618.01 Definitions.
618.02 Care requirements; cruelty prohibited.
618.03 Abuse of animals.
618.04 Dangerous dogs.
618.05 Running at large prohibited, exemptions.
618.06 Animals in public places prohibited.
618.07 Nuisance activities prohibited.
618.08 Excessive animal noise prohibited.
618.09 Prohibited animals.
618.10 Dog fighting.
618.11 Hunting or trapping prohibited. (Repealed)
618.12 Annual registration of dogs.
618.13 Enforcement procedures.
618.14 Duties of the Police Department.
618.15 Proper maintenance of animal yard, structures and pens.
618.16 Removal of animal feces.
618.17 Emergency treatment of sick or injured dog or cat.
618.18 Hindering capture of unregistered dog.
618.19 Unlawful tags.
618.20 Rabies vaccination of dogs and cats.
618.21 Hunting, poisoning and trapping prohibited.
618.22 Keeping of carcasses prohibited.
618.23 Dog owner/guardian liable for damage to public property.
618.24 Quarantine of rabid animals.
618.25 Impounding.
618.26 Court order to remove or destroy animals.
618.27 Reporting escapes.
618.28 Pigeons.
618.29 Beekeeping.
618.30 Dogs with blind, deaf or mobility impaired persons.
618.31 Sexual conduct with an animal.
CROSS REFERENCES
See section histories for similar State law
Power to restrain and impound animals - see Ohio R.C. 715.23
Animal Warden - see ADM. 141.02
Definitions generally - see GEN. OFF. 606.01
Offensive odors from places where animals are kept or fed - see GEN. OFF. 660.04
Animals in Single-Family House Districts - see P. & Z. 1153.03(f)
Assaulting police dog or horse or assistance dog - see GEN. OFF. 642.31
As used in this chapter:
(a) “Animal control officer” or “Animal Warden” means any staff person employed by the City for the animal shelter.
(b) “Animal hospital” means any facility which has the primary function of providing medical and surgical care for animals and is operated by a currently licensed veterinarian.
(c) “Animal shelter” means the facility or facilities operated by the City for the purpose of impounding or caring for the animals under the authority of this chapter or the laws of the State.
(d) “Animals” means any live, vertebrate creatures, domestic or wild, other than humans, and including all fowl.
(e) “Breeder” means any person who habitually lodges and/or feeds dogs within such persons's house or premises for the purpose of breeding.
(f) “Cat” means any member of the Felis catus family, male or female, regardless of age.
(g) “Catterie” means any establishment where cats are kept for the purpose of breeding.
(h) “Chief of Police” means the duly appointed, highest ranking officer in charge of the Police Department or his or her authorized representatives.
(i) “Commercial animal establishment” means any pet shop, grooming shop, guard shop service, business which keeps animals in stock for retail or wholesale trade, or any establishment performing one or more of the principal activities of the aforementioned establishments.
(j) “Companion animal” means any animal that is kept inside a residential dwelling and any dog or cat regardless of where it is kept. “Companion animal” does not include livestock or any wild animal.
(k) “Dangerous or exotic animal” means any animal, reptile or fowl or other such animal whose normal habitat is someplace other than northeast Ohio.
(l) “Dog” means any member of the Canis familiarities, male or female, regardless of age.
(m) “Fowl” means any bird belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl (galliformes) and the waterfowl (anseriformes).
(n) “Guardian” means a person(s) having the same rights and responsibilities of an “owner.” Both terms shall be used interchangeably. The absence of using both terms shall not relieve guardian and/or owner of any liability, responsibility, and/or obligation.
(o) “Health Officer” means the City-County Health Officer, or his or her authorized representative, including any employee of the City-County Health Department.
(p) “Household” means all persons living in the same single-family dwelling unit.
(q) “Humane live animal traps” means any cage trap that upon activation encloses an animal without placing any physical restraint upon any part of the body of such animal.
(r) “Humanely euthanize” means the proper injection of a substance that quickly and painlessly terminates the life of an animal, or any method approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association or the Humane Society of the United States.
(s) “Inhumane or cruel treatment or manner” means any treatment to any animal which deprives the animal of necessary sustenance, including sufficient and wholesome food, potable water and protection from the weather, or any treatment of any animal such as overloading, overworking, tormenting, beating, mutilating or teasing, or other abnormal treatment that causes suffering to such animal.
(t) “Kennel” or “shelter” means any premises upon which five or more cats or kittens and/or dogs and puppies are boarded, bred, trained, bought and/or sold, except for commercial animal establishments otherwise enumerated in the chapter.
(u) “Large animals” means any swine, bovine, goat, sheep, beast of burden or any other domestic or wild animal of similar or larger size.
(v) “Neutered” means any male or female cat or dog that has been permanently rendered sterile.
(w) “Owner”, “guardian”, “keeper”, “harborer” or “person in charge” means any person who feeds and/or shelters, or is in charge of, any animal for 24 or more consecutive hours, or who professes owner/guardianship of such animal. If a minor owns an animal, then the head of any household of which such minor is a member shall be deemed the owner/guardian of such animal under this chapter and shall be responsible as the owner/guardian. If not a member of a household, such minor shall be directly subject to the provisions of this chapter.
(x) “Person” means an individual, firm, association, joint stock company, syndicate, partnership or corporation.
(y) “Pet owner/guardian” means any person, other than those defined in divisions (e) and (v) of this section, who owns dogs or cats that are habitually lodged or fed within such person's house or premises.
(z) “Pit Bull Dog” includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, as recognized by the United Kennel Club, and the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Bull Terrier, as recognized by the American Kennel Club, and any mixed breed of dog which contains as an element of its breeding any of the breeds described.
(aa) “Premises” means any parcel of land and any structure thereon in which any animal regulated by this chapter is housed and/or confined.
(bb) “Pure bred animal” means bred from members of a recognized breed, strain or unmixed ancestry.
(cc) “Safety Director” means the Supervisor of animal control and any or all other Animal Control Officers and animal control personnel assigned to work under the direct control of the Safety Department.
(dd) “Small animal” means any animal not within the definition of “large animal” but including all dogs without reference to size.
(ee) “Summons” means a violation notice requiring the violator to appear before the Municipal Judge.
(ff) “Wild animal” means any animal which is predominantly free-roaming, as opposed to domesticated, including but not limited to feral cats and feral dogs.
(Ord. 45-06. Passed 11-20-06; Ord. 35-10. Passed 3-15-10; Ord. 157-11. Passed 7-5-11.)
(a) No owner/guardian, keeper, harborer, or person in charge of any animals shall do or fail to do anything to any such animal which is injurious, cruel, or inhumane, including but not limited to:
(1) Failing to provide sufficient and wholesome food; potable water; shade and weatherproof enclosure of such size as will permit movement and simultaneously facilitate the preservation of body heat by the animals;
(2) Failing to provide a clean, water-resistant, and insulated structure, designed and built specifically for the type and size of the animal, with a solid floor raised off the ground, sufficient quantity of suitable bedding material and an entrance covered with a flexible wind-proof material or a self-closing swinging door; unless otherwise inspected and approved by the animal control officer;
(3) Failing to provide such animal adequate opportunity for exercise; regular veterinary care and when needed, veterinary care for injury or illness, to treat injury or illness, unless the animal is instead humanely euthanized; or other care as is needed for the health or well-being of such kind of animal;
(4) Abandoning any animal in any place. For the purpose of this provision, "abandon" means for the owner/guardian, keeper, harborer, or person in charge to leave any animal without demonstrated or apparent intent to recover or to resume custody; leave any animal for more than 12 hours without providing for adequate food, potable water and shelter for the duration of the absence; or turn out or release any animal for the purpose of causing it to be impounded;
(5) Leaving any animal unattended in a motor vehicle when the interior of such vehicle does not have adequate ventilation and will not maintain a safe temperature such that would avoid harm, suffering, disability, or death to such animal. For the purpose of this division, if attempts to locate the vehicle owner fail, any law enforcement officer or animal control officer may take action necessary to rescue a confined animal to remove the threat of further serious harm. The owner/guardian, keeper, harborer, or person in charge will be liable for all reasonable and necessary impound, board, and medical fees. No officer or agent taking action shall be liable for damages necessary to rescue the confined animal;
(6) Failing to bring said animal into a heated residential dwelling and keeping said animal outdoors unless physically accompanied by said owner, keeper, harborer, or person in charge unless approved by the animal control officer, where the outdoor temperature reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower;
(7) Failing to provide said animal with a cool, shaded dwelling or area with adequate airflow and access to water, where the outdoor temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit;
(8) Tethering an animal if a heat or cold advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or the National Weather Service;
(9) Tethering an animal for more than six hours total in a 24 hour period;
(10) Tethering an animal between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;
(11) Tethering an animal if an owner, keeper, harborer, or person in charge of said animal is not on the premises; or
(12) Tethering an animal on a chain/leash of less than eight feet in length, or of a weight or in such a manner that prevents such animal from moving freely without entanglement.
(b) Any animal impounded for being kept in violation of this section may be humanely euthanized upon advice of a licensed veterinarian and by the animal control officer if he or she deems it necessary to relieve suffering. The cost for care and treatment of any animal impounded under this section shall be charged to the owner/guardian, keeper, harborer, or person in charge, regardless of whether such person seeks to regain custody of such animal.
(c) The owner/guardian, keeper, harborer, or person in charge of any animal who has been charged under this section who fails to appear in court on the scheduled date to enter a plea or fails to appear on any additional court dates, after entering a plea, without permission from the judge or authorized court employee, will have 14 days from that date to settle the matter with the court. Failure to comply will result in the animal being held at the shelter and becoming the property of the City, allowing it to be adopted or, if necessary, humanely euthanized.
(d) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. 45-06. Passed 11-20-06; Ord. 157-11. Passed 7-5-11; Ord. 95-24. Passed 7-15-24.)
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