(A) The director of agriculture may enter into contracts or agreements with an animal rescue for dogs, an animal shelter for dogs, a boarding kennel, a veterinarian, a board of county commissioners, or a humane society for the purposes of this section.
(B)
(1) If the director or the director's authorized representative determines that a dog is being kept by a high volume breeder or dog retailer in a manner that materially violates this chapter or rules adopted under it, the director may impound the dog and order it to be seized by an animal rescue for dogs, an animal shelter for dogs, a boarding kennel, a veterinarian, a board of county commissioners, or a humane society with which the director has entered into a contract or agreement under division (A) of this section. Upon receiving the order from the director, the animal rescue for dogs, animal shelter for dogs, boarding kennel, veterinarian, board of county commissioners, or humane society shall seize the dog and keep, house, and maintain it.
(2) The director or the director's authorized representative shall give written notice of the impoundment by posting a notice on the door of the premises from which the dog was taken or by otherwise posting the notice in a conspicuous place at the premises from which the dog was taken. The notice shall provide a date for an adjudication hearing, which shall take place not later than five business days after the dog is taken and at which the director shall determine if the dog should be permanently relinquished to the custody of the director.
(C) The owner or operator of the applicable high volume breeder or the person acting as or performing the functions of a dog retailer may appeal the determination made at the adjudication hearing in accordance with section 119.12 of the Revised Code, except that the appeal may be made only to the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court.
(D) If, after the final disposition of an adjudication hearing and any appeals from that adjudication hearing, it is determined that a dog shall be permanently relinquished to the custody of the director, the dog may be adopted directly from the animal rescue for dogs, animal shelter for dogs, boarding kennel, veterinarian, county dog pound, or humane society where it is being kept, housed, and maintained, provided that the dog has been spayed or neutered unless there are medical reasons against spaying or neutering as determined by a veterinarian. The animal rescue for dogs, animal shelter for dogs, boarding kennel, veterinarian, county dog pound, or humane society may charge a reasonable adoption fee. The fee shall be at least sufficient to cover the costs of spaying or neutering the dog unless it is medically contraindicated. Impounded dogs shall be returned to persons acquitted of any alleged violations.
Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.150, SB 130, ยง1, eff. 3/13/2013.
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