ADOPTION INFORMATION DOGS

1. The fee for adopting a dog is $80.00 plus $10.00 for the license.The adoption includes:
   1. 7-way vaccination. It is important that you request any booster vaccinations that your pet may need from your veterinarian.
   2. Deworming. This does not guarantee that your dog will remain worm-free. Please take a stool sample to your veterinarian on the initial visit.
   3. Rabies vaccination, administered at the time of the spay/neuter.
   4. Spay/Neuter- Your pet will be scheduled for the first available RASCAL spay/neuter clinic.
2. At the time of adoption the dog is deemed healthy and not aggressive or otherwise unacceptable for adoption. However, it is always possible that an animal can harbor an illness in an incubation stage and therefore may become ill after adoption. Thus, we cannot guarantee health, but we will replace or refund your money on any dog that becomes ill within 14 days of the initial adoption. We are sorry but we cannot refund the dog’s license fee.
3. The future health of the pet is the responsibility of the adopter. The animal should have regular veterinary care, including parasite stool examination and treatment when necessary, yearly vaccinations (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus). Rabies vaccinations should be given every 1-3 years. Dogs should be tested periodically for heart worms and receive preventive treatment.
4. Adopters must be at least 18 years of age. Adoptions will be permitted only to a responsible individual. We discourage the adoption of puppies under the age of four months to homes with small children.
5. We recommend that no dog be used exclusively as a guard dog, hunting dog, or to be chained outside continuously. For large dogs, a large fenced area is highly recommended.
6. No vicious dogs or breeds legally classified as vicious will be put up for adoption.
7. All pertinent animal protection and control laws must be obeyed.

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Our adoption policies were established to ensure the placement of our animals into permanent, responsible homes, and they comply with the guidelines and regulations set by Licking County Animal Control and the Licking County Humane Society. If you have any questions about these policies, feel free to consult one of our staff members.

OHIO REVISED CODE (ORC) - LICENSES & REGULATIONS

1. As used in this section, "dangerous dog" and "vicious dog" have the same meanings as in section 955.11 of the Revised Code.
2. No owner, keeper, or harborer of any female dog shall permit it to go beyond the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer at any time the dog is in heat, unless the dog is properly in leash.
3. No owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall fail at any time to keep it either physically confined or restrained upon the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer by a leash, tether, adequate fence, supervision, or secure enclosure to prevent escape, or under reasonable control of some person, except when the dog is lawfully engaged in hunting accompanied by the owner, keeper, or harborer or a handler.
4. No owner, keeper, or harborer of a dangerous or vicious dog shall fail to do either of the following, except when the dog is lawfully engaged in hunting or training for the purpose of hunting, accompanied by the owner, keeper, harborer, or a handler:
1. While that dog is on the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer, securely confine it at all times in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure which has a top, except that a dangerous dog may, in the alternative, be tied with a leash or tether so that the dog is adequately restrained;
2. While that dog is off the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer, keep it on a chain-link leash or tether that is not more than six feet in length and additionally do at least one of the following:
1. Keep that dog in a locked pen which has a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure which has a top;
2. Have the leash or tether controlled by a person who is of suitable age and discretion or securely attach, tie, or affix the leash or tether to the ground or a stationary object or fixture so that the dog is adequately restrained and station such a person in close enough proximity to that dog so as to prevent it from causing injury to any person;
3. Muzzle that dog.
5. No owner, keeper, or harborer of a vicious dog shall fail to obtain liability insurance with an insurer authorized to write liability insurance in this state providing coverage in each occurrence, subject to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than one hundred thousand dollars because of damage or bodily injury to or death of a person caused by the vicious dog.

PENALTIES

1. Whoever violates section 955.21 or division (B) or (C) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars or more than one hundred dollars on a first offense, and on each subsequent offense shall be fined not less than seventy-five dollars or more than two hundred fifty dollars and may be imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
2. In addition to the penalties prescribed in division (E)(1) of this section, if the offender is guilty of a violation of division (B) or (C) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dog that he owns, keeps, or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both.
6. If a violation of division (D) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code involves a dangerous dog, whoever violates that division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense and of a misdemeanor of the third degree on each subsequent offense. Additionally, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dangerous dog that he owns, keeps, or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both, and the court may order the offender to obtain liability insurance pursuant to division (E) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code. The court, in the alternative, may order the dangerous dog to be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
7. If a violation of division (D) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code involves a vicious dog, whoever violates that division is guilty of one of the following:
1. A felony of the fourth degree on a first or subsequent offense if the dog kills or seriously injures a person. Additionally, the court shall order that the vicious dog be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
2. A misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense. Additionally, the court may order the vicious dog to be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the county dog warden, or the county humane society.
3. A misdemeanor of the first degree if the dog causes injury other than killing or serious injury, to any person.
8. Whoever violates division (A)(2) of section 955.01 or division (E) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
9. Whoever violates division (C) of section 955.221 [955.22.1] of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Each day of continued violation of division (C) of section 955.221 [955.22.1] of the Revised Code constitutes a separate offense. Fines levied and collected for violations of division (C) of section 955.221 [955.22.1] of the Revised Code shall be distributed by the mayor or clerk of the municipal or county court in accordance with section 733.40, division (F) of section 1901.31, or division (C) of section 1907.20 of the Revised Code to the treasury of the county, township, or municipal corporation whose resolution or ordinance was violated.