Former dog warden office employee fired for theft, animal abuse

YOUNGSTOWN — A former employee with the Mahoning County Dog Warden’s office who faces criminal charges for stealing money while in office was fired after a pre-disciplinary hearing.

Richard Tunison, 41, faces two felony counts of theft in office after accusations he pocketed money people intended to pay in fees.

A memo written by Dog Warden Dianne Fry cites video evidence of Tunison mistreating animals.

The former veterinary technician neglected to feed dogs and provide them with medication and he improperly performed euthanasia on at least four dogs, Fry wrote.

The Mahoning County commissioners terminated Tunison at last week’s meeting.

A video shows Tunison picking a dog up by the neck with a catch pole and slamming it into the table. It took the dog 45 minutes to die, Fry wrote.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com