(a) No person shall cause, sponsor, arrange, hold, or encourage any animal to fight, menace or injure another animal for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain.
(b) For the purposes of this section, a person encourages an animal to fight, menace or injure another animal for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain, if the person:
(1) Is knowingly present at or wagers on such an occurrence of fighting, menacing or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain;
(2) Owns, trains, transports, possesses, breeds, or equips an animal with the intent that such animal will be engaged in such an occurrence of fighting, menacing or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain;
(3) Knowingly allows any such an occurrence of fighting, menacing or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain to occur on any property owned or controlled by the person;
(4) Knowingly allows any animal used for such an occurrence of fighting, menacing or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain to be kept, boarded, housed, or trained on, or transported in, any properly owned and controlled by the person;
(5) Knowingly uses any means of communication for the purpose of promoting such an occurrence of fighting, menacing or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain; or
(6) Knowingly possesses any animal used for fighting, menacing, or injuring for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain; or any device intended to enhance the animal's fighting, menacing or injuring ability for the purpose of sport, amusement, or pecuniary gain.
(c) Each act or omission in violation of division (a) of this section shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) Animal fighting is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(e) This section does not regulate fighting between dogs as prohibited under the R.C. Chapter 959.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)