7 pit bulls confiscated in sweep

The Lucas County dog warden yesterday confiscated seven pit bulls and wrote 52 possible citations during a sweep of Toledo, authorities said.

Dog Warden Tom Skeldon called the sweep an "ounce of prevention" as the weather warms and Toledoans walk their dogs outside again.

"This is the first big weekend of the summer, and we wanted to let the public know we would be out in neighborhoods at times when they didn't expect us to be," he said.

"I hope word gets around to people to keep these dogs as far underground as possible so they are not in a position to bite the kids or bite the mailman or whatever."

Of those animals confiscated, two were taken for being walked without muzzles, two for running at large, and three were being confined improperly, Mr. Skeldon said. The citations are issued until the owner claims the animal.