Solar eclipse resources offered to Ohio landowners
Landowner resources to help them prepare for an influx of people coming to rural parts of the state hoping to get a glimpse of this rare phenomenon April 8.
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Editor’s Note: This article was updated in March, 2025.
Most farms are home to one or more dogs that serve as both pet and employee. However, landowners also are acutely aware of the threat other trespassing dogs may pose to their livestock.
Here are five tips regarding Ohio’s dog laws for landowners:
1) All dogs over three months of age must be registered with the county auditor. Dogs can be registered for a period of one year, three years, or permanently. Dog owners should ensure that their registration is up-to-date and that all dogs not confined to a kennel are displaying their current registration tag on the collar at all times.
2) Unless engaged in the act of hunting with an owner, dogs should always be confined to the owner’s property or under the control of their owner. Owners that fail to maintain reasonable control over their dog may be subject to fines.
3) Owners of dogs that have been designated by a proper official as a nuisance, dangerous, or vicious dog can face additional animal confinement and insurance requirements. Increased responsibilities can include adherence to more stringent enclosure, tethering, muzzling and leashing standards both on and off private property.
4) Landowners have the right to protect their livestock whenever a dog is in the act of chasing, threatening, harassing, or injuring livestock on the landowner’s property. Landowners will not be held criminally liable for injuring or harming a dog that is in the act of harming livestock.
5) It is illegal to abandon dogs or other domestic animals. Landowners can contact their local dog warden if they discover a trespassing or abandoned animal on their property.
More Ohio landowner information
For further explanation of these tips and other information on other topics impacting landowners, Ohio Farm Bureau members can log in and download the Landowner Toolkit. Not a member? Join today!
Also, listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast discussing topics impacting landowners.
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