Ohio Code § 956.20
Ohio Code § 956.20. Reproduced from the official Ohio Revised Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 956.20.
(A) No owner, manager, or employee of a pet store shall negligently display, offer for
sale, deliver, barter, auction, broker, give away, transfer, or sell any live dog
from a pet store to a person unless the dog was obtained from one of the following
sources: (1) An animal rescue for dogs; (2) An animal shelter for dogs; (3) A humane society; (4) A dog broker, provided that, if the dog broker originally obtained the dog from a
breeder, the breeder is a qualified breeder; (5) A qualified breeder. (B) No owner, manager, or employee of a pet store shall negligently sell, deliver, barter,
auction, broker, give away, or transfer any of the following: (1) A dog that is less than eight weeks old; (2) A dog without a health certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian; (3) A dog that does not have a permanent implanted identification microchip that is approved
for use by the director of agriculture under rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code ; (4) A dog to a person who is younger than eighteen years of age as verified by valid
photo identification; (5) A dog acquired from a qualified breeder or a dog broker unless the owner, manager,
or employee provides to the person acquiring the dog, at a time prior to the transaction
for the acquisition of the dog, a written certification that includes all of the following
information: (a) The name of the breeder that bred the dog; (b) The address, if available, of the breeder that bred the dog; (c) The United States department of agriculture license number of the breeder that bred
the dog, if applicable, and a copy of the most current United States department of
agriculture inspection report for the breeder; (d) The dog's birth date, if known; (e) The date that the pet store took possession of the dog; (f) The breed, gender, color, and any identifying marks of the dog; (g) A document signed by an accredited veterinarian that describes any known disease,
illness, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of
the dog at the time of examination; (h) A document signed by the owner, manager, or employee of the pet store certifying
that all information required to be provided to the person acquiring the dog under
division (B)(5) of this section is accurate. A pet store shall keep a copy of the certification for a period of at least two
years from the date of the acquisition. The owner, manager, or an employee of the pet store shall make the copy of the certification
available for inspection or duplication by the department of agriculture. (6) A dog acquired from a qualified breeder or a dog broker unless all of the following
information regarding the dog is available to the general public at the pet store: (a) The name of the breeder that bred the dog; (b) The address, if available, of the breeder that bred the dog; (c) The United States department of agriculture license number of the breeder that bred
the dog, if applicable; (d) The dog's birth date, if known; (e) The breed of the dog. (C) No owner, manager, or employee of a pet store shall recklessly alter or provide false
information on a certification provided in accordance with division (B)(5) of this
section.
Source: official Ohio text · Last verified 2026-08-27
At a glance
- Citation: Ohio Revised Code § 956.20
- 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 § 956.20?
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 § 956.20 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 § 956.20 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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