Ohio Code § 955.261
Ohio Code § 955.261. Reproduced from the official Ohio Revised Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 955.261.
(A)(1) No person shall remove a dog that has bitten any person from the county in which
the bite occurred until a quarantine period as specified in division (B) of this section
has been completed. No person shall transfer a dog that has bitten any person until a quarantine period
as specified in division (B) of this section has been completed, except that a person
may transfer the dog to the county dog warden or to any other animal control authority. (2)(a) Subject to division (A)(2)(b) of this section, no person shall kill a dog that has
bitten any person until a quarantine period as specified in division (B) of this section
has been completed. (b) Division (A)(2)(a) of this section does not apply to the killing of a dog in order
to prevent further injury or death or if the dog is diseased or seriously injured. (3) No person who has killed a dog that has bitten any person in order to prevent further
injury or death or if the dog is diseased or seriously injured shall fail to do both
of the following: (a) Immediately after the killing of the dog, notify the board of health for the district
in which the bite occurred of the facts relative to the bite and the killing; (b) Hold the body of the dog until that board of health claims it to perform tests for
rabies. (B) The quarantine period for a dog that has bitten any person shall be ten days or another
period that the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred determines
is necessary to observe the dog for rabies. (C)(1) To enable persons to comply with the quarantine requirements specified in divisions
(A) and (B) of this section, boards of health shall make provision for the quarantine
of individual dogs under the circumstances described in those divisions. (2) Upon the receipt of a notification pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section that
a dog that has bitten any person has been killed, the board of health for the district
in which the bite occurred shall claim the body of the dog from its killer and then
perform tests on the body for rabies. (D) This section does not apply to a police dog that has bitten a person while the police
dog is under the care of a licensed veterinarian or has bitten a person while the
police dog is being used for law enforcement, corrections, prison or jail security,
or investigative purposes. If, after biting a person, a police dog exhibits any abnormal behavior, the law
enforcement agency and the law enforcement officer the police dog assists, within
a reasonable time after the person is bitten, shall make the police dog available
for the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred to perform tests
for rabies. (E) Whoever recklessly violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first
offense and of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense.
Source: official Ohio text · Last verified 2026-08-27
At a glance
- Citation: Ohio Revised Code § 955.261
- Jurisdiction: Ohio
- Code: Ohio Revised Code
- Text: transcribed from the official source (verify below)
Verify the text
Statute text is transcribed from the official Ohio Revised Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Ohio attorney.
Common questions
What is the source of Ohio Revised Code § 955.261?
The text above is transcribed from the Ohio Revised Code, the codified statutes of Ohio. The official publisher link appears under "Verify the text" on this page.
What subject does Ohio Revised Code § 955.261 address?
It addresses the rule set out in the section text. Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.
Is Ohio Revised Code § 955.261 still in force?
Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Ohio source before relying on this text.
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