Ohio Code 935.17 – Adoption of rules
The director of agriculture shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code that establish all of the following:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 935.17
- agriculture: includes farming; ranching; aquaculture; algaculture meaning the farming of algae; apiculture and related apicultural activities, production of honey, beeswax, honeycomb, and other related products; horticulture; viticulture, winemaking, and related activities; animal husbandry, including, but not limited to, the care and raising of livestock, equine, and fur-bearing animals; poultry husbandry and the production of poultry and poultry products; dairy production; the production of field crops, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees, flowers, sod, or mushrooms; timber; pasturage; any combination of the foregoing; the processing, drying, storage, and marketing of agricultural products when those activities are conducted in conjunction with, but are secondary to, such husbandry or production; and any additions or modifications to the foregoing made by the director of agriculture by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. See Ohio Code 1.61
- Dangerous wild animal: means any of the following, including hybrids unless otherwise specified:
(1) Hyenas;
(2) Gray wolves, excluding hybrids;
(3) Lions;
(4) Tigers;
(5) Jaguars;
(6) Leopards, including clouded leopards, Sunda clouded leopards, and snow leopards;
(7) All of the following, including hybrids with domestic cats unless otherwise specified:
(a) Cheetahs;
(b) Lynxes, including Canadian lynxes, Eurasian lynxes, and Iberian lynxes;
(c) Cougars, also known as pumas or mountain lions;
(d) Caracals;
(e) Servals, excluding hybrids with domestic cats commonly known as savannah cats. See Ohio Code 935.01
- Restricted snake: means any of the following:
(1) All of the following constricting snakes that are twelve feet or longer:
(a) Green anacondas;
(b) Yellow anacondas;
(c) Reticulated pythons;
(d) Indian pythons;
(e) Burmese pythons;
(f) North African rock pythons;
(g) South African rock pythons;
(h) Amethystine pythons. See Ohio Code 935.01
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
(A) Both of the following concerning the registration of dangerous wild animals under section 935.04 of the Revised Code:
(1) Any additional information that must be included with a registration;
(2) Standards for the care and housing of registered dangerous wild animals, including standards for the proper care of each species of dangerous wild animal and caging and fencing of the animals.
The director shall adopt rules under division (A) of this section not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section.
(B) Standards for the care and well-being of dangerous wild animals specified in divisions (C)(1) to (19) of section 935.01 of the Revised Code that are possessed by the holders of wildlife shelter permits and wildlife propagation permits issued under this chapter. The standards shall govern at least sanitation for, provision of health care for, and feeding, caging, housing, and fencing of dangerous wild animals. In adopting rules under this division, the director shall consider the following factors:
(1) Best management practices for the care and well-being of dangerous wild animals;
(2) Public health and safety;
(3) Biosecurity;
(4) The prevention of disease;
(5) Animal morbidity and mortality data;
(6) Generally accepted veterinary medical practices;
(7) Standards adopted by the association of zoos and aquariums;
(8) Standards adopted by the zoological association of America;
(9) Standards established in the federal animal welfare act;
(10) Ethical standards established by the American veterinary medical association;
(11) Any other factors that the director considers necessary for the proper care and well-being of dangerous wild animals in this state.
(C) Standards for the housing of dangerous wild animals specified in division (C)(20) of section 935.01 of the Revised Code that are possessed by the holders of wildlife shelter permits and wildlife propagation permits issued under this chapter;
(D) All of the following concerning applications for permits issued under sections 935.06 and 935.07 of the Revised Code:
(1) Any additional information that must be included with a permit application;
(2) Criteria for determining what constitutes a species survival program for the purposes of division (A) of section 935.07 of the Revised Code and requirements and procedures that are necessary to determine if a program meets those criteria;
(3) The content of the examination specified in division (B)(6) of section 935.05 of the Revised Code. The rules shall require the examination to test an applicant’s knowledge on topics that include proper diet, health care, exercise needs, and housing of the species of dangerous wild animal or animals that are the subject of the application.
(4) Procedures and requirements concerning the administration of the examination specified in division (B)(6) of section 935.05 of the Revised Code.
(E) All of the following concerning applications for permits issued under sections 935.09 and 935.10 of the Revised Code:
(1) Any additional information that must be included with a permit application;
(2) The content of the examination specified in division (B)(5) of section 935.08 of the Revised Code. The rules shall require the examination to test an applicant’s knowledge on topics that include proper diet, health care, and housing of the species of restricted snake or snakes that are the subject of the application.
(3) Procedures and requirements concerning the administration of the examination specified in division (B)(5) of section 935.08 of the Revised Code.
(F) Both of the following concerning applications for permits issued under section 935.101 of the Revised Code:
(1) Information that must be included in a permit application;
(2) Criteria and procedures for the issuance or denial of a permit.
(G) Standards for the care and well-being of dangerous wild animals that are possessed by the holders of permits issued under section 935.101 of the Revised Code. The standards shall govern at least sanitation for, provision of health care for, and feeding, caging, housing, and fencing of dangerous wild animals. In adopting the rules, the director may consider the standards of care and housing established in rules adopted under division (B) of this section and section 935.12 of the Revised Code.
(H) Procedures and requirements governing the maintenance of records under section 935.15 of the Revised Code;
(I) Standards for signs that are required to be posted and displayed in accordance with section 935.18 of the Revised Code;
(J) The amount of civil penalties that may be assessed under section 935.24 of the Revised Code;
(K) Procedures and requirements governing the distribution of money under division (B)(4) of section 935.25 of the Revised Code from the dangerous and restricted animal fund created in that section;
(L) Any other provisions necessary to administer and enforce this chapter.