Animal Bills

A listing of various animal bills in Ohio.

Current Laws to Help Ohio's Companion Animals!

Ohio is only one of four states - Arkansas, Iowa and Pennsylvania being the other three - which does not have a subsequent-offense or first offense felony animal cruelty law.

For more information on Ohio Revised Code 959.13 - Cruelty to Animals, [click here].

For more information on Ohio Revised Code 959.131 - Prohibitions concerning companion animals, [click here].

For more information on Ohio Revised Code 1717.13 - Any person may protect animal, [click here].

Proposed Legislation to Help Ohio's Companion Animals!

2012 ballot initiative, Ohio Dog Auctions Act - The Ohio Dog Auctions Act would enact Section 955.54 of the Ohio Revised Code to make it unlawful for any person to auction, as defined in R. C. 4707.01, or raffle a dog within Ohio for any purpose. It would also prohibit bringing into the state for purposes of sale or trade a dog acquired through an auction or raffle in another jurisdiction. The Ohio Attorney General would have authority to investigate, conciliate and prosecute alleged violations of the Act. The Attorney General or any resident of the state could bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of the Act. A first conviction under the Act would be punishable as a minor misdemeanor and each subsequent conviction as a fourth degree misdemeanor.

...legislation currently pending in the 129th Ohio General Assembly (2011-12):

HB 14 - To amend section 955.11 of the Revised Code to remove pit bulls from the definition of "vicious dog" in state law.

HB 25 - To amend sections 955.11, 959.99, 2152.19, 2903.213, 2903.214, 2919.26, 3113.31, 4732.141, and 4757.33 and to enact section 4731.284 of the Revised Code to revise the penalties and sentencing provisions regarding violations of the cruelty to animals statutes, to include the protection of companion animals in temporary protection orders, domestic violence protection orders, anti-stalking protection orders, and related protection orders.

HB 108 (aka Nitro's Law) - To amend sections 959.131 and 959.99 of the Revised Code to specifically prohibit an owner of a kennel of dogs from committing cruel treatment of a companion animal and to give a prosecutor who prosecutes an owner of a kennel of dogs who commits cruel treatment of a companion animal discretion in prosecuting the owner for the offense.

... and waiting for reintroduction from the 128th Ohio General Assembly (2009-10):

HB 175 - To amend sections 109.73, 317.08, 959.131, 1717.01, 1717.04, 1717.06, and 1717.09 of the Revised Code to require a person to file proof of successful completion of training with the county recorder prior to being appointed as a humane society agent and to require the revocation of an appointment under certain circumstances.

HB 570 (aka McKenzie's Law) - To amend sections 955.04, 955.21, and 955.99 and to enact sections 956.01 to 956.11 and 956.99 of the Revised Code to establish standards of care for commercial dog breeding kennels and to establish requirements governing the sale of dogs.