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…
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…
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…
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. Jesse Fry, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Fry’s dog “Chronos,” now known as “Brutus,” was kept in a crate too small to stand up in, forcing the dog to lay in his own excrement. He suffered a urine scald and brown urine and feces stains were visible on his…
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,…
The Humane Society of Greater Dayton hosts: J. Jeffrey Holland Holland & Muirden, Attorneys at Law Join us for an informational session on animal cruelty and neglect laws and cases. Topics include: • Ohio’s Primary Animal Cruelty Laws • Notice of Seizure and the Probable Cause Hearing • Dog Liability Laws – Civil & Criminal…
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…
Here is a summary of proposed Ohio House Bill 274: Holland & Muirden’s Summary of Goddard’s Law “M” stands for misdemeanor. “F” stands for felony. In the state of Ohio, misdemeanors and felonies are categorized by degrees. Punishments for each degree are limited by Ohio law. A felony of the fifth degree carries a maximum…