Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners pledge review of animal-care policies after new dog attacks in Colerain Township
Summary
Following multiple dog attacks reported during public comment and at least one unprovoked attack during the meeting period, county leaders said they would jointly review quarantine and response policies with the prosecutor and animal-care agency and confirmed dogs involved have been removed from the home.
Hamilton County commissioners and the county administrator said the county will review animal-care policies and enforcement following two recent dog-attack incidents in Colerain Township discussed at the March 13 meeting.
During public comment Carrie Davis, speaking about the Colerain incidents, asked the county prosecutor to research township responsibilities and urged the county to work with Colerain Township to restore responses to animal complaints. Davis said two more people had been attacked and expressed concern that the township’s nonresponse policy creates a public-safety risk.
Commissioners and county staff described a subsequent, unprovoked attack that occurred the day before the meeting. County officials said one dog was shot and killed during the response, another dog is in custody, and a third is receiving medical treatment and is being held by the animal-care agency. Commissioners said those dogs would not be returned to the owner’s home.
County Administrator Jeff Aludo said the administration has met with the prosecutor’s office and with the animal-care agency, and that the county will meet jointly with those offices to review policies and how they align with the Ohio Revised Code. “We are going to be meeting jointly with them, to talk about reviewing quickly their policies and procedures as it relates to, the how they interrelate with the Ohio revised code,” Aludo said. He added, “So I hope to have that done within 30 days to have that back to you all.”
Commissioners said the dog warden and animal-care agency had taken custody of animals in the earlier incident and that quarantine practices (a 10-day observation period) are designed to determine whether rabies is present and to protect bite victims’ medical decision-making. No formal ordinance change was recorded at the meeting; commissioners requested a prompt cross-agency review and clear implementation guidance for animal-care enforcement.
