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New Lorain County dog warden says kennel 'almost always full'; staff will propose changes to redemption fees
Summary
The county’s new dog warden told commissioners the county kennel is nearly always full, cited average and current dog counts and said a prior temporary reduction in adoption fees did not change discharge rates; he proposed exploring lowered redemption fees for owners and said he will bring a resolution.
Andy Laubenthal, the new dog warden for Lorain County, told the Board of Commissioners on March 14 that the county kennel is almost always full and that temporary reductions in adoption fees did not noticeably increase the number of dogs leaving the kennel.
Laubenthal said the kennel has 28 full-size kennels plus several smaller temporary cages; the average population over the six weeks he had been in place was 34 dogs, and on the morning of the meeting the kennel held 41 dogs. He told the board that during an August 16–Oct. 1 fee-reduction period the kennel recorded 99 discharges; during the same period in 2023 there were 96 discharges, 98 in 2022 and 109 in 2021, suggesting no material lift from fee reductions.
Laubenthal said staff will explore reducing redemption fees (the fee to reclaim a dog) because many animals arriving at the kennel still have owners who may be willing to reclaim their pets if fees are more affordable. He told the board he would return with a resolution proposing steps to adjust redemption fees and other measures to increase live releases and adoptions.
Why it matters: The county’s shelter capacity affects animal welfare, public health and county operations; commissioners had previously suspended adoption fees to try to increase adoptions and now want data-driven changes if needed.
Key details - Kennel capacity and counts: 28 full-size kennels; average population ~34 dogs over the past six weeks; 41 dogs present the morning of the meeting. - Fee experiment: Reduced adoption fees Aug. 16–Oct. 1 produced 99 discharges versus 96, 98 and 109 in the same period for prior years, indicating no significant change in discharge rate for that window. - Proposed next steps: Staff intend to propose lowering redemption fees and will present a resolution for the board to consider.
Discussion vs. action - Discussion: Laubenthal presented kennel occupancy numbers and historical discharge data from the fee-reduction period. - Direction: He said he will return with a formal proposal or resolution to alter redemption fees and other measures.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Laubenthal for the analysis and encouraged the proposed next steps to reduce kennel population pressures.
