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(A) Whenever, in the judgment of the Mayor or his or her designee, rabies is prevalent, he or she shall declare a quarantine of all dogs in the municipality or a part thereof. During the quarantine, the owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall keep it confined on the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer or in a pound, kennel, or other suitable place, at the expense of the owner, keeper, or harborer, except that a dog may be permitted to leave the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer if it is under leash or under the control of a responsible person. The quarantine order shall be considered an emergency and need not be published.
(B) When the quarantine has been declared, the Mayor or his or her designee may require the vaccination for rabies of all dogs within the municipality or part thereof.
(R.C. § 955.26) (Rev. 2014)
(C) No person shall violate a rabies quarantine order issued under this section or R.C. § 955.26.
(R.C. § 955.39)
(D) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense; for each subsequent offense such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(R.C. § 955.99(C))
(A) No person shall hinder, obstruct, resist or interfere with any enforcing officer while engaged in enforcing an order issued under § 90.05.
(B) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the hindrance, obstruction, resistance, or interference alleged consisted of constitutionally protected speech only.
Penalty, see § 90.99
Subject to R.C. § 955.261(A)(2) and (A)(3), a dog that is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack that attempts to bite or otherwise endanger, or that kills or injures a person, or a dog that chases, threatens, harasses, injures, or kills livestock, poultry, other domestic animal, or other animal that is the property of another person, except a cat or another dog, can be killed at the time of that chasing, threatening, harassment, approaching, attempt, killing or injury. If, in attempting to kill such a dog, a person wounds it, the person is not liable to prosecution under the criminal laws or ordinances that punish cruelty to animals. Nothing in this section precludes a law enforcement officer from killing a dog that attacks a police dog as defined in R.C. § 2921.321.
(R.C. § 955.28(A)) (Rev. 2013)
OFFENSES RELATING TO ANIMALS
(A) No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other domestic animal shall abandon the animal.
(R.C. § 959.01)
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree on a first offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree on each subsequent offense.
(R.C. § 959.99(E)(3)) (Rev. 2003)
(A) No person shall maliciously, or willfully and without the consent of the owner, kill or injure a dog, cat, or any other domestic animal that is the property of another. This section does not apply to a licensed veterinarian acting in an official capacity.
(R.C. § 959.02)
(B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. If the value of the animal killed or the injury done amounts to $300 or more, whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(R.C. § 959.99(B))
(C) This section does not apply to a person killing or injuring an animal or attempting to do so while endeavoring to prevent it from trespassing upon his or her enclosure, or while it is so trespassing, or while driving it away from his or her premises; provided within 15 days thereafter, payment is made for damages done to such animal by killing or injuring, less the actual amount of damage done by such animal while so trespassing, or a sufficient sum of money is deposited with the nearest judge of a county court or judge of a municipal court having jurisdiction within such time to cover the damages. The deposit shall remain in the custody of such judge until there is a determination of the damage resulting from such killing or injury and from the trespass. The judge and his or her bondsmen shall be responsible for the safekeeping of such money and for the payment thereof as for money collected upon a judgment.
(R.C. § 959.04)
(A) No person shall maliciously, or willfully and without the consent of the owner, administer poison, except a licensed veterinarian acting in such capacity, to a dog, cat, or any other domestic animal that is the property of another; and no person shall, willfully and without the consent of the owner, place any poisoned food where it may be easily found and eaten by any such animal, either upon his or her own lands or the lands of another.
(R.C. § 959.03)
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(R.C. § 959.99(C))
(C) This section does not apply to a person killing or injuring an animal or attempting to do so while endeavoring to prevent it from trespassing upon his or her enclosure, or while it is so trespassing, or while driving it away from his or her premises; provided that within 15 days thereafter, payment is made for damages done to such animal by killing or injuring, less the actual amount of damage done by such animal while so trespassing, or a sufficient sum of money is deposited with the nearest judge of a county court or judge of a municipal court having jurisdiction within such time to cover the damages. The deposit shall remain in the custody of such judge until there is a determination of the damage resulting from such killing or injury and from the trespass. The judge and his or her bondsmen shall be responsible for the safekeeping of such money and for the payment thereof as for money collected upon a judgment.
(R.C. § 959.04)
(A) No person shall:
(1) Torture an animal, deprive one of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill, or impound or confine an animal without supplying it during the confinement with a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food and water;
(2) Impound or confine an animal without affording it, during the confinement, access to shelter from wind, rain, snow, or excessive direct sunlight, if it can reasonably be expected that the animal would otherwise become sick or in some other way suffer. This division does not apply to animals impounded or confined prior to slaughter. For the purpose of this section,
SHELTER means an artificial enclosure, windbreak, sunshade, or natural windbreak or sunshade that is developed from the earth’s contour, tree development, or vegetation;
(3) Carry or convey an animal in a cruel or inhuman manner;
(4) Keep animals other than cattle, poultry or fowl, swine, sheep, or goats in an enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air, nor feed cows on food that produces impure or unwholesome milk;
(5) Detain livestock in railroad cars or compartments longer than 28 hours after they are so placed without supplying them with necessary food, water, and attention, nor permit the stock to be so crowded as to overlie, crush, wound, or kill each other.
(B) Upon the written request of the owner or person in custody of any particular shipment of livestock, which written request shall be separate and apart from any printed bill of lading or other railroad form, the length of time in which the livestock may be detained in any cars or compartment without food, water, and attention may be extended to 36 hours without penalty therefor. Division (A) of this section does not prevent the dehorning of cattle.
(C) All fines collected for violations of division (A) of this section shall be paid to the society or association for the prevention of cruelty to animals, if there is one in the municipality; otherwise, all fines shall be paid to the General Fund.
(R.C. § 959.13)
(D) Cruelty to companion animals.
(1) As used in this section:
BOARDING KENNEL. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 956.01.
CAPTIVE WHITE-TAILED DEER. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 1531.01.
COMPANION ANIMAL. Means any animal that is kept inside a residential dwelling and any dog or cat regardless of where it is kept, including a pet store as defined in R.C. § 956.01. The term does not include livestock or any wild animal.
CRUELTY. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 1717.01.
DOG KENNEL. Means an animal rescue for dogs that is registered under R.C. § 956.06, a boarding kennel, or a training kennel.
FEDERAL ANIMAL WELFARE ACT. Means the “Laboratory Animal Act of 1966", Pub. L. No. 89-544, 80 Stat. 350 (1966), 7 U.S.C. §§ 2131 et seq., as amended by the “Animal Welfare Act of 1970", Pub. L. No. 91-579, 84 Stat. 1560 (1970), the “Animal Welfare Act Amendments of 1976", Pub. L. No. 94-279, 90 Stat. 417 (1976), and the “Food Security Act of 1985", Pub. L. No. 99-198, 99 Stat. 1354 (1985), and as it may be subsequently amended.
LIVESTOCK. Means horses, mules, and other equidae; cattle, sheep, goats, and other bovidae; swine and other suidae; poultry; alpacas; llamas; captive white- tailed deer; and any other animal that is raised or maintained domestically for food or fiber.
PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 4741.01.
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING. Means a structure or shelter or the portion of a structure or shelter that is used by one or more humans for the purpose of a habitation.
SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM. Means any of the following:
1. Physical harm that carries an unnecessary or unjustifiable substantial risk of death;
2. Physical harm that involves either partial or total permanent incapacity;
3. Physical harm that involves acute pain of a duration that results in substantial suffering or that involves any degree of prolonged or intractable pain;
4. Physical harm that results from a person who confines or who is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal depriving the companion animal of good, wholesome food and water that proximately causes the death of the companion animal.
TORMENT. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 1717.01.
TORTURE. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 1717.01.
TRAINING KENNEL. Means an establishment operating for profit that keeps, houses, and maintains dogs for the purpose of training the dogs in return for a fee or other consideration.
WILD ANIMAL. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 1531.01.
(2) No person shall knowingly torture, torment, needlessly mutilate or maim, cruelly beat, poison, needlessly kill, or commit an act of cruelty against a companion animal.
(3) No person shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to a companion animal.
(4) No person who confines or who is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal shall negligently do any of the following:
(a) Torture, torment, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal;
(b) Deprive the companion animal of necessary sustenance or confine the companion animal without supplying it during the confinement with sufficient quantities of good, wholesome food and water if it can reasonably be expected that the companion animal would become sick or suffer in any other way as a result of or due to the deprivation or confinement;
(c) Impound or confine the companion animal without affording it, during the impoundment or confinement, with access to shelter from heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, or excessive direct sunlight if it can reasonably be expected that the companion animal would become sick or suffer in any other way as a result of or due to the lack of adequate shelter.
(5) No owner, manager, or employee of a dog kennel who confines or is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal shall knowingly do any of the following:
(a) Torture, torment, needlessly mutilate or maim, cruelly beat, poison, needlessly kill, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal;
(b) Deprive the companion animal of necessary sustenance or confine the companion animal without supplying it during the confinement with sufficient quantities of good, wholesome food and water if it is reasonably expected that the companion animal would die or experience unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering as a result of the deprivation or confinement;
(c) Impound or confine the companion animal without affording it, during the impoundment or confinement, with access to shelter from heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, or excessive direct sunlight if it is reasonably expected that the companion animal would die or experience unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering as a result of or due to the lack of adequate shelter.
(6) No owner, manager, or employee of a dog kennel who confines or is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal shall negligently do any of the following:
(a) Torture, torment, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal;
(b) Deprive the companion animal of necessary sustenance or confine the companion animal without supplying it during the confinement with sufficient quantities of good, wholesome food and water if it can reasonably be expected that the companion animal would become sick or suffer in any other way as a result of or due to the deprivation or confinement;
(c) Impound or confine the companion animal without affording it, during the impoundment or confinement, with access to shelter from heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, or excessive direct sunlight if it can reasonably be expected that the companion animal would become sick or suffer in any other way as a result of or due to the lack of adequate shelter.
(7) Divisions (D)(2), (D)(3), (D)(4), (D)(5), and (D)(6) of this section do not apply to any of the following:
(a) A companion animal used in scientific research conducted by an institution in accordance with the federal animal welfare act and related regulations;
(b) The lawful practice of veterinary medicine by a person who has been issued a license, temporary permit, or registration certificate to do so under R.C. Chapter 4741;
(c) Dogs being used or intended for use for hunting or field trial purposes, provided that the dogs are being treated in accordance with usual and commonly accepted practices for the care of hunting dogs;
(d) The use of common training devices, if the companion animal is being treated in accordance with usual and commonly accepted practices for the training of animals;
(e) The administering of medicine to a companion animal that was properly prescribed by a person who has been issued a license, temporary permit, or registration certificate under R.C. Chapter 4741.
(8) Notwithstanding any section of the Ohio Revised Code that otherwise provides for the distribution of fine moneys, the Clerk of Court shall forward all fines the Clerk collects that are so imposed for any violation of this division (D) to the Treasurer of the municipality, whose county humane society or law enforcement agency is to be paid the fine money as determined under this division. The Treasurer shall pay the fine moneys to the county humane society or the county, township, municipal corporation, or state law enforcement agency in this state that primarily was responsible for or involved in the investigation and prosecution of the violation. If a county humane society receives any fine moneys under this division, the county humane society shall use the fine moneys either to provide the training that is required for humane society agents under R.C. § 1717.061 or to provide additional training for humane society agents.
(R.C. § 959.131) (Rev. 2022)
(E) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. In addition, the court may order the offender to forfeit the animal or livestock and may provide for its disposition including but not limited to the sale of the animal or livestock. If an animal or livestock is forfeited and sold pursuant to this division, the proceeds from the sale first shall be applied to pay the expenses incurred with regard to the care of the animal from the time it was taken from the custody of the former owner. The balance of the proceeds from the sale, if any, shall be paid to the former owner of the animal.
(R.C. § 959.99(D))
(F) (1) Whoever violates division (D)(2) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law on each subsequent offense.
(2) Whoever violates division (D)(3) of this section is guilty of a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(3) Whoever violates division (D)(4) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree on a first offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree on each subsequent offense.
(4) Whoever violates division (D)(5) of this section is guilty of a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(5) Whoever violates division (D)(6) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(6) (a) A court may order a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (D) of this section to forfeit to an impounding agency, as defined in R.C. § 959.132, any or all of the companion animals in that person’s ownership or care. The court also may prohibit or place limitations on the person’s ability to own or care for any companion animals for a specified or indefinite period of time.
(b) A court may order a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (A) of this section or division (D) of this section to reimburse an impounding agency for the reasonably necessary costs incurred by the agency for the care of a companion animal that the agency impounded as a result of the investigation or prosecution of the violation, provided that the costs were not otherwise paid under R.C. § 959.132.
(7) If a court has reason to believe that a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of division (D) of this section suffers from a mental or emotional disorder that contributed to the violation, the court may impose as a community control sanction or as a condition of probation a requirement that the offender undergo psychological evaluation or counseling. The court shall order the offender to pay the costs of the evaluation or counseling.
(R.C. § 959.99(E)) (Rev. 2022)
Statutory reference:
Impoundment of companion animals; notice and hearing, see R.C. § 959.132
(A) No person shall knowingly do either of the following:
(1) Engage in cockfighting, bearbaiting, or pitting an animal against another;
(2) Use, train, or possess any animal for seizing, detaining, or maltreating a domestic animal.
(B) No person shall knowingly do either of the following:
(1) Be employed at cockfighting, bearbaiting, or pitting an animal against another;
(2) Do any of the following regarding an event involving cockfighting, bearbaiting, or pitting an animal against another:
(a) Wager money or anything else of value on the results of the event;
(b) Pay money or give anything else of value in exchange for admission to or being present at the event;
(c) Receive money or anything else of value in exchange for the admission of another person to the event or for another person to be present at the event;
(d) Use, possess, or permit or cause to be present at the event any device or substance intended to enhance an animal’s ability to fight or to inflict injury on another animal;
(e) Permit or cause a minor to be present at the event if any person present at or involved with the event is conducting any of the activities described in division (B)(1) or (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (B)(2)(c), or (B)(2)(d) of this section.
(C) A person who knowingly witnesses cockfighting, bearbaiting, or an event in which one animal is pitted against another when a violation of division (B) of this section is occurring at the cockfighting, bearbaiting, or event is an aider and abettor and has committed a violation of this division.
(R.C. § 959.15) (Rev. 2022)
(D) (1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(2) Whoever violates division (B) or (C) of this section is guilty of a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate state law.
(R.C. § 959.99(C), (I)) (Rev. 2018)
Statutory reference:
Dogfighting, felony provisions, see R.C. § 959.16
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