Courtesy Best Friends Animal Society: a Happy Pittie, as it SHOULD BE

The measure notes that the label doesn’t include a police dog that has injured a person or has killed another dog while assisting law enforcement officials.

From The Blade:

“House Bill 14 would limit “vicious dog” strictly to one that has seriously injured a person. It is expected that such an animal would be confiscated and euthanized.

The bill also redefines the lesser classification of “dangerous dog” to apply to one that, without provocation, has caused some injury to a person, killed another dog, or is a three-time offender under a new minimum classification of “nuisance dog.”

A nuisance dog would be one that, without provocation and while off the premises of its keeper, has chased, menacingly approached, or attempted to bite a person.

Supporters of the bill argue that this would put problem dogs on the radar screen of dog wardens earlier. But opponents say that, in the case of the “pit bull,” the dog will likely have already injured someone before it is upgraded to “dangerous dog” and the owners are forced to obtain liability insurance.

Owners of dangerous dogs must have proof of such coverage; register with the county auditor at a cost of $50; affix a tag identifying the dog as dangerous; notify the local dog warden whenever the animal gets loose, bites a person or another animal while off the owner’s property or a nontrespasser on the owner’s property, and notify the dog warden of the transfer of ownership or death of the dog.

Before sending the bill to the floor, the committee amended it to make it clear that the burden of proof when classifying a dog is on the dog warden, not the dog owner.

The committee’s chairman, Sen. Mark Wagoner (R., Ottawa Hills), also made a last-minute change at the request of Gov. John Kasich’s office, which is preparing legislation to reduce what it sees as barriers to those convicted of crimes putting their lives back together after paying their dues.

“One of the concerns that they had brought up with this bill was the fact that there was a 10-year prohibition for felons’ possession of [certain dogs],” he said. “This reduces that collateral sanction down to three after release.”

Another amendment was designed to make it clear that this prohibition would not apply to prison inmates involved in dog-training programs.”

*** On a separate note, I wanted to tell you I found that dog wardens are opposing the measure statewide because of frequent pit bull attacks…

Congratulations to Ohioans who worked on this campaign, making phone calls and bothering other people to do so (ME)

And THANK YOU to government group members like Dennis Kucinich ( D-10th) and Betty Sutton (D-13th)

THE SENATE has PASSED SUB-HB 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They’ve honored constituent wishes and REMOVED PIT BULLS from the VICIOUS DOG LAW!