Hamilton County officials press dog warden for clearer quarantine, impoundment guidance after Colerain attack

Hamilton County commissioners on March 11 heard from Chief Dog Warden Beth Ward and Deputy Pardue about recent dog attacks in the county, including a Colerain Township incident in which two dogs were cited and the warden’s office has submitted documentation to the court seeking a judicial designation.

The presentation laid out how state law governs investigations and quarantine: dog-bite reports are investigated by animal control and the local health authority, animals are quarantined for 10 days for rabies observation, and county officers may recommend that a dog be designated "dangerous" or "vicious" under the Ohio Revised Code. Ward said the office’s “primary goal is the safety of people and animals in our community.”

Why it matters: Commissioners said residents in Colerain Township and elsewhere are fearful after multiple serious incidents and urged the dog warden and county administration to pursue measures — including impoundment to ensure animals cannot escape while under review — that would better protect neighborhoods while respecting legal constraints.

Ward, introduced as Beth Ward, chief dog warden for Hamilton County, described the dog-bite investigation process and the legal steps that follow. “Anyone with knowledge of any dog bite incident has to report it to the local health commissioner or animal control authority,” she said, and officers then “begin an investigation into the dog bite. They go out, they speak to the victim, they speak to the dog owner, they speak to any witnesses.” She said the quarantine period for rabies observation is 10 days and that quarantine may occur at home, at a veterinary hospital, at a boarding facility or at a shelter depending on safety considerations.

Deputy Pardue, the interim field supervisor assigned to the Colerain case, described on-scene follow-up and neighborhood checks. She said the two dogs involved in the recent Colerain incident were documented, citations were issued for failure to confine and licensing violations, and the warden’s office submitted materials to court “for the judge to hear and to give the final ruling if he’s deeming them vicious or not.” Pardue cautioned that the dog warden’s designation is a professional recommendation and that a judge issues the binding designation in a hearing.

Several commissioners said the county has discretion under state law to impound animals when quarantine at home cannot be guaranteed. Commissioner Denise Treehouse said she was “perplexed” that animals were allowed to be quarantined at home after an attack and urged consideration of facility quarantine: “it would be safer for the community to have them in a facility where you know with all confidence that they are under quarantine.” Commissioner Stephanie Summer O’Dumas and Commissioner Alicia Reese made similar points, pressing for actions that would reassure frightened residents.

County Administrator Jeff Aludo said administration and the prosecutor’s office would review the case and the county’s procedures and return to the board with short-term and long-term recommendations. “Right after this incident, John and I spoke with Beth … and talked about … doing a review of the case, review of the procedures and the policies that control those procedures,” Aludo said.

Colerain Township’s concerns were read into the record by a commissioner; the township’s letter criticized the county for allowing the animals to remain in the neighborhood and called for a county response. Ward disputed assertions that officers “refused to impound” the animals and said the office had taken steps to ensure quarantine and community safety, including daily checks by Deputies during the quarantine period.

What the rules allow and what the warden said: under the Ohio Revised Code and related administrative code, Ward explained, a dog may be designated dangerous if it “without provocation has caused injury other than killing or serious injury,” and vicious if it “without provocation has killed or caused serious injury to any person.” She explained that designations are subject to court hearings and are lifetime designations if sustained; euthanasia may be ordered by a judge in the most severe cases. Ward noted that not all bites are reported — she cited about 17,000 dog bites in Ohio in 2023 — and that officers consider prior history, confinement, and whether owners can safely quarantine animals at home when deciding whether to impound.

Commissioners and staff agreed on next steps. Aludo said administration would prepare a written report with short‑ and long-term policy recommendations for commissioners and the township. Ward provided a contact for the public to report roaming animals and bites: the Cincinnati Animal Care call center, (513) 541-7387, which callers may use to report roaming or vicious animals.

Ending: The board asked for a written follow-up and indicated it would review legal and operational changes with the prosecutor’s office and county administration. Commissioners repeatedly said they want options that can be legally sustained across the county and signaled support for policy changes that increase safety for residents while following ORC procedures.