(a) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
DANGEROUS DOG. A dog that, without provocation, and subject to the following sentence, has chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack, or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person while that dog is off the premises of its owner, keeper or harborer or some other responsible person, or not physically restrained or confined in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure which has a top. DANGEROUS DOG does not include a police dog that has chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack, or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person while the police dog is being used to assist law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
MENACING FASHION. A dog that would cause any person being chased or approached to reasonably believe that the dog will cause physical injury to that person.
POLICE DOG. A dog that has been trained and may be used to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
VICIOUS DOG.
A. A dog that, without provocation and subject to division B. of this definition, meets any of the following criteria:
1. Has killed or caused serious injury to any person;
2. Has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person, or has killed another dog;
3. Belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog. The ownership, keeping, or harboring of such a breed of dog shall be prima-facie evidence of the ownership, keeping or harboring of a vicious dog.
B. VICIOUS DOG does not include either of the following:
1. A police dog that has killed or caused serious injury to any person or that has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person while the police dog is being used to assist law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
2. A dog that has killed or caused serious injury to any person while a person was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner, keeper or harborer of the dog.
WITHOUT PROVOCATION. A dog acts “without provocation” when it was not teased, tormented, or abused by a person, or it was not coming to the aid or the defense of a person who was not engaged in illegal or criminal activity and who was not using the dog as a means of carrying out such activity.
(b) No owner, keeper, or harborer of any female dog shall permit it to go beyond the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer at any time the dog is in heat unless the dog is properly in leash.
(c) Except when a dog is lawfully engaged in hunting and accompanied by the owner, keeper, harborer, or handler of the dog, no owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall fail at any time to do either of the following:
(1) Keep the dog physically confined or restrained upon the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer by a leash, tether, adequate fence, supervision, or secure enclosure to prevent escape; or
(2) Keep the dog under the reasonable control of some person.
(d) Except when a dangerous or vicious dog is lawfully engaged in hunting or training for the purpose of hunting and is accompanied by the owner, keeper, harborer, or handler of the dog, no owner, keeper, or harborer of a dangerous or vicious dog shall fail to do either of the following:
(1) While the dog is on the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer, securely confine it at all times in a locked pen that has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure that has a top, except that a dangerous dog may, in the alternative, be tied with a leash or tether so that the dog is adequately restrained.
(2) While the dog is off the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer, keep that dog on a chain-link leash or tether that is not more than six feet in length and additionally do at least one of the following: keep the dog in a locked pen that has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure that has a top; have the leash or tether controlled by a person who is of suitable age and discretion or securely attach, tie, or affix the leash or tether to the ground or a stationary object or fixture so that the dog is adequately restrained and station a person in close enough proximity to that dog so as to prevent it from causing injury to any person; or muzzle that dog.
(e) No owner, keeper, or harborer of a vicious dog shall fail to obtain liability insurance with an insurer authorized to write liability insurance in this state providing coverage in each occurrence, subject to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than $100,000 because of damage or bodily injury to or death of a person caused by the vicious dog.
(f) (1) Whoever violates divisions (b) or (c) of this section shall be fined not less than $25 or more than $100 on a first offense; and on each subsequent offense, shall be fined not less than $75 or more than $250 and may be imprisoned for not more than 30 days.
(2) In addition to the penalties prescribed in division (f)(1) above, if the offender is guilty of a violation of division (b) or (c) of this section, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dog that the offender owns, keeps, or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both.
(g) (1) If a violation of division (d) above involves a dangerous dog, whoever violates that division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense and of a misdemeanor of the third degree on each subsequent offense. Additionally, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dangerous dog that the offender owns, keeps, or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both, and the court may order the offender to obtain liability insurance pursuant to division (e) above. The court, in the alternative, may order the dangerous dog to be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
(2) If a violation of division (d) above involves a vicious dog, whoever violates that division is guilty of one of the following:
A. On a first offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree if the dog causes injury other than killing or serious injury to any person. The person shall be guilty of a felony on each subsequent offense and shall be prosecuted under appropriate state law. Additionally, the court may order the vicious dog to be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
B. A felony on a first or subsequent offense if the dog kills or seriously injures a person and shall be prosecuted under appropriate state law. Additionally, the court shall order that the vicious dog be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
(h) Whoever violates division (e) above of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. 86-2, passed 1-21-1986; Am. Ord. 96-42, passed 7-25-1996; Am. Ord. 2008-30, passed 6-17-2008)
Statutory reference:
Confining, restraining, debarking dogs, see Ohio R.C. § 955.22
Definitions, see Ohio R.C. § 955.11(A)
Penalty, see Ohio R.C. § 955.99(E) - (H)