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PERRY TOWNSHIP – While Ohio law requires dogs to be properly confined to the owner’s property and always under reasonable control, even good owners sometimes have their dogs wander off.

While gentle dogs might only be a nuisance, aggressive dogs can be dangerous. About three years ago, a large dog that got loose scared children during recess at Hale Road Elementary School in Painesville Township and attacked a child. A school aide intervened and saved the child from more serious damage from the dog.
Lake County Dog Warden Rodney Shelton, who addresses the issue in schools and for adults, offered advice on what people should and should not do when they see a stray dog.
“If you encounter a stray dog, just don’t go and grab the dog,” he said. “If it’s a friendly enough dog it will come to you, and then you can see if you can find the owner.”
However, if a stray dog appears to be aggressive, the first thing to do is put some kind of barrier between yourself and the dog, Shelton said. For example, a student could put their backpack in front of them, or a use a bicycle as a barrier.
Dogs feel threatened when you look directly into their eyes, so that should be avoided.
If there is an encounter with a stray that does not appear friendly, the person should not run away, Shelton said. That will encourage the dog to give chase, so the best thing to do is back away slowly.
“What you want to do is just slowly look away from the dog—be aware of where the dog is—and back away into a safe area,” Shelton said.
He tells schoolchildren not to scream and run away from a dog, but rather to be still like a tree.
Another thing people should not do is try to chase the dog away.
Children should be instructed to tell an adult if they see a stray dog, so the adult can contact the Lake County Dog Shelter, or the police, to come and deal with the dog.
In some cases, if they have a good description, they can identify the dog’s owner and contact him or her to let them know the dog is loose.
Shelton said it is important to call the shelter about strays because they might harm someone, or cause a motor vehicle accident by going into the street. He said they have had to tranquilize dogs that wandered onto the freeway, because they could have caused a multi-vehicle accident.
Other tips are to leave a dog alone when it is eating, not to pull the dog’s ears or tail, and do not roughhouse with a dog.
He noted how dog attacks can have long-term effects, especially on children.
“Be kind to animals and they’ll be kind to you,” Shelton said.
As a reminder, the Dog Shelter website notes, “all dogs three months of age and older must be licensed immediately according to state law. New dog licenses are sold during the annual renewal period between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31. Dogs acquired after Jan. 31 must be licensed immediately to avoid penalty fees.
The Lake County Dog Shelter is located at 2600 North Ridge Rd. in Perry Township. The number is (440) 350-2640.