Woman cited over dog complaints

Heather Bowman was cited by Howland police for failure to restrain or confine her dog.
WARREN -- A Howland Township dog owner, who has been the target of complaints about her animal attacking other dogs in her neighborhood, has been cited into Warren Municipal Court.
A hearing is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Jan. 4 before Judge Thomas Gysegem for Heather Bowman of Hightree Avenue.
She was cited by Howland police for failure to restrain or confine her dog.
Bowman has an unlisted telephone number and could not be reached to comment.
During a Dec. 13 meeting of Howland Township trustees, Bowman's neighbors said her dog has broken loose from a front yard leash and attacked five other dogs in the Bolindale neighborhood.
They said two of the neighbors have been injured defending their dogs from what they described as a pit bull terrier.
The citation against Bowman is the result of a reported attack earlier this month against a dog owned by Debbie Watson-Simcock of Allyson Drive.
Watson-Simcock told trustees that her dog needed two surgeries because of its wounds. She characterized Bowman's dog as a "killer."
Trustees do not have the authority to seize a dog, even a vicious one. The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that an animal is property and cannot be seized without a hearing. However, state law does not give townships the authority to hold such hearings.
County Commissioner-elect Frank Fuda has said he will attempt to establish a hearing procedure at the county level.