Dogs expected to reunite with owner after house fire today

YOUNGSTOWN

A wolf hybrid and several other dogs are expected to be reunited with their owner after spending the night at Animal Charity after a fire today at the Cohasset Drive home of their owner.

The 4-year-old male was one of several animals taken to the Canfield kennels of Animal Charity after the fire, which broke out at about 12:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Cohasset Drive.

The homeowner was slightly injured but did not go to a hospital. When the fire broke out, several dogs ran away and were rounded up.

The dogs were not injured.

Dave Nelson of the Mahoning County Dog Warden’s office was on hand, but when he spotted the wolf hybrid in the back and other dogs, he called for help from two others who work in the office. They in turn called police, and after a consultation, Animal Charity was called because there was no room at the pound to house all the dogs.

Nelson said the dogs appeared to be well taken care of, and firefighters said the wolf hybrid did not give them any trouble as they were battling the flames inside. The wolf hybrid and several other dogs were in the backyard.

The wolf hybrid was taken out by Deputy Dog Warden Kevin Halquist and did not appear to be aggressive.

“He was very timid,” Halquist said.

There is no state law prohibiting wolf-dog hybrid ownership, according to Erica Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

“They’re not considered dangerous,” she said.

Read more about the dogs and the fire in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.