This is my first call to action. State legislators and political influencers must implement stricter laws to empower local authorities to prevent multiple dog attacks and handle them if they do arise. I will be working with others to implement changes, not limited to but including:

Establishing a statue in the Ohio Revised Code that punishes owners of dogs that attack a person or a pet, especially when the injuries are serious. There is nothing covering that right now unless the dog is deemed a vicious dog which comes after death or near fatal injuries. Make sure they pay fines higher than $100, make it higher than a minor misdemeanor.

In ORC 955.221 where it says: “A board of county commissioners may adopt and enforce resolutions to control dogs within the unincorporated areas of the county that are not otherwise in conflict with any other provision of the Revised Code.

A board of township trustees may adopt and enforce resolutions to control dogs within the township that are not otherwise in conflict with any other provision of the Revised Code, if the township is located in a county where the board of county commissioners has not adopted resolutions to control dogs within the unincorporated areas of the county under this section.”

It must be changed to reflect my first point- to establish that trustees and the board of commissioners can establish ordinances to control dogs AND punish irresponsible dog owners and seize their dogs when appropriate.

In ORC 955.28, where it says: “a dog that is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, that attempts to bite or otherwise endanger, or that kills or injures a person or a dog that chases, threatens, harasses, injures, or kills livestock, poultry, other domestic animal, or other animal, that is the property of another person, except a cat or another dog, can be killed at the time of that chasing, threatening, harassment, approaching, attempt, killing, or injury. If, in attempting to kill such a dog, a person wounds it, the person is not liable to prosecution under the penal laws that punish cruelty to animals. Nothing in this section precludes a law enforcement officer from killing a dog that attacks a police dog as defined in section 2921.321 of the Revised Code.”

The section that includes except a cat or another dog should be excluded so people can protect their pets, or “property” (see below).

Make sure local agencies are knowledgeable about dog laws and how to enforce them.

According to ORC 955.03: “Any dog which has been registered under sections 955.01 and 955.04 of the Revised Code and any dog not required to be registered under such sections shall be considered as personal property and have all the rights and privileges and be subject to like restraints as other livestock.”

Here are just a few incidences in the past couple months . I could post dozens for you . NO im not asking for BSL , this is for any dangerous or vicious dog .

Shawna lives in Hubbard and her dog was viciously attacked by a neighbor's dog that also attacked another dog and a woman that saved it. The dog warden wouldn't deem the pitbull dangerous because the warden said the woman provoked the pitbull by saving her dog from being ripped apart. No real punishment for the dog owner.  http://www.wfmj.com/story/38824842/hubbard-twp-woman-demands-changes-in-law-after-dog-attacks

Nickie lives near Cincinnati and her son Cooper was mauled while playing with his friend at the friend's house. The attack was unprovoked and left Cooper with 200 stitches, he had to be life flighted to the hospital. No real punishment for the dog owner.  http://www.cleveland19.com/story/38722538/dog-warden-no-law-requiring-dogs-to-be-euthanized-after-12-year-old-viciously-attacked

Joseph's small dog was killed when a neighbor's pitbull got loose and attacked it. The pitbull owner was a convicted felon and the dog has a history of biting people and killing pets but the owner faced no real punishment.  http://www.mariettatimes.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2018/08/more-needs-to-be-done-about-dangerous-dog/

PLEASE HELP US !!! Lets get this changed before others have to live in the fear we live in on a daily basis now. Our lives have been forever changed by these attacks .