The deadline to purchase dog licenses in Jan 31; fees apply afterward
There’s a new Top Dog in Marion County, and it’s the pet of a first-grade student at Pleasant Elementary School.
Fern, the 2 1/2-year-old canine companion of Ada Remoquillo, was chosen as the 2024 Top Dog by a panel of judges who scoured 33 Coloring Contest submissions at the Marion County Auditor’s Office.
The contest is held every year to highlight dog tag registration. This year, the office reached out to elementary school students, inviting them to color a picture of their dog or another dog they liked.
“It’s fun, kids get to color pictures and [write] essays,” Amanda Davis, deputy auditor, said.
The judges were Auditor Joan Kasotis, Treasurer Jan Draper, Sheriff Matt Bayles, Dog Warden Scott Mills, Clerk of Courts Jessica Wallace, Judge Matt Frericks and Judge Teresa Ballinger.
They agonized over the submissions − some deliberations even coming down to the expression drawn in the dogs’ eyes. Three drawings were picked to receive prizes.
Remoquillo’s drawing showed Fern walking through grass with flowers popping up.
In second place was Mila and her owner Abigail Risner, a first grader at Hayes Elementary School. In third place was first-grader Meghan Presley, also from Hayes, with her drawing of Sky.
All three winners received accessories for the dogs, dog treats and a goody bag. Remoquillo also received a dog tag for being the winner.
Submissions from Risner and Presley had an extra component − a short essay describing their dog.
Risner’s teacher, Dorothy Rothermel, said she wanted to the students to practice their writing skills in addition to their drawings.
“I’ve never done it before, but I just wanted to encourage more writing, so we definitely entered this year,” Rothermel said.
All 33 submissions will hang outside of the entrance to the Auditors Office until Jan. 31.
Dogs must be licensed by Jan. 31 to avoide a late fee
According to Ohio law, dogs must be registered and licensed. Owners have until Jan. 31 to register their dogs or face a late fee.
The Marion County Auditor’s Office is in charge of registering dogs. Dog owners can register either in person or online on the auditor’s website.
There are three tags available:
- One-year tag for $20
- Three-year tag for $60
- $200 for a permanent tag
There’s a 10% discount for dogs that are spayed or neutered.
“No matter if they’re just indoor dogs or outdoor dogs, they all need a tag,” Davis said.
Mills estimated about 80% of the dogs that come into the Dog Warden’s office don’t have tags.
“Anybody can look up a dog tag on the county auditor’s website and return the dog home,” Mills said. “So reunification is our goal with dog tags.”
The money collected from dog tag registrations helps fund the Marion County Dog Pound. Since the pound can’t directly fundraise as a government-run facility, it relies on fees to stay open and provide for the more than 40 dogs it currently houses.
The pound accepts donations. Friends of the Marion County Ohio Dog Pound collects donations on the pound’s behalf. Lists of the items they collect can be found on group’s Facebook page.
Source link https://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2024/12/07/marion-countys-top-dog-named-this-year-after-coloring-contest-pleasant-elementary-dog-licenses/76819753007/
