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Ohio House bill addresses animal abuse
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Individuals who abuse dogs or cats could face stiffer criminal penalties and could be subjected to psychological evaluations and counseling under legislation that passed the Ohio House on Tuesday.
House Bill 25 also would permit courts to include companion animals in protection orders.
“We must hold those horrible people who abuse, mistreat and kill animals accountable for their action,” said Rep. Courtney Combs, a Republican from Hamilton and primary sponsor of the bill. “The current penalties for animal abuse in Ohio are no more than a slap on the wrist and do nothing to punish the abuser [or] prevent future acts.”
The bill passed by a vote of 88-7 and heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.
Under current law, individuals convicted of various animal-cruelty charges face second-degree misdemeanor charges carrying maximum penalties of 90 days in jail and fines of $750.
Under House Bill 25, the penalty would remain the same for first offenses, then increase to first-degree misdemeanor levels for subsequent convictions, with maximum penalties of six months in jail and $1,000 fines.
Additionally, the legislation would require judges to order psychological evaluations and subsequent counseling for anyone younger than 18 convicted of animal cruelty charges.
The legislation has been offered multiple times in recent years and passed the Ohio House last session but stalled in the Senate.
A few lawmakers opposed the law changes, however.
Rep. Kristina Roegner, a Republican from Hudson, said she was concerned that the bill would increase the penalty for assaulting a pet to the same level faced by those who assault people.
The legislation is one of several bills being considered by state lawmakers to toughen penalties against individuals who abuse pets.
Another, called “Nitro’s Law,” would enable courts to impose stiffer penalties against kennel operators that abuse or neglect animals in their care.
That legislation, offered by Rep. Ronald Gerberry, a Democrat from Austintown, after an incident at a Youngstown kennel, has not yet moved out of the House’s criminal justice committee.