All dog bites must be reported to the Sandusky County Health department per Ohio Revised Code.
Environmental Health
Phone:  (419) 334-6373 
Fax:  (419) 334-6380

http://www.sanduskycohd.org/
environ@sanduskycohd.org

Dogs that have bitten a person may be turned over to the Dog Warden through the Sandusky County Health Department. You may call them at (419) 334-6373 or the dog warden for instructions.

The Dog Warden will: confine the dog for 10 days, take the dog to a veterinarian for a rabies examination, and  humanely euthanize the dog. The fee for this service is $100.00,, and must be paid, in advance at the health department, before the Dog Warden’s Office can accept the dog.

If you do not use this service, you are still responsible to quarantine the dog and have it checked by a veterinarian for rabies, even if the dog is current in its vaccinations. Failure to do this is punishable by State Law.

If you are bitten by a dog  we will attempt to assist the Heath Department to identify the dog’s owner for compliance with the rabies quarantine. Citations for biting dogs must be issued to the dog owners on a case-by-case basis. If a dog is not properly confined, or is running loose, citations are generally issued.  If a dog bites someone who is voluntarily on the property of the owner it is considered a civil matter and not under jurisdiction of our office.

For our office to file charges, we MUST see the offense, or be given a signed sworn witness statement.  Charges cannot be filed on hearsay.

Keep in mind that not all dogs that bite are euthanized. We cannot force an individual to euthanize a dog, and we cannot seize an owner’s dog without a court order.

Many times people are understandably upset when they, or a relative, are attacked or bitten by a dog.  However, due to challenges to the State Laws regarding dangerous and vicious dogs, and the structure of Ohio Law regarding dog bites, we are limited as to what we can legally do in these cases.  If a dog does not have a verifiable history of aggression, we can only enter a minor misdemeanor charge.  That is why it is very important to document all cases of incidents with dogs that are aggressive.

If you have a dog that has bitten, or is aggressive, we understand the dog may be friendly to you and your family. However, please consider your neighbor’s safety and peace of mind when deciding to keep the dog.

While the criminal charges are not severe in the case of dog bites, civil litigation is very expensive, and many people have lost insurance on their homes and even lost their homes due to being sued. If you do not own your home you can still be sued, and face many unpleasant years attempting to satisfy the debt.

Many large dogs are frightening to the general public. A little consideration, and being conscientious, in confinement, and how you handle your dog will go a long way to minimize problems, particularly with such breeds as Rottweilers and the Bully Breeds.