WARREN — As of Monday, city residents have a new way to report animal control issues.

The city has launched a dedicated hotline for animal control assistance, available seven days a week.

Residents can report concerns to Jason Cooke, the city’s animal control coordinator, by calling or texting 330-646-4618 and leaving detailed messages that include their name, address, phone number, the reason for the call and a description of the animal(s) and location(s) involved.

Calls received before 3 p.m. will be returned the same day, while calls received after 3 p.m. will be addressed the following day.

For urgent animal control matters, residents are advised to contact the Trumbull County 911 Dispatch non-emergency line at 330-675-2730.

Copies of Warren’s animal ordinances are available for pickup at Cooke’s shelter, the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project, 909 Martin Luther King Blvd. SW in Warren.

WEEKEND INCIDENT

Cooke and his shelter have seen the ebbs and flows of abandoned animals across Trumbull County. Over the weekend, the shelter encountered six more dogs and two cats living in deplorable conditions that were removed from a Willard Avenue SE residence.

A warrant was issued for Kathleen Lapmardo, 60, on seven misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, according to court records.

According to a Warren police report, officers responded to the home Friday after a caller reported an open front door and a dog running loose outside. Upon arrival, officers found a scene of severe neglect, with a strong odor of urine and feces, and garbage and feces covering the floors, the report states.

At least seven dogs and two cats were discovered inside the home, with many confined to areas without access to food or water.

“The floor was covered in feces. The counter had feces on it as well,” the report states. “Numerous bowls and buckets were on the floor, but none appeared to have water or food in them,” the report states.

The homeowner, Lapmardo, who was on vacation at the time, claimed a neighbor had been notified to care for the animals. However, the neighbor denied any knowledge of the arrangement.

The animals were removed from the property by Healthy Hearts and Paws, a local animal shelter operated by Cooke.

The report also noted that officers observed a small dog hiding in the bathroom and a cat in the bedroom. A bag of dog food had been ripped open and was lying on the living room floor among the trash, but no water supply was visible.

“The animals that were not blocked off in the kitchen would have had access to that food,” the report states. “I did not see a water supply to the animals.”

Hotline

To report animal control concerns, contact Jason Cooke, animal control coordinator, at 330-646-4618. For urgent animal control matters, residents are advised to contact the Trumbull County 911 Dispatch non-emergency line at 330-675-2730.