OhioHB 247136th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

Revise dog law, including dangerous and vicious dogs

Sponsored By: Kevin D. Miller (Republican), Meredith R. Lawson-Rowe (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

AgricultureAnimalsCrimes, Corrections, and Law EnforcementCrime and PunishmentState and Local GovernmentLocal Government

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

16 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 9 costs, 4 mixed.

Stronger access protections for assistance-dog users

Ohio law protects people with blindness, deafness, hearing loss, or mobility impairments who are accompanied by an assistance dog. It also protects assistance-dog trainers accompanied by an assistance dog. Covered transportation, lodging, schools, and public places cannot deny equal access or charge a fee for the dog. Violating these protections is a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

Dangerous dog owners need insurance and restraints

People responsible for dangerous or vicious dogs must carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage per occurrence, excluding interest and costs. An Ohio-authorized insurer must issue the policy, and owners must show proof when an authorized enforcement official asks. Outdoors at home, these dogs need a locked pen, a suitable locked fenced yard, or another locked enclosure with a top. Indoors, dogs must be kept from likely contact with invited visitors. Away from home, dogs need a chain-link leash or tether no longer than six feet, plus an additional required safety measure.

Dangerous dog registration costs $100 yearly

The law replaces the former $50 dangerous-dog certificate system with special registration for dangerous and vicious dogs. Initial registration and annual renewal cost $100 per dog, in addition to ordinary registration. Applicants must be at least 18 and provide contact information and the dog's microchip number. They must provide rabies vaccination and spay or neuter information, or veterinary reasons against those procedures. They must also show proof of warning signs at the residence; the auditor issues an identification tag.

Dog attacks bring stronger owner penalties

Owners, keepers, and harborers face charges for negligently failing to prevent unprovoked nuisance, dangerous, or vicious dog acts. Shelters generally face these charges for reckless failure; police dogs performing official duties are excluded. Nuisance acts must occur off the responsible person's property; poultry does not count as livestock. First and repeat penalties are minor and fourth-degree misdemeanors for nuisance acts, fourth- and third-degree for dangerous acts, and third- and second-degree for vicious acts. For dangerous or vicious dogs, negligent failure to prevent a dangerous act injuring someone is a first-degree misdemeanor. Negligent failure to prevent a vicious act injuring or killing someone is a third-degree felony, including for shelters.

Dog owners face registration and tag penalties

Failing to register a dog, pay required fees or late penalties, or register a kennel brings strict-liability penalties. First offenses carry $25–$100 fines; later offenses carry $75–$250 fines and possible jail time up to 30 days. Dogs must wear valid tags unless constantly confined in a qualifying kennel; replacing a lost tag requires proof and $5. Tag violations, reckless interference with capture or inspection, and reckless use of improper tags are minor misdemeanors. Knowingly furnishing a false certificate under the higher fee rule for intact dogs is a first-degree misdemeanor.

Silencing dangerous dogs brings felony penalties

People may not recklessly debark or surgically silence a dog they know or reasonably believe is dangerous or vicious. They may not possess such a dog when they know or reasonably believe it was silenced, or falsify a veterinarian's waiver. Reckless violations are fourth-degree felonies, and courts must order the dog humanely destroyed. Dangerous-dog confinement violations carry escalating misdemeanors; specified insurance, reporting, transfer, and disclosure violations also carry misdemeanors. Dogs involved in the silencing, possession, or waiver offenses can be restrained or held at the pound at owner expense during the case or appeal.

Some felony convictions limit dog ownership

Specified felony convictions or guilty pleas restrict dog ownership, possession, custody, and living with dogs for three years. Covered offenses include felony violence and felonies under Ohio's animal-cruelty, weapons, or drug chapters committed on or after May 22, 2012. The clock starts at release from incarceration, or conviction or plea when the person is not incarcerated. Restricted dogs include unspayed or unneutered dogs over 12 weeks, dangerous or vicious dogs, and dogs without permanent unique-number microchips. Exceptions cover people confined in Ohio correctional institutions and dogs the person had before May 22, 2012; reckless violations are first-degree misdemeanors.

Courts can order dogs humanely destroyed

Courts can order dangerous or vicious dogs humanely destroyed at the owner's expense, including in covered offense cases. Courts can also order destruction for a nuisance dog that injures another dog or attempts a bite that injures someone. Destruction is mandatory after a human death or serious injury causing substantial death risk, permanent incapacity, serious permanent disfigurement, or acute pain causing substantial suffering. A licensed veterinarian or county dog warden must carry out court-ordered destruction. Recklessly using a decompression chamber or a method that fails to immediately and painlessly cause unconsciousness followed by death is a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

Dog owners get hearings but face custody costs

Dogs can receive nuisance, dangerous, or vicious status through the designation process or a court finding of a past act. Officials with probable cause can designate without first going to court when home custody is safe and no person was killed or seriously injured. Custodians receive notice and can request a hearing in writing within 10 calendar days; courts must hear requests or petitions within 10 calendar days. The person seeking designation must prove the act by clear and convincing evidence; either side can appeal, and municipal and county courts hear owner challenges. Officials holding or planning to hold a dog must petition the court. Dogs can stay home with required restraints when safe; officials must hold them when unsafe or after a human death or serious injury. Owners pay holding costs unless the court makes no nuisance, dangerous, or vicious designation.

Dog transfers lose paperwork and fee

Dog sellers no longer need the former signed transfer-of-ownership certificate. The law also removes county recording of that certificate and its $5 fee per transfer. Separate disclosure rules still apply when someone transfers a dog they know is dangerous or vicious.

Qualifying shelters get dog rule exemptions

Qualifying federally tax-exempt nonprofit shelters are exempt from ordinary registration requirements for dogs over three months, not just fees. Shelters also get exemptions from specified dangerous-dog duties and transfer disclosures when they neither knew nor reasonably could discover the status. For those exemptions, shelters must ask required history questions when the former custodian is known and the dog was not impounded under the companion-animal seizure law. The questions are required before taking possession for the owner-duty exemption and before transfer for the disclosure exemption.

Dangerous dog owners must report changes

People responsible for dangerous or vicious dogs must immediately report escapes, covered bites, and off-property animal attacks to the dog warden. Bite reporting excludes bites on the owner's property involving unlawful trespass or a criminal act. Sale, transfer, or death requires notice to the auditor and warden within 10 days; address changes require auditor notice within 10 days. Cross-county moves require written notice to both auditors and a registration copy for the new auditor. Owners must disclose the designation before veterinary care or training, show registration on request, and keep the identifying collar tag on. A knowledgeable transferor must send a disclosure form within 10 days to the recipient, their health board, and their warden. That form lists past designations and includes the recipient's signed acknowledgment; registration, tag, and address-notice violations carry misdemeanor penalties.

Dog owners must keep dogs controlled

People responsible for dogs must physically confine or restrain them, or keep them under a person's reasonable control. Dogs not designated dangerous or vicious are exempt while lawfully hunting with their handler or participating in field trials. Penalties vary by dog classification and repeat offenses; courts may order supervision or obedience training. Dangerous- or vicious-dog cases can lead to humane destruction at the owner's expense. Recklessly breaking a local dog-control rule is a minor misdemeanor, with each continuing day counted separately and fines paid to that local government.

Dog sellers face age and health rules

Retail sellers cannot sell dogs younger than eight weeks. Specified interstate transactions for retail sale require a health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian. The rules cover sellers, people offering dogs for resale, delivery recipients, and shippers. Reckless violations are minor misdemeanors for a first offense and fourth-degree misdemeanors for later offenses.

Dog wardens face duties and accountability

Authorized officials must investigate complaints indicating possible dog-law violations. If no citation or charge follows, they must post a notice at the dog's home within 24 hours of closing the investigation. The notice names the law involved and gives contact information. Wardens suspecting inhumane treatment on the custodian's property must notify the humane society or law enforcement in writing; the former direction to seek court-ordered entry and seizure is removed. A warden's knowing failure to perform required duties is a minor misdemeanor. Counties must credit specified dog-law fines to the dog and kennel fund; the law revises that list and removes fines under three former sections.

Working animals gain protections and compensation

The law prohibits knowingly harming or attempting to harm police dogs, police horses, and assistance dogs, and penalizes reckless harassment or interference. Dog owners and handlers must reasonably restrain their dogs from endangering these animals; penalties range from misdemeanors to felonies. Licensed veterinarians acting lawfully are exempt, and some offenses involving animals not assisting someone require actual knowledge of their status. Violators must pay applicable veterinary, medicine, equipment, retraining, replacement, and training costs when their conduct creates those expenses. A violation causing a police dog or horse's death also requires a fine paid to its agency for specified reimbursement, replacement, and training costs.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Adam C. Bird
Republican • House
Adam Holmes
Republican • House
Adam Mathews
Republican • House
Al Cutrona
Republican • Senate
Andrea White
Republican • House
Angela N. King
Republican • House
Bernard Willis
Republican • House
Beryl Brown Piccolantonio
Democratic • House
Beth Lear
Republican • House
Bill Reineke
Republican • Senate
Bob Peterson
Republican • House
Brian Lampton
Republican • House
Brian Lorenz
Republican • House
Brian Stewart
Republican • House
Bride Rose Sweeney
Democratic • House
C. Allison Russo
Democratic • House
Casey Weinstein
Democratic • Senate
Catherine D. Ingram
Democratic • Senate
Cecil Thomas
Democratic • House
Chris Glassburn
Democratic • House
Christine Cockley
Democratic • House
Cindy Abrams
Republican • House
Crystal Lett
Democratic • House
Dani Isaacsohn
Democratic • House
Darnell T. Brewer
Democratic • House
David Thomas
Republican • House
Derrick Hall
Democratic • House
Desiree Tims
Democratic • House
Dontavius L. Jarrells
Democratic • House
Elgin Rogers, Jr.
Democratic • House
Eric Synenberg
Democratic • House
Erika White
Democratic • House
Haraz N. Ghanbari
Republican • House
Hearcel F. Craig
Democratic • Senate
Ismail Mohamed
Democratic • House
Jack K. Daniels
Republican • House
James M. Hoops
Republican • House
Jane M. Timken
Republican • Senate
Jason Stephens
Republican • House
Jean Schmidt
Republican • House
Jeff LaRe
Republican • House
Jennifer Gross
Republican • House
Jerry C. Cirino
Republican • Senate
Jodi Salvo
Republican • House
Johnathan Newman
Republican • House
Joseph A. Miller, III
Democratic • House
Josh Williams
Republican • House
Juanita O. Brent
Democratic • House
Karen Brownlee
Democratic • House
Kellie Deeter
Republican • House
Kevin Ritter
Republican • House
Kristina D. Roegner
Republican • Senate
Latyna M. Humphrey
Democratic • House
Lauren McNally
Democratic • House
Louis W. Blessing, III
Republican • Senate
Marilyn John
Republican • House
Mark Hiner
Republican • House
Mark Johnson
Republican • House
Mark Sigrist
Democratic • House
Matthew Kishman
Republican • House
Melanie Miller
Republican • House
Michael D. Dovilla
Republican • House
Michele Grim
Democratic • House
Michele Reynolds
Republican • Senate
Mike Odioso
Republican • House
Monica Robb Blasdel
Republican • House
Nathan H. Manning
Republican • Senate
Nickie J. Antonio
Democratic • Senate
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Democratic • Senate
Phil Plummer
Republican • House
Phillip M. Robinson, Jr.
Democratic • House
Rodney Creech
Republican • House
Roy Klopfenstein
Republican • House
Sarah Fowler Arthur
Republican • House
Scott Oelslager
Republican • House
Sean P. Brennan
Democratic • House
Sedrick Denson
Democratic • House
Shane Wilkin
Republican • Senate
Sharon A. Ray
Republican • House
Stephen A. Huffman
Republican • Senate
Terrence Upchurch
Democratic • House
Terry Johnson
Republican • Senate
Thaddeus J. Claggett
Republican • House
Theresa Gavarone
Republican • Senate
Thomas F. Patton
Republican • Senate
Thomas Hall
Republican • House
Tom Young
Republican • House
Tracy M. Richardson
Republican • House
Tristan Rader
Democratic • House
Ty D. Mathews
Republican • House
Ty Moore
Republican • House
Veronica R. Sims
Democratic • House
William P. DeMora
Democratic • Senate
Willis E. Blackshear, Jr.
Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 235 • No: 0

House vote • 11/20/2025

Concurred in Senate amendments

Yes: 87 • No: 0

Senate vote • 11/19/2025

Judiciary: Reported

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Senate vote • 11/19/2025

Passed

Yes: 33 • No: 0

House vote • 6/18/2025