Coshocton County dog license fees rising for 2023 – Coshocton Tribune

COSHOCTON − Standard dog license and kennel fees in Coshocton County are going up for 2023 in order to provide about $30,000 more in operating money for the Coshocton County Dog Warden’s Office.
Coshocton County Commissioners recently approved the standard single dog tag fee to rise from $12 to $15 and the kennel license to rise from $60 to $75. This is the first increase since 2009, according to Coshocton County Dog Warden Rusty Dreher. This will go into effect on Dec. 1 for licenses sold for 2023.
Dreher reported the office issuing 9,290 standard dog licenses in 2021, up from 7,207 10 years prior in 2011. Standard dog license fees in Ohio range from $7 in Gallia County to $25 in Lucas County. The state average is $16.34. Of surrounding counties, Muskingum is at $10, Guernsey is $14, Holmes is $15, Tuscarawas and Knox are $16 and Licking is $20.
For 2021, the dog warden handled 1,492 calls for service, picked up 231 dogs and issued 346 citations. This is up from 594 calls for service, 60 citations issued and 260 dogs picked up 10 years prior in 2011.
Dreher said they get some money from fines, but the bulk of funding comes from selling dog tags. The department’s budget is approximately $200,000 a year. The Coshocton County Auditor’s Office gets 15% of licenses sold as the agency which facilitates the sell. The Coshocton County Humane Animal Treatment Association (HATA) also receives $20,000 a year to operate the Coshocton County Animal Shelter.
Dreher knows HATA has asked for more funding for 2023 and the cost of everything else to run the office has gone up. This includes equipment, vehicles and salary and benefits for personnel.
“We don’t want to see a cost increase just like anybody else but to maintain our level of service we provide now to the best of our abilities, costs are to the point where we need to increase fees,” said Assistant Dog Warden Ryan Conkle.
According to records from the Coshocton County Commissioners Office, the county has been issuing dog tags since 1919. Commissioner Dane Shryock said his understanding was the fees were to be used to offset animal loss to property owners, particularly farmers, from dog attacks.
That has changed as the dog warden’s office no longer pays for loss of livestock and property owners must go after dog owners for restitution. Dreher said they’ve shifted to being an enforcement agency that’s complaint based. They don’t patrol, but will respond to nuisance complaints from the general public.
However, in order to cut costs, there’s not as many wardens in the office at one time as before and they can’t get to every call or at least get to every call in a timely fashion, Dreher said. He said this is especially true after regular business hours and on weekends. He said they at least offer six-days a week coverage and seven-days a week a lot of the time.
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.

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