Ohio Rev. Code § 959.01
Abandoning animals.
No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other domestic animal, shall abandon such animal.
Chapter 959 | Offenses Relating To Domestic Animals
Ohio · statute · Ohio Rev. Code ch. 959 · 26 active provisions
Provisions
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.02
Injuring animals.
No person shall maliciously, or willfully, and without the consent of the owner, kill or injure a horse, mare, foal, filly, jack, mule, sheep, goat, cow, steer, bull, heifer, ass, ox, swine, dog, cat, or other domestic animal that is the property of another. This section does not apply to a licensed veterinarian acting…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.03
Poisoning animals.
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 horse, mare, foal, filly, jack, mule, sheep, goat, cow, steer, bull, heifer, ass, ox, swine, dog, cat, poultry, or any other domestic animal that is the propert…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.04
Trespassing animals.
Sections 959.02 and 959.03 of the Revised Code do not extend to a person killing or injuring an animal or attempting to do so while endeavoring to prevent it from trespassing upon his enclosure, or while it is so trespassing, or while driving it away from his premises; provided within fifteen days thereafter, payment i…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.05
Drugging animal prior to competition.
No person shall administer to any animal within forty-eight hours prior to the time that the animal competes at a fair or exhibition conducted by a county or independent agricultural society authorized under Chapter 1711. of the Revised Code or by the Ohio expositions commission any drug or medicament not specifically…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.06
Destruction of domestic animals.
(A) As used in this section, "animal shelter" means a facility operated by a humane society or any society organized under Chapter 1717. of the Revised Code, a dog pound operated pursuant to Chapter 955. of the Revised Code, or a local animal shelter that is operated by any entity of local government. (B) No person sha…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.07
Reporting of violation involving a companion animal by licensed professionals.
(A) As used in sections 959.07 to 959.10 of the Revised Code: (1) "Companion animal" has the same meaning as in section 959.131 of the Revised Code. (2) "Licensed veterinarian" has the same meaning as in section 4741.01 of the Revised Code. (3) "Protective services" has the same meaning as in section 5101.60 of the Rev…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.08
Reporting of violation involving a companion animal by officers, dog wardens.
No officer, dog warden, or deputy dog warden operating in an official or professional capacity, shall fail to immediately report a violation involving a companion animal to an appropriate social service professional when all of the following apply: (A) The officer, dog warden, or deputy dog warden has knowledge or reas…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.09
Manner of reporting violation; immunity; false reports.
(A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, a person required to make a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code may do so orally or in writing and shall include all of the following in the report: (a) If known, the name and description of the companion animal involved; (b)…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.10
Warning, explanation for failure to make report.
The entity with responsibility for employment oversight of an officer, dog warden, or deputy dog warden shall issue that individual a confidential written warning if the entity discovers that the individual has violated section 959.08 of the Revised Code. The entity shall include in the warning an explanation of the vi…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.12
Alteration of brands.
No person shall maliciously alter or deface an artificial earmark or brand upon a horse, mare, foal, filly, jack, mule, sheep, goat, cow, steer, bull, heifer, ass, ox, swine, that is the property of another.
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.13
Cruelty to animals.
(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 such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food and water;(2) Impound or confine an animal without af…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.131
Prohibitions concerning companion animals.
(A) As used in this section: (1) "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 section 956.01 of the Revised Code. "Companion animal" does not include livestock or any wild animal. (2) "Cruelty," "tor…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.132
Impounding and disposition of animal.
(A) As used in this section: "Companion animal" has the same meaning as in section 959.131 of the Revised Code. "Impounding agency" means a county humane society organized under section 1717.05 of the Revised Code, an animal shelter, or a law enforcement agency that has impounded a companion animal in accordance with t…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.133
Immunity from liability for damage resulting from forcible entry of a motor vehicle for purpose of removing an animal.
(A) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, a person shall be immune from civil liability for any damage resulting from the forcible entry of a motor vehicle for the purpose of removing an animal from the vehicle if the person does all of the following: (1) Determines the vehicle is locked or there is other…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.134
Chemical capture by certified officer not an act of cruelty.
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Chemical capture" and "certified officer" have the same meanings as in section 955.151 of the Revised Code. (2) "Companion animal" has the same meaning as in section 959.131 of the Revised Code. (B) Chemical capture of a companion animal by a certified officer in accordance with the la…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.14
Horse tails.
No owner or person having the custody, control, or possession of a horse, nor an agent or employee of such owner or custodian, shall cut off or cause to be cut off or amputated the skin, flesh, muscles, bone, or integuments of the dock or tail of the horse in order to shorten its natural length or proportions. No perso…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.15
Animal fights.
(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 cockfighti…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.16
Dogfighting offenses.
(A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Promote, engage in, or be employed at dogfighting;(2) Receive money or anything else of value for the admission of another person to a dogfighting event or a place kept for dogfighting;(3) Sell, purchase, possess, or train a dog for dogfighting;(4) Use, train,…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.161
Impounding and disposition of fighting dog.
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Fighting dog" means a dog that a peace officer has probable cause to believe has been, is, or is intended to be used in dogfighting in violation of section 959.16 of the Revised Code.(2) "Impounding entity" means the entity that has possession of an impounded fighting dog during its im…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.17
Trapshooting.
Live birds or fowl shall not be used as targets in trapshooting.
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.18
Prohibition against killing a carrier pigeon.
No person who is not the owner thereof, shall shoot, kill, or maim an Antwerp or homing pigeon, commonly known as "carrier" pigeon, nor shall such person entrap, catch, or detain a carrier pigeon, provided it has the name of the owner stamped upon its wing or tail, or has a band with the owner's name, initial, or numbe…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.19
Prohibition against servicing mare in public street.
No owner of a stallion or jack or the agent of such owner, shall permit it to serve a mare within thirty feet of a public street or alley in a municipal corporation.
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.20
Use of certain devices on work animals prohibited.
As used in this section:(A) "Work animal" includes a horse, pony, mule, donkey, mare, ox, bull, gelding, or other animal used or intended to be used for a work purpose.(B) "Work purpose" means the performance by a work animal of some work or labor, including showing, performing, or being used in any exhibition, show, c…
Ohio Rev. Code § 959.21
Sexual conduct with an animal.
(A) As used in this section: (1) "Animal" means a nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian, either dead or alive. (2) "Offense" means a violation of this section or an attempt, in violation of section 2923.02 of the Revised Code, to violate this section. (3) "Officer" has the same meaning as in section 959.132 of t…
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