Right now, Ohio state law is failing disabled citizens who rely on modern service dogs.

Under Ohio Revised Code Section 955.021, free and permanent registration is strictlu limited to dogs labeled as a "guide, leader, hearing, or support dog." Because this language is decades old, it completely ignores many life-saving service animals utilized today.

Individuals who rely on psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) for PTSD, diabetic alert dogs, seizure response dogs, and cardiovascular alert dogs are frequently denied this state benefit. This forces disabled Ohioans to navigate a confusing patwork of local rules and pay unnecessary annual fees just because their disability requires a different type of trained medical task. 

Federal law under the Americans with Disabilites Act (ADA) already has a clear, comprehensive definition: a service animal is any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.

We are calling on the Ohio General Assembly to amend ORC 955.021. By replacing the narrow, legacy list of dogs with the offical federal ADA definition of a service animal, Ohio will eliminate confusion for county auditors, protect disabled handlers, and bring state law into the 21st century.

Sign this petiton to demand that Ohio honors and protects all service dogs, not just a select few.