PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Scioto County is looking for its next dog warden, according to a job posting shared by the county commissioners’ office this week.
The position, based out of the county’s Dog and Kennel Department at 95 Arrowhead Road North, is a full-time, classified job that reports to the department’s director, the posting said. The warden would normally work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though the commissioners’ office said the shift is subject to change, and the job includes rotating on-call duty after hours, including some weekends and holidays.
Duties include enforcing state laws on dog licensing and regulation, responding to complaints, issuing warnings and citations, and seizing and impounding dogs, according to the posting. The warden also investigates neglect and cruelty complaints and dog bite cases alongside the Scioto County Board of Health, quarantines animals when needed, and determines whether damage to livestock — sheep, calves or fowl — was caused by a dog. The role requires appearing in court when subpoenaed and coordinating with the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the New Boston Police Department.
Applicants need a high school diploma or GED, a valid Ohio driver’s license and a good driving record, the posting said. The county wants someone able to learn the Ohio Revised Code as it pertains to dog control, understand animal behavior and euthanasia procedures, and keep a professional, customer-service approach with a public that is not always cooperative. The job also carries physical demands, including lifting up to 75 pounds on occasion and loading animals on and off a truck bed, and requires using equipment such as live traps, catch poles, bite gloves, a body camera and a dart gun, according to the listing.
The full-time position comes with medical, dental, vision and life insurance, participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, and paid time off, the county said.
Ohio counties have employed dog wardens since 1927, when the Ohio General Assembly created the office to enforce dog licensing laws and handle claims for livestock damaged by dogs, according to the Ohio County Dog Wardens Association, a statewide nonprofit representing the state’s county dog warden offices. Enforcement of those duties remains part of the position today.
Those interested in applying can email a resume and cover letter to Amanda Howard, clerk for the Scioto County Commissioners, at [email protected], or drop off an application in person at the commissioners’ office, Room 310 of the Scioto County Courthouse, 602 Seventh St. in Portsmouth.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Scioto County Commissioners.
