Dangerous Dog Tags

Ohio Revised Code Section 955.11 defines “dangerous dog” as a dog that, without provocation, has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person; killed another dog; or been the subject of a third or subsequent violation of Ohio Revised Code 955.22(C).

Ohio Revised Code Section 955.22(C) states 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.

Ohio Revised Code Section 955.22(I) states the county auditor shall issue a dangerous dog registration certificate to a person who is the owner of a dog, who is eighteen years of age or older, and who provides the following to the county auditor:
(a) A fee of fifty dollars
(b) The person’s address, phone number, and other appropriate means for the local dog warden or county auditor to contact the person
(c) With respect to the person and the dog for which the registration is sought, all of the following:
(i) Either satisfactory evidence of the dog’s current rabies vaccination or a statement from a licensed veterinarian that a rabies vaccination is medically contraindicated for the dog
(ii) Either satisfactory evidence of the fact that the dog has been neutered or spayed or a statement from a licensed veterinarian that neutering or spaying of the dog is medically contraindicated
(iii) Satisfactory evidence of the fact that the person has posted and will continue to post clearly visible signs at the person’s residence warning both minors and adults of the presence of a dangerous dog on the property
(iv) Satisfactory evidence of the fact that the dog has been permanently identified by means of a microchip and the dog’s microchip number

Upon the issuance of a dangerous dog registration certificate to the owner of a dog, the county auditor shall provide the owner with a uniformly designed tag that identifies the animal as a dangerous dog. The owner shall renew the certificate annually for the same fee and in the same manner as the initial certificate was obtained.

If a certificate holder relocates to a new county, the certificate holder shall follow the procedure in 955.22(I)(3)(b) and upon the expiration of the certificate issued in the original county, shall renew the certificate in the new county.