Tiffin woman charged after grooming dogs amid COVID-19 business closure order

Tiffin, Ohio — A Tiffin woman has been charged with a misdemeanor after her business allegedly performed commercial dog grooming services amid the state of Ohio’s non-essential business closure order due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

68-year-old Janice M. McClung was charged with violations prohibited, a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court records.

McClung is accused of allowing two dog grooming sessions to take place at her business, Animal Hospital of Tiffin, 2765 State Route 100, despite the Ohio Department of Health’s order which closes non-essential businesses, according to court records.

According to section 3701.352 of the Ohio Revised Code, “no person shall violate any rule the director of health or department of health adopts or any order the director or department of health issues under this chapter to prevent a threat to the public caused by a pandemic, epidemic, or bioterrorism event.”

The case was filed in court by the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

An arraignment hearing in the case has been set for April 15 at 9 a.m., according to court records.