All Dogs three months of age or older are required to be registered in the county they reside. The dog’s owner, keeper or harborer is responsible for making sure the dog is registered.
Definition of Owner, Keeper, Harborer
Dog Owner: Defined as any individual whom a dog belongs to or is registered under.
Dog Keeper: Individual who maintains control over the dog, even on a temporary basis. If you are walking someone’s dog on a leash you are the keeper of that dog.
Dog Harborer: Person who controls the place where the dog lives.
Failing to register a dog you own, keep, or harbor is an unclassified misdemeanor with the following penalties:
- First Offense: Fine no less than $25.00 and no more than $75.00
- Second Offense: Fine no less than $75.00 and no more than $250.00 and up to 30 days in jail.
A dog tag associated with the dogs registration needs to be affixed (attached) to the dog at all times, unless that dog is constantly confined to a kennel that is registered as a breeding kennel under 955 or 956. . A violation of this offense is a minor misdemeanor. A dog found not wearing a current tag according to Ohio law 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. Simply put, a dog not wearing a tag is assumed to be unowned.
Why is the tag important?
It helps us get dogs back home faster sometimes without even bringing them to the shelter. This helps you avoid impound fees and eliminates risk of exposure to diseases for your dog and the stress of the shelter environment.
It allows the general public to return your dog by simply looking up your information.
When a dog comes to the shelter wearing a current dog license Ohio Law requires our facility hold that dog for 14 days. If no current tag is found on the dog at intake it is held for 72 hours and then re-homed.
Dog’s in Ohio are required to be confined to their property or under reasonable control at all times. Once again it is the dog’s owner, keeper, and harborer’s responsibility to make sure confinement laws are not being violated.
Ohio Revised Code 955.22 (C) Except when a dog is lawfully engaged in hunting and accompanied by the owner, keeper, harborer, or handler of the dog, no owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall fail at any time to do either of the following:
(1) Keep the dog physically confined or restrained upon the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer by a leash, tether, adequate fence, supervision, or secure enclosure to prevent escape;
(2) Keep the dog under the reasonable control of some person.
Penalties for violation:
First Offense: Fine no less than $25.00 and no more than $75.00
Second Offense: Fine no less than $75.00 and no more than $250.00 and up to 30 days in jail.
Upon a dogs third conviction of Ohio Revised Code 955.22 (C) it meets the Ohio laws definition of a dangerous dog under O.R.C 955.11, and will be designated as such. For more information please visit our Dangerous Dog Page.