COLUMBUS: A bill that would crack down on high-volume dog breeding operations, dubbed puppy mills, has cleared the Ohio House.
The bill passed on a 91-5 vote Wednesday, sending it back to the Senate to sign off on House changes.
The measure would bolster regulations on the care and treatment of animals housed in large-scale establishments and would distinguish the facilities from traditional dog kennels. Those considered “dog retailers” would have to be licensed.
The bill creates an advisory board to provide guidance on animal care standards for the facilities. It also allows the director of the state’s agriculture department to contract with local veterinarians to conduct inspections. Annual, rather than biennial, inspections would be required. And animal rescues would have to register with the Department of Agriculture.
