Dog case illustrates response problems

The ward’s councilwoman said she blames the
landlord for not checking.

By PATRICIA MEADE

VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Maybe the complaints slipped through the cracks.

Help came, but not fast enough for some residents of a West Side neighborhood affected by horrific smells from 1810 Oakwood Ave., where 17 dogs lived in feces-polluted rooms with a woman and her adult son.

The dogs were rescued this past week, the house was designated as unlivable and placed on the demolition list, and the renters were told to leave.

“We have been working on this for about two years. The stench really got bad this summer,” Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, said. “I called the health department and left messages. The neighbors made their own calls, too. I give them credit for taking back their neighborhood.”

She said every department, agency, whatever, should have a live person answer phones. It took quite a while, she said, for her to get through to Animal Charity, for example, to report the situation on Oakwood.

John Hall, Animal Charity humane agent, was among those who rescued the dogs from 1810 Oakwood. He said he didn’t get the councilwoman’s message or would have acted upon it. He can be reached at (330) 788-1064, Ext. 20.

By happenstance, a woman who lives near 1810 Oakwood and recognized Hall from news coverage, approached him at the mall on Halloween and explained the situation. He said he was at the house the next day and then back this past week to remove the dogs.

Maybe the complaints slipped through the cracks, Rimedio-Righetti said. Maybe the health department, she said, checked it out and then moved on to the next complaint but did no follow-up.

She’s not accusing anyone of not doing their job but is just upset that nothing was done by this summer when the stench from 1810 Oakwood kept its neighbors indoors.

Bob Hewitt, director of the health department’s environmental health division, said he didn’t have a count of how many complaints were received because his secretary was away. He said a sanitarian, the title given to inspectors, did go to the house on Oakwood at the end of summer in response to complaints.

The windows were closed and the sanitarian, who did not enter the house, smelled no foul odors, but she did tell the residents to pick up trash, he said. Unless a complaint involves rats, Hewitt said sanitarians don’t normally enter a house.

For nonrat-environmental complaints, sanitarians can go into homes with representatives of other agencies, such as housing inspectors or Mahoning County Children Services.

He said it wasn’t unusual that, with the windows closed, the sanitarian didn’t smell the dog feces. He said once feces dries there’s no smell.

The councilwoman said she blames the landlord for not checking periodically on the property. Had that been done, help could have been obtained for the people and dogs who lived in those deplorable conditions, she said.

“It’s just sad that it had to get to this point. I smelled [the house] going down the street after the September block-watch meeting,” Rimedio-Righetti said. “The owner will be responsible for the demolition. I want it down and nice grass and a bench in its place.”

Mahoning County property records show the Oakwood house is owned by Stephanie Dangerfield of Boardman. Phone directory assistance said the customer has requested the number not be provided.

Rimedio-Righetti said she shares concerns neighbors expressed about the health hazards of fecal matter becoming airborne when the two-story house comes down. She is working to ensure that precautions are taken.

Diane Clark, who lives on Maryland Avenue, directly behind 1810 Oakwood, said she was among the neighbors who informed Animal Charity this past spring about the house with all the dogs.

She said she also called the health department about the foul air and someone did come out. She said there was “no way” the sanitarian didn’t smell the feces.

Clark is also concerned about airborne pollutants when the condemned house comes down. Some of the smell, she said, comes from dogs buried in the backyard.

“Something should have been done sooner but it does take more than one agency,” Clark said. “There’s only so much that can be done with so many people. We did call off and on. The dog warden and Animal Charity do good jobs — their list is probably a mile long.”

City residents should call the health department about droppings and odor; for mistreated animals, including hoarding situations, contact Animal Charity on South Avenue; and call the Mahoning County dog warden about unlicensed or loose dogs.

Ray DeCarlo, city zoning specialist, said if you think your neighbor has more than three dogs — the maximum allowed — give him a call. He’ll check it out, issue a citation and also contact a deputy dog warden to verify licenses.

DeCarlo said the zoning code allows owners time to find homes for the puppies born to dogs at a residence.

He said the three-limit rule doesn’t apply to cats, and he hopes a new zoning code deals with pets in general.

meade@vindy.com