Judge: Dog Pound To Pay Fine

UPDATED: 3:15 p.m. EDT September 9, 2004

CINCINNATI -- An Ohio shelter is being forced to change the way it treats animals, WLWT-TV reported.

The Ohio Humane Society filed a lawsuit against the Adams County dog warden and commissioner. The dog warden was ordered Wednesday to stop euthanizing dogs by shooting them.

Authorities said complaints were filed against the shelter, accusing shelter officials of shooting dogs rather than caring for them. 

The complaints also alleged the Adams County Dog Pound was often closed without hours of operation posted.

Some citizens claim what happened inside the pound is shocking.

"He told me to call him in three days and I called on the third day," said Shawnda Grooms. "He said she's dead. We killed her."

Grooms claimed the dog warden took her family pet after she called to complain about stray dogs.

"It was awful, because that was my kids' dog," she said. "I called the shelter houses and everything to see if they had it."

The SPCA's complaint accuses the dog warden of shooting dogs that supposedly had cancer, parvo or were wild, WLWT reported.

The complaint also said puppies under 16 weeks old were crowded in a gas chamber to be euthanized.

A judge ruled the dog shelter must pay a fine for the violations.

The SPCA and Adams County signed a judgment that prohibits shooting dogs that are not attacking. The ruling also requires every incident be recorded.

The dog warden was not available for comment.

Experts say it costs $5.50 to euthanize a dog by lethal injection, including materials and training. Shooting a dog would cost the price of a bullet, which range from pennies to 75 cents.

Some say the euthanization controversy arose a few years ago in Henry County.

Earlier this year, pound workers changed their practice. Instead of shooting dogs, Henry County officials follow the new law by using lethal injections.

In Kentucky, a new law made euthanizing animals by shooting them illegal, Fuller reported.

Stay tuned to WLWT News 5 and refresh ChannelCincinnati.com for additional information.