Dog Shelter Receives Appropriated Funds
Despite being moved to a larger room to account for capacity, residents and non-residents alike packed the Dec. 27 Geauga County Commissioners’ meeting, lining the walls and spilling out the door in a mass show of support for dog warden Matt Granito.
Despite being moved to a larger room to account for capacity, residents and non-residents alike packed the Dec. 27 Geauga County Commissioners’ meeting, lining the walls and spilling out the door in a mass show of support for dog warden Matt Granito.
Both Granito’s office and commissioners came under fire after a previous meeting when Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand and county Prosecutor Jim Flaiz publicly aired complaints about the dog warden, claiming a dereliction of duties. During that meeting, the sheriff also suggested his office run the dog shelter as a possible solution.
Commissioners Tim Lennon and Ralph Spidalieri said they felt blindsided by the discussion, which Commissioner Jim Dvorak had added to the agenda.
The issue blew up on social media and a petition circulating that opposed the sheriff’s office running the dog shelter had, at press deadline, nearly reached 4,000 signatures.
“I really appreciate the fact that everyone is here this morning, just the incredible show of support and the care for what you guys are here (for) and what you believe in,” Spidalieri told the gathered masses. “This is truly a moving moment for us to see because of the fact that you guys care.”
Spidalieri emphasized he was caught off guard by the agenda item at the previous meeting and apologized for how the issue had been handled, saying it was not how they want to conduct business.
“This should have been addressed in a whole different matter. If there’s a problem, let’s fix it, let’s not try to do something that is going to just try to put a political play in place to try to direct public opinion,” he said.
Dvorak apologized for his hand in the matter, as well, and explained his reasoning for bringing it to light in the first place. He recounted Hildenbrand inviting him to an April meeting with Chief Deputy Tom Rowan, County Administrator Gerry Morgan and Granito over communication issues between the dog warden and sheriff’s office.
“Promises made, some promises not kept between the communication between the sheriff’s office and the dog warden,” he said.
When things did not improve post meeting, Dvorak decided to bring the matter to open session.
Two things can be right at the same time, Lennon said.
“I agree with the county sheriff that he has responsibilities that he needs to take care of and he has a job to do and if those things aren’t happening the way that he sees fit, that’s a problem,” Lennon said. “But, at the same time, I believe that the dog warden and his responsibilities go beyond just responding to the sheriff’s office or police departments across the county.”
Granito Makes Grand Entrance
As the public comment segment of the meeting began, Granito appeared for the first time to a thunderous standing ovation from the room.
“I’m just overwhelmed,” he said to the crowd. “I have a high school diploma, that’s all I got. I’m a guy that got thrown into the Lake County Humane Society making four dollars an hour cleaning kennels.”
He strives to help as many animals as possible, he said, recounting his history testifying to end gas chambers in county facilities and helping to create Goddard’s Law.
Granito also emphasized his respect for the sheriff’s office and a desire to mend the relationships between his office and those who have come out against him.
He reiterated from the previous meeting frustrations with legal red tape he has encountered while seizing dogs, adding he feels no one is listening, despite him asking for help.
The lack of communication and coming together has been difficult, he said.
“I just want an answer,” he said. “It’s just difficult that politics have gotten involved in a dog shelter.”
Granito recounted a recent incident in which his office had taken custody of four great danes from a neglectful situation.
It should have been an issue the humane officer handled, he said, referring to one of three who work for Rescue Village’s Humane Investigations Department.
Granito’s office taking the dogs was also a possible liability situation, he added.
The Public Speaks
Public comment at the meeting lasted over an hour, with well over a dozen residents and non-residents coming forward to speak in Granito’s favor.
PAWS Ohio Executive Director Amy Beichler called the events of the past few weeks disturbing, adding she does not support Hildenbrand’s office running the shelter.
Partnerships are incredibly important, she emphasized.
“When I spoke with the sheriff I said, ‘Sheriff, let’s work this out, let’s solve this, how can we solve this?’ and this is what I asked,” she said. “Give Matt a year. Give him a year. Have you disciplined him, do you have a paper trail? The answer was no.”
Jody Dinko, who introduced herself as a retired police officer from Cuyahoga County, questioned the lack of standard operating procedures.
“In our fully nationally-accredited police department that I worked in, we had general orders, standard operating procedures down to, and I will tell you, how I had to act when there was a bat in the house. Let alone a dog call. Where are your standard operating procedures for who you call and what situation?” she asked.
A number of people reflected on improvements Granito has made to the shelter over the years, describing a night and day difference since he took over.
“That shelter, both sides were grim, very grim,” shelter volunteer Lisa Lowry said. “Over the years, Matt and the deputy dog wardens and the volunteers, we have put so much blood, sweat and tears into what we do for the dogs.”
Many discussed dogs they adopted from the shelter who had been brought in from out of state — a practice Hildenbrand had expressed wanting to phase out.
Resident Judy Jacobson introduced service dog Drake, brought up from Tennessee, to the podium and described a situation where he saved her life in a medical emergency.
Lennon asked a shelter volunteer from Cleveland whether the practice of importing dogs, like the Geauga shelter does, is commonplace, and is not subsidizing outside counties with Geauga tax dollars.
It is common, she said, adding she had spent the previous day contacting shelters in Massachusetts about importing dogs.
Many audience members highlighted the communication issues between the warden’s office, prosecutor’s office and sheriff’s office.
Others said they believed the sheriff’s office’s hands are already full enough without having to handle the dogs.
One Geauga shelter volunteer addressed comments made to the press by a source who asked to remain anonymous. Granito has never put down a healthy, non-aggressive dog, is not afraid of breeds and more than one deputy responds to calls, she said.
Following multiple comments from residents encouraging commissioners to provide funding to the shelter in a show of support, Lennon made a motion to appropriate $250,000 toward the renovation of the dog shelter, which was passed to yet another deafening standing ovation.
Moving Forward
One of the final speakers asked officials what will happen next.
There will be a news release updating the public on their progress at some point in the next few weeks, Dvorak said, adding he had taken notes and the standard operating procedure suggestion was a good idea.
While the meeting served as Lennon’s last as commissioner — Carolyn Brakey took over his seat Jan. 1 — he did express a strong opinion about Granito.
To dismiss him would be career suicide, he said.
When an audience member asked commissioners what would happen during the upcoming Jan. 7 reorganizational meeting, at which department heads are appointed, Spidalieri answered, “My position is to keep Matt (as dog warden).”
