ASHLAND — Dog bowls have always been hand-washed at the Ashland County Dog Shelter.
Commissioner Denny Bittle said an industrial dishwasher was discussed when the current Baney Road shelter was being built, but was ultimately omitted.
“We should’ve done that in the original build but we did not,” Bittle said during the Ashland County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday.
That all changed by the end of Thursday’s hour-long meeting.
The board accepted $6,104 in donations from the Ashland County Community Foundation, to be deposited into the county dog shelter’s capital projects fund and used towards the purchase of an industrial dishwasher.
Commissioners appropriated $9,207 to the shelter’s capital projects fund to cover the full cost of the dishwasher, as well as electrical and plumbing installation.
A $1,354 estimate from McClintock Electric was accepted for electrical installation of the dishwasher. Standard Plumbing and Heating’s $1,480 estimate for plumbing installation work was also approved by the board.
The dishwasher itself was approved for $6,373, an estimate provided by Skelton’s, Inc.
Bittle said the funds appropriated for this work are not new dollars.
“There was still some dollars left in that (capital projects fund), even after the project (Baney Road shelter), that had been sitting there for a little bit waiting for a good project to use those dollars on,” he said. “It’s not new dollars. It’s dollars that have been sitting there for probably a couple of years at least.
“It’s nothing that’s coming out of the general budget this year. It’s been there for a little bit. It’s a good use of those dollars.”
Kennel manager shares 2026 updates
Shannon Hamilton, kennel manager at the county dog shelter, said through Thursday, 62 dogs have been adopted this year, 48 reclaimed, 29 transferred out and two euthanized (one due to medical reasons, the other due to behavioral reasons).
In comparison to 2025, Hamilton said adoption levels are about the same, but reclaims have seen a dip compared to this point last year (48 current reclaims compared to 65 at this point last year).
As of Thursday, the shelter is housing 37 dogs, Hamilton said. Of those, 32 to 33 are currently available for adoption.
The kennel manager thanked local nonprofit organizations Friends of Ashland County Dogs and No Pawz Left Behind for its continued support of the shelter’s foster program, medical costs and supplies.
Veterans companion and adoption program applications open
The shelter is now accepting applications for its veterans companion and adoption program, the kennel manager said. Pending application approval, veterans will be able to adopt a dog from the shelter at no cost.
“What you (veterans) will get is a fully-vetted dog, which Ashland Veterinary Clinic will take care of,” Hamilton said. “They will handle all the vetting for all the veterans companion dogs.”
Several private donors through the Ashland County Community Foundation have helped financially establish the program, Hamilton said. Donors will receive updates from the shelter each time a dog is adopted through the program.
“We just wanted to give back to veterans one way or another with as little cost up front as possible,” Hamilton said Friday.
Each approved veteran who participates in the program will be offered two training options. The first option includes 10 weekly training sessions between the veteran and their dog. Option two boards the adopted dog for three weeks to receive training away from the veteran.
Dogs adopted through the program would also receive free vaccines for life through the Ashland Veterinary Clinic, Hamilton said.
“The owner would only come in and pay for the office visit. And then the vaccines and everything will be free. Any other medical stuff would be covered by the owner.”
Applications can be returned to the dog shelter, 1740 Baney Road, or emailed to Hamilton at shamilton@ashlandcounty.org.
