Dog advocates in Fulton County are challenging a county policy that essentially mandates that all “pit bull”-type dogs at the county pound be killed if they are not claimed by an owner.

A grassroots group called Fulton County No Kill and the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, which was very involved in the effort to change state law and Lucas County policies with regard to “pit bulls,” are seeking to rescind a May, 2012, resolution enacted by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

“We will not drop this issue until we see change,” said Tasha Grieser, an Archbold resident and one of the leaders of the Fulton County No Kill group.

RELATED: How the resolution currently reads

Resolution 2012-477 states, “no ‘pit bull’ or ‘pit bull’ mix as identified by the dog warden or assistant dog warden will be sold to the general public or rescue group” from the Fulton County Dog Pound. The resolution was unanimously approved May 24, 2012, just after the state of Ohio removed breed-specific language that had declared all “pit bull”-type dogs as inherently vicious.

The initial efforts in Fulton County are mirroring those steps first taken in Lucas County several years ago. Public pressure eventually resulted in former dog warden Tom Skeldon, who was well known for his hostility toward "pit bull"-type dogs, being forced out of office in 2009.

Fulton County Dog Warden Brian Banister said that if a dog identified as a “pit bull”-type dog is not claimed, it will be killed. So far in 2014, the county has taken in 12 dogs identified as “pit bulls” or “pit-bull” mixes. Four were unclaimed and subsequently killed. Two were dead when officials picked them up, three were reclaimed by their owners, and three were killed at the request of their owners.

“I think the situation with ‘pit bulls’ is that when a ‘pit bull’ does attack, it is a much more serious and severe attack than a different type of dog,” Mr. Banister said. “That’s why the county’s taken the stance to be very careful where these dogs end up. The commissioners made this resolution because our No 1. priority is to keep the public safe from these dogs. The commissioners understand what these dogs are capable of.”

But advocates say dogs should be judged by their behavior and not their breed because canine behavior, much like human behavior, is affected by a wide variety of factors such as socialization, physical health, and general surroundings.

“We want ‘pit bulls’ to have equal opportunity for rescue and adoption, just the same as any other breed of dog,” Mrs. Grieser said.

Vond Hall, county administrator, said the commissioners have declined to discuss the matter as recently as about two weeks ago. Mrs. Grieser and another representative from Fulton County No Kill relayed the group’s concerns to Mr. Hall, who then approached the commissioners.

“I asked the board if they were interested in entertaining discussions about this and if they would reconsider, and it was a unanimous no,” Mr. Hall said. “They said they were not interested in rescinding the resolution.”

As a result of that refusal, Mrs. Grieser said the group is taking the matter to the public stage. Advocates will hold a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27., outside the Fulton County Dog Pound at 9200 County Road 14 in Wauseon.

“We would like to bring more awareness about this issue to Fulton County residents, and we want the commissioners to take us seriously and let us be heard,” Mrs. Grieser said.

The current Fulton County commissioners are Perry Rupp, Paul Barnaby, and Bill Rufenacht.

Dawn Stretar, vice president of the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, said the coalition also has attempted to discuss the matter with the commissioners, but “received no response.”

“Fulton County residents are asking for change and their elected officials are shutting them out,” Ms. Stretar said. “Fulton County can and should do better.”

One of the advocates’ concerns is how a dog’s breed is determined. The groups say visual identification of dogs, particularly of mixed-breed dogs, is unreliable, often incorrect, and subsequently misleading.

“Appearance is not connected with behavior,” she said. “It does not indicate any kind of temperament, how the dog interacts with its environment, or if it’s ultimately going to be a safe or dangerous dog. ”

Mr. Banister said he looks at the physical characteristics of dogs to determine their breeds. When it comes to “pit bulls,” he said, “You know one when you see one.”

“Every breed has different characteristics,” he said. “ ‘Pits’ have a look to them and it’s an educated assessment of an animal.”

He refused to describe what physical traits he uses to classify a canine as “pit bull”-type, but admitted, “The only sure way to do that is to do a DNA test on that animal, which, of course, we don’t do here. I don’t think there’s any dog pound in the state that does that.”

Ms. Stretar said the definition of a “pit bull”-type dog varies widely even among animal-welfare organizations, which makes breed-specific laws and policies difficult to enforce.

“So if you don’t know what a ‘pit bull’ is, then what are you legislating against?” she said.

Fulton County Prosecutor Scott Haselman, who is the attorney for the commissioners, declined to comment on any aspect of the debate about the county’s “pit bull” policy, though the minutes from the commissioners meeting during which the resolution was passed say he “advised against being breed specific as it will be tried in court.”

Ms. Stretar said all dog owners in Fulton County should be concerned about the policy and the way it is administered.

“One day, Dog A could be labeled as a boxer mix and the next day Dog A could be labeled as a ‘pit bull’ and in peril of losing its life,” she said. “People need to be concerned because it could be their dog.”

Contact Alexandra Mester: amester@theblade.com, 419-724-6066, or on Twitter @AlexMesterBlade.

First Published September 10, 2014, 4:00 a.m.