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County commission approves dog tag increase
Kennel license increases also
Published Friday, October 30, 2009
Lawrence County dog owners will pay a bit more to license their pet when dog tags go on sale in December.
Dog Warden Bill Click said the dog license and kennel fee increases are necessary to offset the escalating costs of keeping the dog pound open and pursuing loose dogs and owners who don’t buy their dog tags.
The Lawrence County Commission Thursday voted 2-1 to increase the dog tag fee from $10 to $12 and the kennel license from $50 to $60.
Commissioners Les Boggs and Jason Stephens voted for the increase, Commissioner Doug Malone cast the one dissenting vote. He said while he knows the dog pound is well operated, he is concerned about increasing yet another fee.
“So many fees put on by the state, maybe this is one we can do without,” he said.
Click said the extra $2 per tag and $10 per kennel should bring approximately $15,000 additional dollars a year — money that will bring his office closer to being self-sufficient and less reliant on the county general fund.
Operating costs for the dog pound are a little more than $100,000 a year.
“I wouldn’t be asking for it if I didn’t need it, “Click said. “We’ve got vehicles that are wearing out. They’re getting old but we’re not buying new ones. We’re fixing the ones we’ve got. I had to put a motor in one last week. We’re making more gasoline purchases to run more often.”
Click said one reason he and his staff of three part-timers are on the road so much is to find people who have not paid their dog tags and force them to do what the law requires a dog owner to do.
“If people would go ahead and just buy their dog tag. But some of them wait until we come and knock on their door,” Click said.
This year 7,601 tags were sold. County officials attribute the increase to a mass mailing they conducted late last year.
Each county household received a letter advising of dog laws and the necessity of purchasing the requisite tag.
The effort yielded money and compliance, they said, from people who perhaps had never given the matter much thought and hence, never bought a tag for their pooch.
“If everyone who had a dog brought a tag the way they’re supposed to, we’d run a surplus,” Click said.
Another reason dog pound costs keeping escalating: more unwanted pets. This year, 2,303 dogs have been brought to the shelter. This does not include 444 cats.
Click said each year the number of strays and unwanted litters increases.
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Comments
Posted by Grove4Life (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Being a dog owner I don't mind the fee increase but show me what it is for, I see their trucks out but they never do anything, I have seen them drive by and a dog wonders down the road beside them and they do not stop, if you are going to raise this fee then the people demand a little more for their buck(or two bucks as it is), how about they actually do their job instead of cruising the streets of Lawrence County on the tax payers dime.
Posted by mikehaney (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The dog tag fee is a bargain. 15 year old dog and 15 years of tags. It's called being responsible and also if my dog ever wanders off, hopefully the tag on his coller will prompt his finder to call me.
Posted by john_mushenhouse (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Pitiful
They have been reduced to taxing dogs knowing that animal lovers will pay.
Hey Comissioners get some tax paying industry in. Or resign and let someone who can bring in some inductry. I would say you are for the dogs, but I love animals.
Posted by med6149 (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have had a dog for 5 years and have always purchased her tag. She goes to the vet and is trained to stay in her yard. How about people be responsible when getting an animal! There is more to owning a dog than saying it was so cute I had to get it!
Posted by osu (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Grove4life...the dog warden doesn't do anything in terms of picking up stray dogs. He says it is not his job.
Posted by myvoice (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i never received anything in the mail about dog laws or tags. i do not own a dog but there are alot of stray dogs in my area..i must agree with grove4life.
Posted by wonderingoutloud (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about CATS ?
They are a much bigger nuisances than dogs. People just let their cats go free to poop behind bushes and mate and have more & more cats. I think cats should need licensing!
Posted by sv01 (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ive had the dog catcher at my home about 4 or 5 times regarding my neighbors but I can honestly say not much was done. Their dog still runs loose, it gets in our trash, pee's in our yard, it has mange pretty bad, but they have YET to tie it up. So the other night, this dog attacked my other neighbors dog and the sheriff kept asking why they never called the dog catcher if its been a constant problem? and our response was.. We have... many many times... Finally the sheriff cited them, but this attack wouldnt have happened if the dog catcher had made them tie their dog up or took it away from them.
I know myself and my concerned neighbors are pretty disappointed with what hasnt been done. We shouldnt have to call 4 or 5 times for the same problem....
Posted by proudparent (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with the comment about the cat situation. It appauls me that they do nothing with these animals that roam the neighbor hoods, destroying property and such. ENFORCE a law for cat owners to purchase tags since there is a leash law in Ohio for dogs, shouldn't the same be required for the nasty cats, who crap and urinate which kill shrubs and bushes, scratch vehicles etc.. But of course they will say cats are considered wild animals, so does that mean we as property owners can remove this pests. I purchase tags and keeps my dogs on leashes do the same for the cats.
Posted by turbo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonderingoutloud,
Cats are not required by the state law to be licensed.
The County can pass ordinance for cats to be licensed and take cats. If the County passes an ordinance then they must supply a cat shelter. The dog shelter will provide space for a limited amount of unwanted cats but they are not required to take them. At the present time the County can not provide a shelter due to expenses.
Posted by hrgirl (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to the dog shelter with a friend one day thay had one dog and thay wouldn't let us see it;all that space for one dog go see for your self stop by today .
Posted by turbo (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They have four dog wardens: Bill Click, John Hatfield, Benny Call and Raymond Mays.
Posted by RabidTiger (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If ANYONE was denied access to the County Dog Pound then they should contact the POLICE as their RIGHTS are being VIOLATED.
I too have had reason to call for a 'Dog Warden/Catcher' only to be placed on hold or receive only an answer machine. They are supposed to be available ON CALL 24/7.
I too have been TOLD BY UNKNOWN ((SO CALLED DAWG WARDEN))
That IT IS NOT HIS JOB TO PICKUP STRAYS... HE IS TO ONLY PICKUP DOGS THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ABOUT.
Well... time to hire a FULL TIME DOG WARDEN... and have him report to the commission or a DEPT HEAD on a weekly basis and write up a report on a MONTHLY basis of what he has accomplished.
The County I lived in Florida had BOTH DOG & CAT ORDINANCES. and the 'Animal Protective Services' ((if they were not already on a call or complaint)) would stop and persue any CAT OR DOG... They also required Licenses
for both animals, and to have an EXOTIC PET like a reptile
or other animal, required A PERMIT... Annual Fees for both Dogs and Cats were $15. And ANY ANIMAL outside must be RESTRAINED in a proper FENCED Yard/Environment or be an indoor animal.
Animals were kept for 2 weeks for pickup and then would be PLACED FOR ADOPTION if not claimed.... After 30 Days... then they were humainly put to sleep.
Ironton & ALL of Lawrence County SHOULD have the same requirements whether City / Village / or County.
THEN ENFORCE THEM.
A lot of vets in my old area of Florida would help co-sponsor shot clinics for a mere $5 per shot for the different protections from disease... and they also co-sponsored Spay & Neuter Clinics for a fee of $30... They utilized students supervised by vet doctors from the Florida Vet Schools.
GIVE IT A CHANCE TO BE FAIR TO ALL LAWRENCE COUNTIANS...!!
Posted by buckeyefan (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes hold cat owners to the same standards. Its not fair for familys who own dogs to have to pay and not cat owners. The cats in my neighborhood have gotten in everything and got under my house. We called a few times about strays but no one ever came so I quit calling. Also I believe the law states that your dog has to have all of its shots before it can be issued a licenses. When I got mine I had all the paper work from my vet and they didn't even ask for them. I just filled out the paper work and they handed me a tag. Wake up commisioners its time to do something about the dog warden and his so called staff. It's time for the cat owners to pay also..
Posted by whoswho (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Where do you buy the dog tags?
Posted by bornandraisedironton (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The city of Ironton has their own dog warden that is paid for by city funds. He picks up stray dogs when people call about them and complain. Ironton residents are still asked to pay into the county fund by purchasing dog tags yet the county dog warden is impossible to reach and refuses to catch strays when people complain.
I wonder how many strays the county dog warden staff actually pick up every year?
I thought that every city and village in this county was part of Lawrence County yet they use that excuse when asked to pick up strays. The County dog warden staff refuse to go into any village and pick up strays when called. They say that is not their job. But they walk door to door in the city limits threatening you if you did not renew your annual dog tag. They have the time and effort to do that with no hesitation.
Can you see I am not very happy with the county dog warden and staff?
Posted by mikehaney (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 7:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Owning a pet comes with responsibilities. Pets are prone to rabies(risk to all people),parvo.distemper etc. I have spent probably on average $50.00 ---or more--- yearly at the vet for my pets. A $12.00 fee is not out of line.
As I remember when living in Ironton, you just had to present a rabies certificate to get a free city tag? But pay for county tag?
Maybe the wardens should put an article in the tribune covering all the laws that pet owners need to follow along with the fees involved. People need to be responsible.
Posted by Guess (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Our county dog pound is a joke but dont take my word for it stop in there and look how its ran. Couple guys with there feet on the counter and the dogs 3'X5' cages are nasty. I understand some filth is expected but just stop in for a visit and tell me what you think.
Posted by classymama (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i live in the county. one of my neighbors has several dogs running loose. i have called the dog warden several times because these dogs have tried to dig into my dogs pen, they have strung the trash out of the trash cans on trash night. its disgusting to have to pick up your neighbors trash out of your yard because they are to lazy to clean up the mess. those dogs have destroyed my flowers but is anything ever done to them (no) when i have said something about them on different occasions the warden just simply says she has kennel license. so i why we had to have ours confined to the pen if hers could run loose and he replied that they couldnt take a dog that was tagged.lol tell me this isnt crazy?
Posted by mikehaney (anonymous) on October 30, 2009 at 9 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Neo--couple of ewoks need to be checked for worms at the vet, and also a sobriety test.
Posted by grnivy (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 1:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
my family lives within blocks of the pound. We had trouble with a pack of dogs that were mean and would run at you when you stepped outside. I called the pound many times, they never came by. Finally one day I called from right outside their fence about the dogs. I was told they had not been able to find these so called wild dogs. I then said to look out your door because those very dogs were in the front yard of the pound. I was hung up on and then watched as two men got up and went into the back of the pound. I waited 15 minutes but they never came back out. some dog warden huh?
Posted by grnivy (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 2:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
to answer an earlier question, you can get the tags at the pound. or if your like me and refuse to go in there you can get them at the south point petland
Posted by nascarbristol (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
PEOPLE...seriously...you have an increase of $2? Go to a larger city and see what it cost to have a pet! You all have it made living in Ironton. I too have had to call the warden to get me out of a situation when two neighbor dogs trapped me in a residence and couldn't get out for fear of being bit. Waited pretty long because they were on a run in South Point, but so GLAD they were there for me. Yes, I had to call a few times to get the right person to handle the problem. WAKE UP! The cost of living here is so SMALL compared to lets say...Columbus. Go compare, then your comments should cease from being negative of what you think you don't have and begin to praise what you do have.
Posted by nottellin (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If they followed thru with the threat of "No tag, we'll take your dog" once in awhile... Too many people don't register their dogs.
I, personally, know 10 people who refuse to register their dogs because it's an empty threat.
Posted by TeacherinOhio (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why should I pay a fee to the Lawrence County Dog Warden for my dogs since I live in Ironton? They tell me to call the Ironton Police Department or the Ironton Dog Warden. I didn't even realize Ironton had a Dog Warden until I called the Lawrence County Warden about a mean dog running loose. I feel cat owners should have to pay a fee too. My neighbor allows her cat to run around the neighborhood all the time. They pee all over the place and it stinks. There are several running wild in my neighborhood too. I can tell you this, if I see wild ones peeing in my mulched areas, they will get shot at. My dogs certainly don't run wild all over the neighborhood and pee in my neighbor's mulch.
Posted by privateI (anonymous) on October 31, 2009 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have no problem with the increase duh it's not that big a deal but when you have a dog warden that does nothing that's where I have a problem. I have to agree that it is much better in FLA as far as fees, strays, or problem animals. I also have to agree that cats should have the same requirements that dogs do. I can tell you now that if a cat urinates on my property and destroys my flowers or shrubs I will take care of the matter myself. The warden can just go on with his nap. I will not tolerate my money being destroyed by a cat.
Posted by grnivy (anonymous) on November 1, 2009 at 2:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand you saying those gentlemen were not responsible for catching those dogs but I know the warden was there and I know whom I was talking to on the phone works there. I just find it sad that they cannot even catch stray dogs in their own yard. And yes I do have a dog as well and truthfully have no problem with the fee increase I just want the workers to do their job before someone gets hurt by a stray that they have been asked over and over to pick up.
Posted by DawgBert (anonymous) on November 3, 2009 at 8 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Aren't most county animal shelters "kill shelters"... I'm against putting money into a system where the animal/pet is ultimately destroyed. Put this money into a grant/award system whereby deserving "no kill" shelters can benefit. Then the commissioners won't have to hire a dog warden(s); the commissioners can oversee the shelters and decide who should or shouldn't receive funding. It's a winning proposition and we save money...!!!
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