KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP – Under financial stress and operating over capacity, the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League was forced to make some difficult decisions in recent weeks.
The ACAPL suspended the humane agent operations of Ashtabula County Dog Wardens David Britton and Ben Berry.
“With extremely limited funding and the shelter operating well beyond capacity, the ACAPL made the difficult but necessary decision to temporarily suspend humane agent operations,” ACAPL officials said in a press release. “The ACAPL’s actions were taken for one reason only: to protect the safety and well-being of animals already in the ACAPL’s custody. This decision was guided by compassion, responsibility and necessity. To suggest otherwise is not grounded in fact. The real failure would have been accepting more animals than the ACAPL could care for responsibly.”
The pair continue to operate in their roles as dog wardens dealing with stray dogs, dogs running free and other situations related to laws under which they can operate, officials said.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed to see we don’t have both dog wardens designated as humane agents,” Ashtabula County Commissioner Casey Kozlowski said. “We’re in negotiations with the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League. We’re hopeful we can come to a happy medium that works to serve the county, the county’s residents and also meet the needs of the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League.”
The Ashtabula County Animal Protective League notes that it is a nonprofit that provides lifesaving shelter and care to more than 1,000 animals each year.
“Already in 2025, more than 920 animals have come through the ACAPL’s doors seeking safety and care,” the press release said. “In August, the shelter hit a breaking point – operating at 250 percent of its capacity.”
Caring for that many animals is costly and the decision to suspend humane agent operations is directly tied to those costs, officials said.
“The ACAPL raises 85 percent of its budget privately; only 15 percent comes from limited city/county contracts,” the press release said. “It is thanks to donors, volunteers, and dedicated staff that the ACAPL can sustain its operations and remain a vital safety net for the county’s homeless and neglected animals.”
With the shelter being overcrowded and many of the animals residing there needing medical care, the situation has become unsustainable.
“In many cases, the ACAPL receives no payment for animals subject to hold under court orders, with such holds often lasting for weeks or months,” the press release said. “These animals may be sick or injured and require long periods of veterinary treatment, forcing the ACAPL to absorb the entire cost of care for animals on court hold. In one recent case, the ACAPL’s costs exceeded $18,000 to care for nine dogs on court hold for 60 days; the ACAPL received no reimbursement for these expenses.”
The ACAPL says it has saved taxpayers a good deal of money over the last couple of decades.
“By acting as the county’s stray-hold facility, the ACAPL has saved taxpayers an estimated $1.4 million since 2007, and continues to save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars each year AND avoid unnecessary euthanasia as compared to operating a county-run dog pound,” the press release said. “As a nonprofit, the ACAPL has stretched every dollar to protect animals and support public safety. The ACAPL has kept its doors open, absorbed overflow, and saved the county significant taxpayer dollars, but the ACAPL’s decades-old facility can no longer support the ever-increasing demand for animal care. The current situation is untenable.”
The amount of money received from Ashtabula County does not come close to covering the costs of caring for the animals in the ACAPL’s care, officials said.
“The ACAPL holds a county contract under which Ashtabula County pays $90,784 per year,” the press release said. “Unlike dog shelters in other Ohio counties which can temporarily limit or suspend intake when their shelters are full, this contract requires the shelter to accept all dogs brought by the county. Providing care, housing, and medical attention for these animals’ costs hundreds of thousands of dollars above the amount the county pays, placing a significant strain on the ACAPL’s already very limited capacity and financial resources.”
The Ashtabula County commissioners are working toward resolving the situation.
“We always negotiate in good faith with the APL,” Kozlowski said. “We’re hopeful we’ll be able to continue to do that and the humane agents will become a reality again.”
Kozlowski said the negotiations involve a couple of parts.
“It’s really important to delineate (the funding from the county) differs from the humane agent contract,” Kozlowski said. “We’re only able to house animals (taken in for humane reasons) for 72 hours and no longer (as an act of a county agency). Then, the agents are able to enforce the code as far as animal cruelty goes.”
“We’re actively negotiating on both accounts,” Kozlowski continued.
The ACAPL says it desperately needs a larger shelter and increased funding to support the needs of the residents and animals of Ashtabula County.
In response to criticism from the City of Conneaut, the APL noted that its services are not paid for by the city, unlike the City of Ashtabula, which has contracted services with the ACAPL. The organization is hoping for understanding and collaboration to solve problems going forward.
“The ACAPL works every day to protect the welfare of animals in Ashtabula County and commends the City of Ashtabula for its collaborative efforts and leadership,” the press release said. “The ACAPL remains hopeful that all jurisdictions will join in constructive dialogue to pursue fair and sustainable agreements. The ACAPL is doing everything it can — responsibly and compassionately — to protect animals and support public safety.”
For more information or to support the ACAPL’s work, visit www.acapl.org.
