When Rufus the pit bull takes a bite out of your neighbor, Rufus has just eaten his last meal. It’s all part of Ohio’s endearingly Old Testament take on animal aggressiveness, though it pertains to only pit bulls.
But a new bill that has already shot through the state legislature could now test Governor Kasich’s interest in pissing off even more human Ohioans.
HB14 is what’s known among pet pamperers as a “breed-neutral” bill, meaning that the law would fall on the side of Rufus and Wiggles, or any other breed of dog — and decidedly against the schmuck who cleans up after them.
The new law would allow wardens to target the owner of any dog that exhibits erratic behavior — even if it’s on a leash. After a hearing, the dog can be classified as a nuisance, vicious, or dangerous, and sanctions put in place that could include requirement of insurance or a fenced-in yard. In some cases, the owner could be stripped of his right to own a dog at all.
