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…
The PACT Act (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act) was signed into federal law yesterday! This is a great law that builds on 2010’s Animal Crush Prohibition Act by making any activity defined as “animal crushing” potentially a federal crime, whether or not the act is committed as part of a crush video. Unfortunately, there…
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…
ANIMAL LEGISLATION UPDATE: HB 198, which abolishes Ohio Humane Societies’ ability to appoint prosecutors to prosecute crimes against animals, was introduced in the Ohio House on 5/11/15. This is the first legislative effort to REDUCE a Humane Society’s ability to protect animals. Primary Sponsors: Reps. Steve Hambley (R-69) and Greta Johnson (D-35) Summary: To repeal…
State v. Andrew Fox, a case we prosecuted for the Toledo Area Humane Society in the Sylvania Municipal Court. Andrew Fox was found guilty of one count of animal cruelty for neglecting the care of one horse and one pony. The animals were kept in filthy conditions. The issue of greatest concern was the fact…
State v. Melody and Edward McDonald; cases we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Both will serve jail time. The Defendants, husband and wife, were each found guilty of keeping three dogs in filthy conditions. The floors of the residence were caked with animal fecal matter and debris. The house smelled extremely foul. After…
State v. Augusta and Burdett Crandall; cases we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Both will serve jail time and are prohibited from keeping companion animals indefinitely. The Defendants, husband and wife, were each found guilty of companion animal cruelty for starving their dogs Thor and Loki (later renamed Abu and Andor). The Defendants were…
State v. Joshua Maldonado, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Maldonado was found guilty of one count of animal cruelty, a first degree misdemeanor, for the injury to his dog “Diamond.” In this case, witnesses reported either seeing or hearing the Defendant beat Diamond. When the APL responded to the complaints,…
HB 274 “Goddard’s Law” has been assigned to the Ohio Senate Agriculture Committee. A sponsor hearing must be scheduled for this Bill to move on. HB 274: • Prohibits any person from knowingly causing “serious physical harm” to a companion animal. • Enhances the penalty for any person knowingly torturing, tormenting, needlessly mutilating or maiming,…