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The Ohio SPCA is proud to announce the result of a lawsuit which its predecessor, the Ohio Humane Education Association, filed against the Board of Commissions of Adams County, Ohio and the Adams County, Ohio Dog Warden. In a judgment agreed upon by the Board of Commissioners and the Dog Warden and entered by the Court, Adams County agreed to the following:

1) Shooting dogs as a routine method of euthanasia, or on the basis that they have cancer, parvo and/or mange, violates Ohio. Adams County agreed to refrain from engaging in such conduct in the future.

2) Using carbon monoxide gas, even in a commercially-manufactured gas chamber, to euthanize puppies under 16 weeks of age, dogs with respiratory ailments, and elderly dogs violates Ohio law. Adams County agreed to refrain from gassing any more such dogs.

3) Lack of signs identifying, and negligible open hours at a County dog pound interfere with the rights of citizens to claim their pets or other animals and violates Ohio law. Adams County agreed to post conspicuous signs identifying the pound and to expand the open hours there.

4) Adams County also agreed to institute new procedures at the pound to ensure that dogs are kept for a minimum of 72 hours before they are euthanized, as generally required by Ohio law. This represents a substantial victory for the dogs of Adams County and, indeed, throughout Ohio!

Please click here to see a full copy of the Consent Judgment Entry from this case.

Officials Sue County For Euthanizing Animals By Shooting

Dog Warden Responds

CINCINNATI -- A Tri-state business is being forced to change the way it treats animals, WLWT News 5 's Courtis Fuller reported.

The Ohio SPCA 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, Fuller reported. 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 Ohio SPCA's complaint accuses the dog warden of shooting dogs that supposedly had cancer, parvo or were wild, WLWT News 5 's Joelle Girone 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 Ohio SPCA and Adams County signed a judgment that prohibits shooting dogs that are not attacking. The ruling also requires every incident be recorded. Gary Jordan, Adams County dog warden, denied shooting dogs.

When WLWT News 5 's Brian Hamrick asked to go into the pound, Jordan asked him to come back in 20 minutes. While inside the pound, Hamrick discovered boxes of bullets on a desk. Jordan said they were there in case he had to use them. He insists he would shoot only vicious and attacking dogs.

WLWT News 5 spoke with a representative for the county, who said officials have started implementing changes in an attempt to get the dogs adopted. 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.