House Bill 24 was signed by Governor DeWine on December 29, 2020. This lengthy bill goes into effect in 90 days. Most critically, HB 24 creates “care bond” hearings for livestock and allows courts to order convicted offenders to pay restitution for the care of those animals. Care bond/cost of care laws help prevent humane…
With the temperature in the teens for the next few days, we’re sending out a reminder about shelter requirements for companion animals pursuant to state code! Cleveland enacted new animal neglect ordinances in December 2014, which were then enacted by several other localities. Those ordinances provide bright-line rules about what qualifies as appropriate shelter and…
Governor John Kasich recently signed three important bills into law that concern protections for this state’s animals. Here is a brief summary of each bill: (1) SB 215: Grants good faith rescuers immunity from civil liability for damages incurred while using necessary force to enter a locked motor vehicle to help an animal or minor…
What is Bestiality? Bestiality, sexual conduct between a human and an animal, is legal in Ohio unless it can be proven that unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering was caused to the animal. Ohio is one of only a dozen states without a specific law banning bestiality. It is demonstrated that bestiality, like other animal…
A New Category–The FBI Defines Animal Cruelty as a “Felony” Animal cruelty has long been categorized as a “general” crime by the FBI. The FBI, like Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (Ohio BCI) collects crime reports and organizes them by category. These reports come directly from law enforcement or courts post-conviction; they are…
Angels for Animals is presenting a seminar: “Animal Cruelty in Ohio, 2014” in Canfield, Ohio on Friday, May 16, 2014, starting at 9 a.m. Attorney Jeff Holland, who has prosecuted animal cruelty cases for 23 years, will be the presenter. The course is open to law enforcement officers, including humane agents, attorneys and others interested…
House Bill 274, which aims to make Ohio’s most serious animal cruelty crimes a felony on a first offense, passed the Ohio House of Representatives on December 11, 2013. The vote was 84-8. As passed by the House and outlined in Ohio Legislative Service Commission’s Bill Summary, HB 274 now: • Prohibits any person from…
Update on State v. Antoinette Kuenzer, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA in the Medina Municipal Court. Kuenzer was recently sentenced on her conviction for animal cruelty for starving two horses. Kuenzer was sentenced to 90 days in jail. Kuenzer served 28 days. 62 days were suspended contingent upon successful completion of…