By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Jodi Harding has always been a defender and adopter of “underdogs.”
Now, she’s filling that role in Wood County as the county’s new dog warden.
Harding has years of experience working with dogs, as shelter manager at the Toledo Humane Society and as operations manager at Lucas County Canine Care and Control.
Most recently, Harding was working as a dispatcher at Maumee Police Department. But something was missing.
“I missed the animals,” she said.
Dogs have always been a part of Harding’s life.
“Growing up, we always had rescue dogs. There was no other option. There are so many dogs needing homes.”
Especially dear to her heart are dogs that would not win any beauty or behavior contests.
“I like the underdogs,” Harding said. At home, she has surrounded herself with dogs previously deemed “unadoptable” either because of old age, health issues or behavior. Her three dogs are Romeo, an Australian shepherd, an old pit bull named Mamas, and a younger pit bull named Maggie, who runs with Harding.
“They’re always happy to see me,” she said.
Harding is accustomed to working in busy, bark-filled shelters that average 80 to 120 dogs at a time.
This week, the Wood County Dog Shelter was unusually quiet – with the only two dogs there being adopted on Tuesday. Of course, that can change at any moment, she said, when more lost or abandoned dogs show up.
Over the past year, the county dog shelter has helped 149 dogs be redeemed by their families, and 133 dogs be adopted by new families or transferred to rescue programs. A total of 34 dogs were euthanized, most at their owners’ requests, Harding said.
Harding praised the work of her predecessor, Andrew Snyder, who now works for the City of Bowling Green.
“I’ve always admired how Andy ran the shelter,” she said. “He had a fantastic adoptions rate.”
Snyder worked closely with dog rescue organizations, which Harding wants to build on.
“I hope to expand that a little bit more,” she said.
Harding also plans to organize monthly enrichment nights with dog shelter volunteers. In a previous position, she coordinated group walks with shelter dogs, and monthly dog runs.
“That was one of my favorite days of the month doing that,” she said.
The dog shelter currently has a core group of six or seven committed volunteers, who Harding hopes to work with to get ideas on how to recruit more.
“They’re great at getting the dogs out, socializing and walking,” she said.
Harding also plans to hold events where volunteers will make food puzzles and dog “kongs,” which are toys that the dog has to play with to extract snacks.
“I’m hoping to recruit more volunteers that way,” she said.
“I’m always going to be looking for ways to make it better here for the dogs.”
