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Prom is supposed to be a magical time, one final fling before high school seniors head off to the real world. It's a night filled with excess and elegance, tuxes and fancy gowns, sometimes even limos.
But for some students mired in the faltering economy, it's filled with something else too: Penny-pinching.
"We've all been talking about it. Everyone's been talking about trying to get money for prom," said Greg Zielinski, a senior at Springfield High School.
He hopes to keep spending under $250 this year, but who knows with expenses that include $60 for prom, $30 for after-prom, more than $100 for his tux, and $40 for a corsage. Tickets at his school won't include dinner this year, so Mr. Zielinski and some friends may have dinner at one of their homes to save cash.
"I've been working my butt off trying to get money for all of this," he said.
Making prom the perfect night is no cheap feat for girls either. A 2008 survey by the Hearst Teen Network determined that girls spent an average of $236 on their prom dresses and $135 on accessories. Add to that $111 for beauty products and hair care and you've got one expensive night.
That's not to say there's a sense of panic. Tammy Tibbetts, editor of mypromstyle.com, said many teens aren't letting economics put an damper on their enchanted evening.
"The majority of teens aren't spending less or communicating a lot of worry about affording prom," she said. "By and large, I think, prom isn't something that teen girls just start saving up for or thinking about their senior year. They've been thinking about it for the last four years."
For those who would still like to save a few bucks, there are plenty of options, including wearing a dress from a previous occasion or swapping with someone else.
"I am borrowing a dress from one of my friends," said Melissa Dojcsak, a junior at Bedford High School in Temperance, Mich. She plans to attendprom as a "couple" with a friend to save money because the ticket price is cheaper that way.
Other recessionistas - women who want to look fabulous without spending top dollar - may look for deals on secondhand dresses at various special events around town or check out a nationwide network at donatemydress.org.
Last weekend, Planned Pethood Inc. sponsored Prom for Paws, selling donated dresses at steep discounts. The fund-raiser for the organization featured about 350 new and gently used gowns, with none priced at more than $40.
"We want to help young ladies be able to attend prom that normally wouldn't be able to get such a pretty dress with the economy the way it is ...," said Chrissa Liskai, event chairman.
The Greater Toledo Urban League Young Professionals are accepting donations until Wednesday for their own prom dress drive.
"Every girl wants to have a nice prom and she wants to look nice," said Jamilah Jones, president of the group, who has donated some of her own dresses to the effort.
The event will take place Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Nevaeh Salon and Spa, 4903 Dorr St., where donations may be made. Those dresses will be free and there will be discounts available from Nevaeh as well as raffled deals to help with prom. Dress donations also will be accepted at 701 Jefferson Ave.
For all those things aside from the dress, don't despair. Help is out there.
"Use your resources," suggested Paiton Twitty, a senior at Start High School. "There's so many other people out there who know how to do hair, nails, and makeup than the professionals. Don't be afraid to go to people like that."
Last year, she got help from her mom with her hair and from her sister with her nails.
For the guys, some tuxedo rental shops offer the chance to be a prom representative who passes out coupons at school. For every coupon that is used to rent a tux, the representative receives his own discount.
All of this is a long way of saying that prom still can be as magical as ever. Nick Hensel, a junior at Start High School, tried to put it in perspective. "Prom isn't meant for everybody to spend so much money. It's just meant to have fun," he said. "It's the final memory for a senior before graduation."
Planned Pethood volunteers, Julie and Kirk Summey, interviewed on FOX after a fire destroys their home.
NBC 24
Thursday, February 05, 2009 at 1:51 p.m.
Toledoans rescue frostbitten cat suffering from AIDS TOLEDO, OHIO -- A cat that had been left out in the cold was taken in by Planned Pethood Thursday. The organization says some Toledo citizens called them after finding the cat was left by homeowners after moving.
The car was outside with no shelter from the cold weather. Planned Pethood rushed the cat to St. Francis Animal Hospital where the cat lost its right ear due to frostbite.
Dr. Dillon, of the St. Francis Animal Hospital says the cat's other ear may be lost as well. An exam of the cat showed that it is Feline Leukemia positive and Feline AIDS positive as a result of being kept as an outdoor cat.
Planned Pethood is currently looking for a home that cat. They say cats with Feline AIDS can live for a very long time.
Veterinarians urge pet owners to protect their animals from the cold temperatures.
The sharp increase in foreclosures in Fulton County is affecting not only homeowners but their pets.
Facing an eviction notice often means scrambling to find alternative housing. That doesn't bode well for dogs, cats, hamsters and other domesticated fauna that are not welcome at rental properties. But thinking ahead of the problem can often result in keeping your pet or ensuring it finds a good home.
It's heartbreaking to watch those with homes in foreclosure drop off pets they can't take with them," said Pete Skeldon, county dog warden.
"It's extremely emotional for them. They're having to give up a family pet. It's tough, and it's tough for us," he said. "We have people who will bring in the dog's toys, blankets, bed and leftover dog food. They just walk out of here bawling."
Calls from people who tell Skeldon they're facing foreclosure and can't keep a beloved pet are increasing.
"It's horrible. The last thing we want to do is take someone's family pets. And this is just the beginning of it," he said. "It's going to get worse."
The facility charges $50 to accept a dog. The amount is less than the cost to shelter and feed the animal, and to euthanize it if necessary.
Richard D. Wells Apartments rents units in Swanton, Metamora, Delta and Fayette. Pets are accepted with a $150 deposit in some of its ground-level units, but not in multi-unit buildings.
And despite an influx of calls from people who have been displaced through foreclosure or other reasons, the company can't change its pet policy, office manager Bonnie Holdeman said.
"We've tried to accommodate a lot of people the best we can," she said.
The same pet policy has been in place for 20 years, and probably will remain in effect, owner Mike Wells said.
"I really hate doing that," he added. "It's not that we have anything against pets, there's just no room for them."
He also must consider the havoc a pet can wreak upon an apartment, and the cost of repairing the damage.
"We're hard-pressed. It's not a big business. I'm like everybody else struggling to pay their bills," Wells said.
Clay Meadows Apartments in Fayette accepts pets but charges a $300 non-refundable deposit. A representative said the 48-unit complex has not fielded calls from people facing foreclosure. Nor does the business plan to adjust its policy to accommodate prospective tenants with numerous animals.
There is hope for dogs abandoned locally in the form of Molly LaMountain. The Planned Pethood volunteer regularly scours the county dog pound and the few area rescue centers for adoptable pets. In 2008, she saved about 300 from unknown fates.
When LaMountain visits the dog pound a couple of times each week she always finds several good candidates for foster homes. Her persistence has given the facility an 80 percent placement rate.
"If the dog's a nice dog the odds are pretty good," she said. "(2008 was) a really good year."
Owners faced with the dilemma of moving should plan ahead for their animals, LaMountain said.
"Do what you can to keep your pets. Your dog wants to stay with you," she advised. "There are options out there, but people wait until the last minute."
If you're being forced to move, call ahead to help your pet, she added.
"If you don't, you're making it harder on us, and that's lowering your chances of success."
Fulton County residents also can turn to the Henry County Humane Society. Although it is not yet a "no-kill" facility, it accepts all types of domestic pets and makes an effort to find them homes.
An estimated 60-75 percent of animals left there are adopted, rescued or fostered, said Stacy Bressler, executive director. The organization asks for a donation of usually $20 or more to accept animals, but will not turn any away.
Bressler said calls have increased from people who must move or relocate and can't take pets with them. Pets also are brought by owners who can't afford them in tough economic times.
"They have to make cuts somewhere. When it comes down to putting food on their plate or the dog or cat's plate, they have to make that choice," she said. "There is quite a bit of crying. It's very emotional. It's tough, and we don't make any promises to them because we can't. We have many avenues that we use to try to find homes for these animals. We do our best."
Article published Saturday, September 27, 2008 Planned Pethood names 4 to board of directors.
Planned Pethood of Northwest Ohio announced the appointment of four
members to its board for four-year terms.
Kory Kaintz also will serve as the organization's treasurer. She has bookkeeping experience in the private and public sectors, and has a master's degree in organizational leadership with a specialization in financial software development.
Tami Norris is a computer training coordinator for the work force development division of Northwest State Community College near Archbold, Ohio.
She holds an MBA from the University of Toledo, where she also received a bachelor's degree in education.
Kelly Dilworth is the alumni affairs and annual fund officer at Lourdes College. She has been a dog foster parent for Planned Pethood since April, 2007.
Deborah Gring is a registered nurse who has worked at St. Luke's Hospital for 34 years.
They were up to their ears in cats and dogs this fall at the Toledo Area Humane Society.
"We can comfortably accommodate 30 to 35 dogs, and this year we had some days when we had 70 dogs," said Natasha Bailey, director of operations. "We were so full in November we could not accommodate any more."
The humane society and other area animal shelters and adoption services say they took in more pets this year as an increasing number of northwest Ohioans were affected by the nationwide mortgage crisis.
Some families turned to rental properties after losing their homes to foreclosure and were horrified to learn their landlords didn't allow cats or dogs, or only would permit pets for those who paid an additional deposit or a higher monthly rental fee.
"The economy has definitely had a very detrimental effect upon the pet situation in Toledo," said board president Jack Fynes of the Toledo Animal Shelter. "People come in and tell us, 'I either have to feed my kids or feed my dog.'•"
Home foreclosures in Lucas Countyty rose to nearly 3,475 in 2007, an increase of about 200 from last year or almost 1,000 more than in 2005.
Meanwhile, the annual number of pets taken in to the Toledo-area humane society has increased from 4,268 in 2005 to more than 6,000 by the end of this year, Miss Bailey said.
Northwest Ohio-based Planned Pethood Inc., has seen an increase in the number of people who have had to return their adopted cat or dog because of financial reasons, often related to housing concerns, according to Nikki Morey, dog-intake coordinator.
"We have noticed an exponential increase of people having to return animals either because they're being foreclosed, or because they are having to take on a second job to avoid foreclosure," she said.
Four people last year returned their pets to Planned Pethood for housing-related matters; this year, 12 people did. There also were more families that just couldn't afford the cost of feeding and properly caring for a cat or dog, which often is over $500 a year, Ms. Morey said.
The holidays traditionally are a popular time for pet adoptions, and the humane society was able to find new owners this month for many of the cats and dogs that were crowding its shelter during the fall. By last week, the number of dogs still waiting for a home was down to 30, Miss Bailey said.
Yet shelter staff members - along with many economists - remain concerned that the mortgage crisis could continue to spread, uprooting more humans, Sparkies, and Felixes in the months ahead. Just to get through fall's deluge of surrendered pets, the humane society had to turn to its emergency network of animal foster home volunteers.
To make life as easy as possible for both owner and pet, Miss Bailey recommends that families facing foreclosure contact animal shelters or adoption agencies as early as possible.
Staff members can help people keep their animals by finding rental units with liberal pet policies. At the least, they can give families a head start in the adoption process so that their dog or cat won't spend weeks waiting in a shelter.
"People have tried to keep their pets to the last possible minute," Miss Bailey said. "And when moving day comes, they have no choice but to turn them in."
