Dog pound housing 14 dogs as surrenders and strays increase

Sometimes a dog pound can be a lonely place, but for Harrison County Dog Warden Cindi Yanez, that isn’t the case. As of last Friday, there were 14 dogs housed at the Harrison County Dog Pound, and Yanez said they are arriving in a variety of ways.

Four dogs arrived Friday morning, all from the same house. Three were licensed, and Yanez said, “We have to wait two weeks before offering it up for adoption.” For an unlicensed dog, the pound only has to wait three days.

Yanez said some people will even drop their own dog off while saying it’s a stray. “Since it can’t be proven, the pound has to take them in,” she said. According to Ohio law, “surrenders” — people bringing in dogs — don’t have to be taken in if all kennels are full, but that doesn’t apply to strays, which must always be accepted.

“Between the high cost of food and high cost of vet care people find themselves not being able to take care of their pets,” Yanez said, noting that it is becoming a nationwide problem, not something isolated to Harrison County.

She said the cost to spay and neuter dogs varies based on the size of the animal, and there are also medication expenses. “The county doesn’t provide for veterinarian costs so we have to rely on the Harrison County Dog Pound Volunteers,” Yanez said. The nonprofit organization contributes funds to cover the pound’s needs.

One stray they recently picked up had been locked in a garage and starved, Yanez said, and is now being treated for heartworm. “It’s a lengthy process to treat and overcome for the dog, which is seven years old,” she said. The dog was brought in 20 pounds underweight, infested with fleas, and covered in grease and oil, apparently from the garage. The case has been turned over to the Humane Society.

Yanez encouraged people to spay and neuter their pets and keep them at home on their own property. “When a dog is brought in it’s posted on social media, and I’m certain that the owners know their dogs are at the pound, but they don’t always pick them up,” she said.

One dog brought in recently was Raven, a 2-year-old from the Piedmont area. A friendly, tail-wagging dog, she moved freely around the office to each person looking for affection. “Raven is another stray hoping it will be adopted,” Yanez said.