ASHLAND — The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office was first appointed to enforce laws surrounding stray dogs last July.
That appointment came after former dog warden Joe Eggerton resigned from the position last May.
But the arrangement where the sheriff’s office served as de facto dog warden was only meant to run through the end of 2024, according to previous Ashland Source reporting. Then, commissioners would have to make a decision on the new structure’s permanence by voting on a memorandum of understanding.
At the commissioners’ first meeting of 2025 Thursday, they unanimously approved that memorandum of understanding with the sheriff.
The document officially charges the sheriff’s office with dog warden duties for the next two years.
(Below is a PDF of the memorandum of understanding.)
More details
The memorandum states the Ohio Revised Code allows a board of commissioners to appoint the county sheriff as dog warden. It also outlines the sheriff’s duties as dog warden. Those duties include:
- Maintaining information on dogs destroyed, returned to owners, and dog bites reported
- Provide a monthly report to the commissioner’s office
- Advise the public regarding reclaim, relinquishing and adoption of dogs
Kurt Schneider, Ashland County’s new sheriff, will take over the appointment as dog warden beginning Jan. 16. That appointment will end Jan. 15, 2027.
The agreement also allows Schneider to appoint a deputy to perform dog warden duties.
Deputy Curtis Hall has performed dog warden duties on behalf of the sheriff’s office for the last six months. He was supposed to offer a report on the status of the kennel at the commissioners’ meeting Thursday.
But, commissioners experienced technical difficulties with sound for the Facebook live stream of their meeting Thursday. They opted to postpone Hall’s comments to their next meeting.
The commissioners’ next regular meeting is slated for 9 a.m. on Jan. 16.
