618.01 Dogs and other animals running at large; dangerous and vicious dogs.
618.02 Abandoning animals.
618.03 Killing or injuring animals.
618.04 Poisoning animals.
618.05 Cruelty to animals generally.
618.051 Cruelty to companion animals.
618.06 Coloring rabbits and baby poultry; sale or display of poultry.
618.07 Barking or howling dogs.
618.08 Registration of dogs required.
618.09 Hindering capture of unregistered dog.
618.10 Unlawful tags.
618.11 Animal bites; quarantine and reporting.
618.12 Hunting prohibited.
618.125 Limited hunting permitted. (Repealed)
618.13 Nuisance conditions prohibited.
618.14 Animal Control Officer; impounding; fees and redemption.
618.15 Dog owner liable for damage to public property.
618.16 Dead animals.
618.17 Reporting escapes.
618.18 Defecation on public or private property.
618.19 Failure to confine household pets.
618.20 Rabies immunization required.
618.21 Assaulting police dog or horse or an assistance dog.
618.22 Restricted animal species.
618.23 Rights of blind, deaf or hearing impaired, or mobility impaired person, or trainer with assistance dog.
CROSS REFERENCES
See section histories for similar State law
Power to restrain and impound animals - see Ohio R.C. 715.23
Definitions generally - see GEN. OFF. 606.01
Offensive odors from places where animals are kept or fed - see GEN. OFF. 660.04
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Dangerous dog” is defined as follows:
A. “Dangerous dog” means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to paragraph (a)(1)B., hereof, has chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or on 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 and not under the reasonable control of its owner, keeper, 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.
B. “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 one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(2) “Menacing fashion” means that dog would cause any person being chased or approached to reasonably believe that the dog will cause physical injury to that person.
(3) "Police dog" means 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.
(4) "Vicious dog" is defined as follows:
A. "Vicious dog" means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to paragraph (a)(4)B. hereof, meets any of the following requirements:
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; or
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 one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties; or
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.
(5) "Without provocation" means that a dog was not teased, tormented or abused by a person, or that the dog 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.
(ORC 955.11(A))
(b) No person who is the owner or keeper of horses, mules, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, dogs, geese or other fowl or animals shall permit them to run at large upon any public way or upon unenclosed land. (ORC 951.02)
(c) 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.
(d) No owner, keeper or harborer of any dog shall fail at any time to keep it either 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 under reasonable control of some person, except when the dog is lawfully engaged in hunting accompanied by the owner, keeper or harborer or a handler.
(e) No owner, keeper or harborer of a dangerous or vicious dog shall fail to do either of the following, except when the dog is lawfully engaged in hunting or training for the purpose of hunting, accompanied by the owner, keeper, harborer or a handler:
(1) While that dog is on the premises of the owner, keeper or harborer, securely confine it at all times in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard or other locked enclosure which 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 that dog is off the premises of the owner, keeper or harborer, keep it 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:
A. Keep that dog in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard or other locked enclosure which has a top;
B. 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 such a person in close enough proximity to that dog so as to prevent it from causing injury to any person; and/or
C. Muzzle that dog. (ORC 955.22(B) to (E))
(f) 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, which provides coverage for damage or bodily injury to or death of a person caused by the vicious dog, and such liability insurance shall be subject to a per-occurrence limit (exclusive of interest and costs) of not less than the amount of such insurance otherwise required to be kept under relevant State of Ohio statutes or other laws. (Ord. 65-2009. Passed 4-7-09.)
(g) The running at large of any such animal in or upon any of the places mentioned in this section is prima-facie evidence that it is running at large in violation of this section. (ORC 951.02)
(h) Whoever violates subsection (b) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02.
(ORC 951.99)
(i) Whoever violates any of the provisions of subsection (c) or (d) hereof shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first offense. For each subsequent offense, such person shall be fined not less than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) and may be imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
(j) In addition to the penalties prescribed in subsection (i) hereof, if the offender is guilty of a violation of subsection (c) or (d) hereof, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dog that he or she owns, keeps or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both.
(k) If a violation of subsection (e) hereof involves a dangerous dog, whoever violates that subsection 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. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02. Additionally, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dangerous dog that he or she 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 subsection (f) hereof. 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.
(l) If a violation of subsection (e) hereof involves a vicious dog, whoever violates that subsection is guilty of one of the following:
(1) A felony of the fourth degree on a first or subsequent offense if the dog kills or seriously injures a person. Prosecution shall be made under Ohio R.C. 955.22(D) and punishment shall be as provided in Ohio R.C. 2929.11. 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.
(2) A misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense. Prosecution for the misdemeanor shall be under this section and punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02. Prosecution for the felony shall be under Ohio R.C. 955.22(D) and punishment shall be as provided in Ohio R.C. 2929.11. 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 .
(3) A misdemeanor of the first degree if the dog causes injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02.
(m) Whoever violates subsection (f) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02.
(ORC 955.99(E) to (H))
(n) No person shall knowingly or intentionally:
(1) Strike, torment, injure or otherwise mistreat a police dog, or
(2) Interfere with the actions of a police dog while the animal is engaged in assisting a law enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's duties.
(o) Whoever violates subsection (n) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02.
(Ord. 8-90. Passed 1-16-90)
(a) No owner or keeper of a dog, cat or other domestic animal shall abandon such animal. (ORC 959.01)
(b) Whoever violates 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.
(ORC 959.99)
(a) No person shall maliciously, or willfully and without the consent of the owner, kill or injure any animal that is the property of another. This section does not apply to a licensed veterinarian acting in an official capacity. (ORC 959.02; Adopting Ordinance)
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree if the value of the animal killed or the injury done amounts to less than three hundred dollars ($300.00). If the value of the animal killed or the injury done amounts to three hundred dollars ($300.00) or more, such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02. (ORC 959.99(B); Ord. 24-83. Passed 4-19-83.)
(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 any 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 of such animals, either upon his own lands or the lands of another. (ORC 959.03)
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02. (ORC 959.99(C))
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