State Reps. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., and Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., co-hosted the town hall with nonprofit People Assisting Animal Welfare (PAAWS) to gather public perspective for a bill.
“This is a call to action,” Young said on Monday. “And this is near and dear to all of us. We can raise consciousness of this.”
Among town hall attendees was Teresa Hart, of Harrison Twp. She told the Dayton Daily News that she was attacked by a dog in her neighborhood last year and has accumulated more than $30,000 in medical bills to recover from her injuries. Hart doesn’t want to see others suffer what she has suffered.
Hart said she thinks the practice of “backyard breeding” — breeding animals for profit in oftentimes poor conditions and without proper care — should be addressed first and foremost.
She compared an approach to stray animals to medical professionals’ response to emergencies.
“We have to stop the bleeding first,” Hart said.
Germantown-based animal rescue director Robyn McGeorge shared the idea of a local task force dedicated to the issue of stray animals and animal welfare — this group should include representatives from local rescues, law enforcement, the court system, lawmakers and more.
McGeorge noted her rescue is seeing more animals dumped in the community and stagnant numbers for adoption and animal foster care volunteers.
Dayton Police Department officer Cayce Cantrell, who works as a liaison between DPD and the Animal Resource Center, said her department is limited in what it can do for animal calls, but reports of aggressive or injured animals are a higher priority.
She also said the Animal Resource Center recently changed its policy surrounding animal abuse and neglect cases, saying they’re not providing kennel space to animals seized by police in these cases. This leaves DPD in a position where they’re trying to determine their next steps.
The Animal Resource Center has not returned a request for comment regarding this policy.
A few other town hall attendees offered other approaches: increased awareness around spay and neuter clinics, the expansion of available kennel space or the creation of a new shelter and more.
The Animal Resource Center, the county’s dog shelter, estimates that nearly 150,000 dogs live in Montgomery County. That facility has kennel space for a little more than 80 dogs.
Still others vented confusion or feelings of hopelessness surrounding policies at their county’s dog shelter.
Credit: Hancock, Aimee (COP-Dayton)
Credit: Hancock, Aimee (COP-Dayton)
Kristen Tilton, the founder of the advocacy group PAAW, said she thinks no one-size-fits-all solution exists to address animal welfare in the community, but her hope is Montgomery County will become a “beacon of hope” to other communities.
Tilton said she’s deeply tied to the issue of animal care. The Dayton Daily News last year shared Tilton and her dog Brunson’s story. Brunson was found roaming the streets of Trotwood in late 2023, injured but friendly. After meeting him at a local rescue, Tilton provided for his medical care and comfort in his final days. Brunson passed away from his injuries — possibly sustained through dog fighting — on Dec. 16, 2023.
“Lasting change cannot be made overnight,” she said. “But we’re dedicated to making a difference.”
Plummer said addressing concerns about animal welfare is a priority.
“We have a lot of the legislation ready to go,” he said. “We’ll use what was said tonight and drop a bill to start the legislative process. I think we can really make a difference here.”
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