SB 130 Ohio

[selzer]

Laws, Acts, and Legislation

Some of the problems (my comments in red):
*Sec. 955.10. No owner of a dog, except a dog constantly confined to a registered dog kennel registered under this chapter or one licensed under Chapter 956. of the Revised Code, shall fail to require the dog to wear, at all times, a valid tag issued in connection with a certificate of registration. A dog's failure dog found not wearing at any time to wear a valid tag shall be prima-facie evidence of lack of registration and shall subject any dog found not wearing such a tag to impounding, sale, or destruction.

So, this suggests that if they come to your door and see your dog without collar and tags, they can impound, sell, or destroy your dog. That is at any time, does not disclude the owner's property, when crated or kenneled, when being bathed. I know that is stretching it. But what exactly is the purpose of this clause? We have computers in Ohio. If you come to my house and count ten dogs, you can look at the computer, pull up my license and see that I have ten dogs licensed. Why should the dog have to wear the tags? Collars are dangerous, and I will not leave them on my dog. But even if you do have a collar on the dog, and it gets loose, and it gets stuck in a fence, or someone takes it off the dog, and the dog is picked up. They now have the right to sell or destroy your dog because it does not have a collar and tags on. Bad law. Why are they adding this? What is the point of this?

Sec. 956.08. No person operating a high volume breeder or acting as or performing the functions of a dog retailer or animal rescue for dogs shall do any of the following:

(A) Fail to keep or confine a dog in accordance with one of the following:

(1) In an indoor enclosure with an attached outdoor enclosure that is accessible to the dog, provided that not more than three dogs are kept or confined in the indoor or outdoor enclosure at any one time. For dogs that weigh less than twenty pounds, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by four feet with an attached outdoor enclosure of at least four feet by eight feet. For dogs that weigh at least twenty pounds, but less than fifty-one pounds, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by six feet with an attached outdoor enclosure of at least four feet by twelve feet. For dogs that weigh fifty-one pounds or more, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by eight feet with an attached outdoor enclosure of at least four feet by sixteen feet.

(2) In an indoor enclosure with no attached outdoor enclosure, but with an exercise period in an outdoor enclosure that is provided at least two hours each day, provided that not more than three dogs are kept or confined in the indoor or outdoor enclosure at any one time. For dogs that weigh less than twenty pounds, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by four feet, and outdoor exercise shall take place in an enclosed area that is at least ten feet by ten feet. For dogs that weigh at least twenty pounds, but less than fifty-one pounds, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by six feet, and outdoor exercise shall take place in an enclosed area that is at least twenty feet by twenty feet. For dogs that weigh fifty-one pounds or more, the indoor enclosure shall be at least four feet by eight feet, and outdoor exercise shall take place in an enclosed area that is at least forty feet by forty feet.

For purposes of complying with division (A)(2) of this section, an indoor enclosure may be utilized for exercise when weather does not permit access to an outdoor enclosure. However, the indoor exercise enclosure shall comply with the size requirements that are established in this division for outdoor enclosures that are used for exercise. In addition, exercise is not required for a dog that has an illness and for which exercise would be detrimental to recovering from the illness. In addition, for purposes of complying with division (A)(2) of this section, enclosures may be stacked on top of one another, but there shall be a nonporous barrier separating the floor and ceiling of stacked enclosures.

(B) Keep or confine dogs in an enclosure, crate, or cage with any dog exhibiting vicious or aggressive behavior. Any dog exhibiting vicious or aggressive behavior shall be housed separately to avoid injury to other dogs.

(C) Keep or confine more than three adult dogs in one enclosure, crate, or cage;

(D) Keep or confine a female dog that is nursing in an enclosure, crate, or cage with another adult dog;

(E) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without access to either natural or artificial light during daytime hours;

(F) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage outdoors unless the dog has access at all times to a dry insulated indoor shelter or dog house with clean straw or other nontoxic insulating material in an amount that is sufficient to permit the dog to burrow under the straw or material while at the same time using the straw or material as bedding;

(G) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage if urine or feces have accumulated beyond an amount that is expected to accumulate in a normal twenty-four-hour period or, if the dog is a female dog with a litter, in a normal twelve-hour period;

(H) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without access to clean unfrozen water at all times unless the dog is being used for hunting or sledding, in which case access to clean unfrozen water shall be provided not less than one time per eight-hour period. Water shall be provided to a dog in an open bowl or container that is not a drip bottle or limited intake mechanism.

(I) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without access to adequate and wholesome food on a daily basis so as to ensure a proper and healthy weight unless medically contraindicated;

(J) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage with flooring material that is incapable of being cleaned or sanitized or that is likely to cause injury to the pads of a dog's feet;

(K) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without providing a solid, nonporous surface, free from moisture or feces, that comprises at least fifty per cent of the floor of the enclosure, crate, or cage. The solid surface may include soft bedding. Female dogs with litters and puppies twelve weeks of age or less shall be housed in an enclosure, crate, or cage with a solid, nonporous surface, free from moisture or feces, that comprises one hundred per cent of the floor of the enclosure, crate, or cage. If a nonporous surface that is made of metal is used as flooring in the enclosure, crate, or cage, sufficient straw or soft bedding shall be added to offer protection to the dog.

(L) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage in unsanitary conditions. Hard surfaces used by dogs shall be spot-cleaned daily and sanitized at least once every two weeks to prevent the accumulation of dirt, debris, food waste, excreta, and other disease hazards.

(M) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage that is in contact with or in the immediate vicinity of any animal with a diagnosed or suspected disease that is contagious to dogs;

(N) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without adequate ventilation to minimize odors, drafts, and ammonia levels and to prevent the condensation of moisture;

(O) Keep or confine a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage without providing shelter from the elements;

(P) Keep or confine a dog in an outdoor run or kennel where shade is not provided during the months of May through September;

(Q) Keep or confine a dog in an indoor enclosure, crate, or cage where the temperature is below fifty degrees fahrenheit or over ninety degrees fahrenheit;

(R) Fail to keep the area around a kennel in good repair, clean, and free from accumulations of junk, waste products, and discarded materials to protect dogs from injury and to prevent infestation by birds, rodents, or other pests. Weeds, grasses, bushes, and trees shall be controlled at the property on which a kennel is located to allow for effective pest control and to protect the health and safety of the dogs that are housed at the kennel.

(S) Fail to provide a dog with sufficient interaction with other dogs. The opportunity for interaction shall allow the dog to move relative to age, breed, sex, and reproductive status and shall take place separately from the primary enclosure in an area that is clean and free of pests and vermin and that will prevent escape. Dogs in activity groups shall be compatible and free of infectious disease.

(T) Fail to sanitize food and water receptacles at least every two weeks or more often if necessary to prevent an accumulation of dirt, debris, food waste, excreta, and other disease hazards;

(U) Fail to provide a dog with appropriate veterinary care and treatment for any disease, illness, or injury;

(V) Fail to provide all bitches with a clean, appropriate whelping box to securely house their puppies during whelping. The whelping box shall be designed so that the bitch can lay fully recumbent, stand, turn around, and have some freedom of movement. No other animals shall inhabit the whelping box besides the bitch and puppies.

(W) Fail to trim an adult dog's nails so that there is curling or an impairment of the dog's gait;

(X) Fail to provide regular care to a dog to prevent matting of fur from fecal matter or bodily fluids;

(Y) Fail to provide a dog with appropriate protection from ectopic parasites or treatment for worms if the dog is so afflicted;

(Z) Fail to provide an adult dog with appropriate vaccinations as determined by the dog's veterinarian;

(AA) Fail to provide each puppy that is three months of age or older with appropriate phase-in booster vaccines as recommended by a veterinarian;

(BB) Fail to provide heartworm preventative to a breeding dog as determined by the dog's veterinarian;

(CC) Fail to ensure that a dog in the person's possession or control requiring euthanization is euthanized by a veterinarian or a person under the direct supervision of a veterinarian;

(DD) Beat or brutalize a dog within the person's custody or control;

(EE) Breed a female dog that has not had a physical examination from a veterinarian in the last twelve months before breeding;

(FF) Dock a dog's tail, crop a dog's ear, remove a dog's claws, or debark a dog. Tail docking, ear cropping, the removal of a dog's claws, or debarking shall only be conducted by a veterinarian.

(GG) Fail to prepare and implement a plan for the disposal of waste that is generated by dogs at the kennel;

(HH) Keep a dog in an enclosure, crate, or cage that includes exposed metal caging without a protective plastic or rubber coating.

Divisions (A), (E), (F), (H), (I), (K), and (O) of this section do not apply during the temporary transportation of a dog from one location to another location.

So if you are an animal rescue, you better not have any exposed metal fencing, chain link not covered by rubber or plastic. Of course dogs chew the plastic and ingest it, and will have a blockage, but that is ok, then you must provide medical treatment for that.

I have to quit now. My parents' dog just had a major vaccine-related episode. Of course this DOES require vaccinations determined by the vet -- not you.

[Germanshepherdlova]

These laws have already been passed? I have my dogs license but I don't have them attached to the prong collar that I walk my GSD with. Also neither dog wears a collar in the house or backyard. And most of the other laws are a bit much. I hope these are proposed laws and not actual.

[selzer]

No, it's proposed.

It is scary, and not only for breeders. Any animal rescue will have to go by the guidelines of large volume breeders. It will shut down some breeders, yes, but it will probably shut down all rescues.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Good god ,Daisy and Lucky havent warn their tags ever,Dodger ate his which is why no one wears them. Oh yea what a bunch of idiots . We have ahuge number of dogs surrendered due to people w/ no jobs so now lets kill the rescue organization. Idiots.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

But you can have all the wild animals you want lions,tigers and bears cause heck we'll just shoot them.Legislation that attempted to address that was allowed to expire by Ohio's govenor and legislature. i gotta move to another state .

[BlackPuppy]

It looks like the "sale or destruction" is already there and they are amending the marked text of section 955.10

My dogs do not wear collars on my property after a close call with strangulation due to tags getting caught in the crate wires. But they always wear their tags when I take them out.

[Jessiewessie99]

Was the person(s) who wrote this drunk? My dogs wear their collars, unless being groomed. But you shouldn't force someone to do something don't want to do.

[DharmasMom]

Looks to me like they are trying to go after puppy mills.

[selzer]

No, they are going after the large volume breeders FIRST, but this legislation will make it terribly difficult on rescues as well. Most hobby breeders will be ok, as they do not have 9 litters per year, but even the large volume breeders and animal rescues should not be forced to put plastic over all their metal -- that is insane, nor should they be forced to vaccinate according to their vet -- my vet just dumped Lepto, DHAPP, AND Rabies, into a seizure dog on the same day. And yes, the dog DID have a seizure the next day.

It is bad legislation. It is pushed by AR and the HSUS, who have no use for animal rescues either. And that is evident.

[selzer]

if you notice this, for inclement weather you need a forty by forty foot enclosure indoors??? That is bigger than my house. What animal rescue will have that?