LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — In April of 2021, Ohio House Bill 33 went into effect, aiming to protect animals and humans from situations of abuse and neglect. The bill mandates social workers, counselors, and veterinarians report cases of animal abuse they may encounter, and also requires dog wardens and animal control officers to report child abuse.
About one year after the bill went into effect, some local shelters are seeing the impact.
In Lorain County, the Friendship Animal Protective League has received calls from these mandated reporters since the bill took effect.
“We’re seeing a handful more of those particular calls,” said Greg Willey, executive director at Friendship APL. “We’re really proud of our adult protective services and child protective services who are taking advantage and reaching out to us in these cases.”
Willey said he is excited for the partnerships and collaboration being built through this reporting system, and said he finds them beneficial.
He also noted that the animals coming in as a result of these reports are often involved in more complicated cases.
“These animals that are coming in through these types of situations, they’re complicated, as the situation would indicate,” Willey said. “They require more time in the shelter, more time to recover.”
Willey said that while it may appear as if there are a number of empty kennels at the Friendship APL, he said they are likely treating those animals behind the scenes, providing them with additional vet care or extended stays to help with socialization.
Providing that extra time and care to animals from these kinds of complicated calls can also impact the number of animals the APL is able to take in.
“What really enables a shelter to kind of keep moving and take on more animals and more responsibility is how fast they’re able to exit the shelter, find a new home, and go onto a better life. That’s what we always want to see,” he said. “And sometimes when you have complicated issues they can stretch that out and prevent you from taking on a lot more animals that you want to be able to help.”
At the Lake Humane Society, executive director Lori Caszatt said they receive about two to three calls per month from mandated reporters like social workers, counselors, and veterinary professionals. While the reporting has not impacted shelter capacity, she did say the cases do tend to be more serious cases of neglect and abuse.
Back in Lorain County, Kristen Fox Berki, executive director at Lorain County Children Services, called Ohio House Bill 33 a “very positive piece of legislation.”
“If our staff goes into a home because we received a call of child abuse or neglect, and in the course of doing our work there, our assessment, we have concerns regarding a companion animal who lives in that home, we are required to make sure that we report that to the proper officials,” she said.
The legislation helps not only animals, but humans, too.
“If the APL or humane society and the county receives a call regarding animal cruelty, and they go in the home, and there’s children in that home, they are mandated then to make a call to our agency,” said Fox Berki.
She said that while their agency has reported animal abuse or neglect cases in the past, this bill makes that process more consistent.
“It’s very clear when reporting needs to happen, and it’s only going to improve the relationship that Lorain County Children Services has with the Friendship APL and the county,” she said. “We have a good relationship and now that relationship is just going to be stronger.”
3News also checked in with other shelters and organizations throughout the area.
Sharon Harvey, president and CEO of The Cleveland Animal Protective League said they have not experienced an increase in animals or calls from House Bill 33, but did say the Cleveland APL is a strong supporter of the bill.
City Dogs Cleveland similarly said they have not felt the impact of the legislation, but did say they are currently seeing an inundation of strays.
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