(a) No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other domestic animal shall abandon the animal.
(ORC 959.01)
(b) (1) When, in order to protect any animal from neglect, it is necessary to take possession of it, any person may do so. When an animal is impounded or confined, and continues without necessary food, water, or proper attention for more than 15 successive hours, any person may, as often as is necessary, enter any place in which the animal is impounded or confined and supply it with necessary food, water, and attention, so long as it remains there, or, if necessary, or convenient, he may remove such animal; and he shall not be liable to an action for such entry. In all cases the owner or custodian of such animal, if known to such person, immediately shall be notified by him of such action. If the owner or custodian is unknown to such person, and cannot with reasonable effort be ascertained by him, such animal shall be considered an estray and dealt with as such.
(2) The necessary expenses for food and attention given to an animal under this division may be collected from the owner of such animal, and the animal shall not be exempt from levy and sale upon execution issued upon a judgment for such expenses.
(ORC 1717.13)
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 76-96. Passed 6-10-96; Ord. 72-03. Passed 9-8-03.)