Ohio Code 935.18 – Sale or auction of animals prohibited
(A) Except for a restricted snake specified in division (L)(1) of section 935.01 of the Revised Code, no person shall sell or offer for sale at auction a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 935.18
- 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
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- 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
- Veterinarian: means a person who is licensed under Chapter 4741 of the Revised Code. See Ohio Code 935.01
(B) Except for a microchip removed for purposes of a medical emergency by a veterinarian that is qualified to provide veterinary care to the dangerous wild animal, no person shall knowingly remove a microchip that is implanted in a dangerous wild animal as required in section 935.04 of the Revised Code.
(C) No person that possesses a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake shall fail to post and display any of the following:
(1) On each cage in which a dangerous wild animal is confined, signs warning the public that a dangerous wild animal is confined in the cage;
(2) At each entrance to the property where a dangerous wild animal is confined, a sign warning the public that a dangerous wild animal is on the property;
(3) On each container in which a restricted snake is confined, a sign warning the public that a restricted snake is in the container;
(4) At the main entrance to each structure where a restricted snake is confined, a sign warning the public that a restricted snake is in the structure;
(5) On a vehicle that is used to transport a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake, a sign warning that a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake, as applicable, is in the vehicle.
The signs shall comply with standards established in rules.
(D) No person shall knowingly release a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake into the wild.
(E) No person shall allow a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake to roam off the property where it is confined.
(F) No person shall remove any teeth or claws from a dangerous wild animal or restricted snake, as applicable, unless determined to be medically necessary by a veterinarian.
(G) No person shall violate any other provisions of this chapter or rules.