ASHTABULA, Ohio, Updated 8:02 p.m. EDT April 25, 2001 -- Armed with a legal bite of its own, the city of Ashtabula is going after vicious dogs.

NewsChannel5's Leon Bibb reports that regardless of whether the dogs are kept inside or held on tight leashes, pit bulls and other dogs that the city has judged to be vicious are going to be snared.

Marylyn Lemonn's (pictured, below) pit bull is headed for a new town, because pit bulls and other dogs judged vicious are not legal in Ashtabula.

Ashtabula animal control warden Ron Ovak is pushing the law, and he reminded Lemonn that Thursday is the day that her pit bull must be gone.

"(Pit bulls) have a grip; it's unbelievable," Ovak said. "Once they get you, you can't get them off you."

Lemonn's pet is a 55-pound watchdog that she uses to scare away trouble. Still, city law barks that the dog itself is trouble for the rest of the community.

"They can be dangerous if a stranger is near your home," she said. "Very much so. But I chose that rather than a gun."

Lemonn's dog crashed through a glass window on her property, trying to get outside. Lemonn admits that her dog is vicious and dangerous, but said that it's still difficult to let it go.

"But if that fence was not there, that dog would be on me," she said.

In four months, Ovak has picked up 15 pit bulls.

The animal warden gives owners of all dogs judged to be vicious two days to get them out of Ashtabula. If they don't, he will seize the animals. He also seizes -- on the spot -- any unattended vicious animal.

Ashtabula's vicious dog law isn't unique, WEWS reports. There are several other cities in northeast Ohio that have a ban against dangerous dogs, including Cleveland, Pepper Pike and Cuyahoga Falls.

Previous Stories:

• April 5, 2001: City Requires That Certain Dogs Be Muzzled
• March 12, 2001: Boy Recovering From Attack By Dogs
• January 19, 2001: Watch Out For Vicious Dog On Loose In Lorain
• June 1, 2000: Cleveland Policeman Kills Family's Pit Bull
• May 26, 1999: Kids, Vicious Dogs: A Guide To Safety
• May 19, 1999: More Teeth In Vicious Dog Laws
• February 11, 1999: Mayor: Ban On Rottweilers Never Intended
• February 10, 1999: Residents Say Their Dogs Aren't Vicious
• November 17, 1998: 6-Year-Old Mauled By Pit Bull
• September 30, 1998: Children Get Attacked By Pit Bull