Discount cards seek to increase dog licenses

Discount cards like this will be handed out along with 2012 dog licenses for Lucas County.

…it is estimated that nearly half of the dogs in Lucas County are unlicensed.

Officials say that compares favorably with the state's other metropolitan counties, but still means some 52,000 dogs are less likely to be returned home if lost -- and more likely to be killed if impounded. Dog advocates hope two initiatives being rolled out this fall by the Lucas County Auditor's Office could change that…

"There are a lot of benefits that people don't necessarily think about, they just think of it as a tax," Ms. Lyle said…

…license fees are the primary funding source for her office. So, potentially there are hundreds of thousands of dollars in license fees not being collected across the county -- money that could be used to take care of dogs under Ms. Lyle's control, help facilitate adoptions, or pay for improvements at the pound…more

Gerberry: Animal Cruelty Law Stalled in Columbus

The Mahoning County Sheriff's Office plans on filing animal cruelty charges against a Berlin Center woman Friday...

But some state legislators say Ohio's laws don't have enough strength to deal with these situations.

“Yes, the laws in Ohio need to be strengthened,” said Rep. Ron Gerberry, D-59th District. “I have been working on trying to get Nitro's Law [HB 108], which would specifically deal with animal abuse in kennels now for two terms.”

Gerberry said the bill has not yet made it to the state Senate. He originally wanted the law to apply to most, if not all, animal owners. It would allow animal abuse charges to go from a misdemeanor to a fifth degree felony…see video

Letter from Rep. Sears to Columbus Dispatch, “Bill takes confusion out of vicious-dog law”

Breed-specific legislation does not protect the public. If anyone truly believes that Substitute House Bill 14 doesn’t do a better job of protecting the public than current law, I suggest they read the bill…more

Quick Take: Solon Moving Quickly on Deer Count

Solon did a thermal aerial count in 2004 and 2005 before it began a deer culling program but since has relied on ground counts conducted by the animal warden…more