As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 241
2025-2026
Representatives Thomas, C., Lawson-Rowe
To amend section 955.222 and to enact section
955.13 of the Revised Code to require a 10-day
quarantine period for a dog following an attack
and to require a court, under certain
circumstances, to hold a hearing to determine
the dog's disposition.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 955.222 be amended and section
955.13 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 955.13. (A) If a dog injures, seriously injures, or
kills a person, in addition to any applicable penalties in
section 955.99 of the Revised Code, the dog shall be quarantined
for a ten-day period at a suitable place for impounding dogs
provided by the board of county commissioners in accordance with
section 955.15 of the Revised Code. During the ten-day
quarantine, the dog warden or applicable law enforcement agency
shall conduct an investigation into the incident that resulted
in the injury, serious injury, or death of a person. At the
conclusion of the investigation, the warden or the law
enforcement agency shall determine one of the following:
(1) That it is safe to have the dog remain in the
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As Introduced
community without training and rehabilitation;
(2) That there is probable cause that the dog injured,
seriously injured, or killed a person without provocation as
defined in section 955.11 of the Revised Code and the
seriousness of the attack warrants that the dog be released, but
only on the condition that the dog be trained and rehabilitated;
(3) That there is probable cause that the dog injured,
seriously injured, or killed a person without provocation as
defined in section 955.11 of the Revised Code and the
seriousness of the attack warrants that the dog be humanely
destroyed.
(B)(1) If the warden or the law enforcement agency
determines that it is safe to have the dog remain in the
community without training or rehabilitation under division (A)
(1) of this section, the warden or agency shall release the dog
to the dog's owner, keeper, or harborer.
(2) If the dog warden or the law enforcement agency makes
a determination as specified in division (A)(2) or (3) of this
section, the warden or agency shall petition the municipal court
or county court that has territorial jurisdiction over the
residence of the dog's owner, keeper, or harborer to order the
dog to either be humanely destroyed or be released on the
condition that the dog be trained and rehabilitated, as
applicable.
(C) The court, within ten days after receiving such a
petition, shall hold the hearing and issue one of the following:
(1) An order that the dog be humanely destroyed, at the
expense of the dog's owner, keeper, or harborer, by a licensed
veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane
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As Introduced
society;
(2) An order that the dog be released to the dog's owner,
keeper, or harborer;
(3) An order that the dog be released to the dog's owner,
keeper, or harborer on the condition that the dog be trained and
rehabilitated. If the court orders the dog to be trained and
rehabilitated, the expense of such training and rehabilitation
shall be the responsibility of the dog's owner, keeper, or
harborer.
(D) The dog's owner may appeal the court's final
determination as in any other case filed in that court.
(E) During the pendency of a court's determination under
division (C) of this section or an appeal under division (D) of
this section, the dog that is the subject of the determination
or appeal shall remain in quarantine. While the dog is being
held in quarantine, the cost of the quarantine shall be the
responsibility of the dog's owner, keeper, or harborer.
Sec. 955.222. (A) The municipal court or county court that
has territorial jurisdiction over the residence of the owner,
keeper, or harborer of a dog shall conduct any hearing
concerning the designation of the dog that is not humanely
destroyed under section 955.13 of the Revised Code as a nuisance
dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog.
(B) If a person who is authorized to enforce this chapter
has reasonable cause to believe that a dog in the person's
jurisdiction is a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog,
the person shall notify the owner, keeper, or harborer of that
dog, by certified mail or in person, of both of the following:
(1) That the person has designated the dog a nuisance dog,
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dangerous dog, or vicious dog, as applicable;
(2) That the owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog may
request a hearing regarding the designation in accordance with
this section. The notice shall include instructions for filing a
request for a hearing in the county in which the dog's owner,
keeper, or harborer resides.
(C) If the owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog disagrees
with the designation of the dog as a nuisance dog, dangerous
dog, or vicious dog, as applicable, the owner, keeper, or
harborer, not later than ten days after receiving notification
of the designation, may request a hearing regarding the
determination. The request for a hearing shall be in writing and
shall be filed with the municipal court or county court that has
territorial jurisdiction over the residence of the dog's owner,
keeper, or harborer. At the hearing, the person who designated
the dog as a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog has the
burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that the
dog is a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog.
The owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog or the person
who designated the dog as a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or
vicious dog may appeal the court's final determination as in any
other case filed in that court.
(D) A Subject to a quarantine period required under
section 955.13 of the Revised Code, a court, upon motion of an
owner, keeper, or harborer or an attorney representing the
owner, keeper, or harborer, may order that the dog designated as
a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog be held in the
possession of the owner, keeper, or harborer from the time the
quarantine expires, if applicable, until the court makes a final
determination under this section or during the pendency of an
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As Introduced
appeal, as applicable. Until the court makes a final
determination and during the pendency of any appeal, the dog
shall be confined or restrained in accordance with the
provisions of division (D) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code
that apply to dangerous dogs regardless of whether the dog has
been designated as a vicious dog or a nuisance dog rather than a
dangerous dog. The owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog shall
not be required to comply with any other requirements
established in the Revised Code that concern a nuisance dog,
dangerous dog, or vicious dog, as applicable, until the court
makes a final determination and during the pendency of any
appeal.
(E) If a dog is finally determined under this section, or
on appeal as described in this section, to be a vicious dog,
division (D) of section 955.11 and divisions (D) to (I) of
section 955.22 of the Revised Code apply with respect to the dog
and the owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog as if the dog were
a dangerous dog, and section 955.54 of the Revised Code applies
with respect to the dog as if it were a dangerous dog, and the
court shall issue an order that specifies that those provisions
apply with respect to the dog and the owner, keeper, or harborer
in that manner. As part of the order, the court shall require
the owner, keeper, or harborer to obtain the liability insurance
required under division (E)(1) of section 955.22 of the Revised
Code in an amount described in division (H)(2) of section 955.99
of the Revised Code.
(F) As used in this section, "nuisance dog," "dangerous
dog," and "vicious dog" have the same meanings as in section
955.11 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing section 955.222 of the Revised
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As Introduced
Code is hereby repealed. 139