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Local group petitions to fire dog warden

Report by Jonathon Walsh - email | bio

Posted by LS

LUCAS COUNTY (WTOL) - Pet owners are petitioning commissioners.

A group of animal rights activists is gathering signatures to get a number of things changed including firing Dog Warden Tom Skeldon.

The group is called 4 Lucas County Pets. Members are not happy with the warden's office.

Their web site describes who members are and what they want including a public education campaign to make people better pet owners with a low cost spay and neuter program and better access to the animal shelter by all local rescue groups.

The organization says it's tired of paying the highest registration fees in the state.

"We'd like to see us get more for our money. We pay more than anybody else, and we don't do as good a job as other counties," says group member Tamara Ernst.

The group also strongly opposes the vicious dog ordinance focusing on pitbulls championed by Dog Warden Tom Skeldon. Members feel vicious dogs should be defined by their actions rather than their breed. "It's simple to blame a particular breed for problems rather than blame the owner," says member Dan Grove.

The group has established an online petition on its web site.

County commissioner Ben Konop says he has received a lot of e-mails and phone calls about Skeldon, and he's willing to hear both sides. "We, I think, owe it to the taxpayers to take a very close look at his operation... make sure he's treating citizens well, treating animals well," Konop says.

News 11 contacted Skeldon who declined to talk to us Thursday night saying he was on vacation until Monday.

Group members say they have a message. "We can help dogs and be a voice for the animals because they can't speak for themselves," Ernst says.