We, the undersigned, are petitioning the Lucas County Commissioners with demands for improvement at the Lucas County Dog Warden, foremost through the removal of appointed Chief Dog Warden Tom Skeldon upon his next contract renewal. His policies are outdated, reactive and create a hostile community for pet owners and do little to improve the plight of animals in Lucas County. More animals are euthanized than adopted out of the pound because he does not work well with local rescue groups nor does he actively promote adoptive dogs. His Vicious Dog Law has led to the targeting/confiscation of thousands of dogs but leading groups such as the ASPCA, HSUS, American Veterinary Medical Association do not support this policy. He championed for a license fee hike in 2008 that resulted in us paying the highest fee in Ohio but Lucas County citizens still get inadequate services. We believe that Tom Skeldon is the biggest obstacle in making improvements at the Dog Warden. We\'d like to see other improvements such as: *the institution for a widespread public education campaign that promotes low-cost spay/neutering and obedience programs to foster a more safe, pet-friendly community. *the development of a progressive ordinance that defines a dangerous dog based on its actions and not its breed and holds the owner responsible for the behavior of his/her dog. *a more cooperative relationship with the public and local advocacy/rescue organizations.

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