County officials have closed the case on the Archbold “Dog Dilemma.”
“I am of the opinion that based upon what I have been told, that it appears all was proper and legal. We have ended our inquiry,” said Vond Hall, Fulton County administrator.
The case involved a woman living in a mobile home in Archbold, who was reportedly harboring 26 dogs and 11 cats.
The case first came to light in the Tuesday, Aug. 3 issue of the Fulton County Expositor,
which carried an article about the incident, saying that the Fulton and Henry County humane societies assisted the woman, taking the dogs out of the home.
But Pete Skeldon and Brian Bannister, Fulton County dog warden and assistant dog warden, had concerns over the way the incident was handled.
•The humane societies allegedly learned of the incident through word of mouth, with the chain allegedly beginning with the Fulton County Department of Job & Family Services.
Skeldon said DJFS should have contacted Skeldon or Bannister about the case.
DJFS officials say they cannot release information.
•No one notified the dog warden’s office; therefore, they could not determine whether any of the dogs involved had been reported as lost or stolen to them.
•At least one, and possible two, of the dogs were allegedly pit bulls or pit-bull mixed breeds. State and local laws impose strict controls on the ownership of pit bulls, which are considered vicious dogs from birth.
Hall said an investigation would be conducted into the incident, but in a later email said no written report was, or will be, prepared on the case.
No charges have been filed, Hall said.
Scott Haselman, Fulton County prosecuting attorney, had no comment on the incident.
Skeldon said after the incident, he spoke with officials of the Fulton County DJFS and discussed how the case was handled.
“We basically set up a protocol” to follow if similar cases are found in the future.
“There were no hard feelings either way,” he said.– David Pugh
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