Enforcement

The purpose of the Fairfield County Dog Warden’s office is to enforce section 955 of the Ohio Revised Code (opens in a new tab; leaving this website). Please call (740) 687-3647 to report violations of the below sections.

• Tags to be worn (ORC 955.10) (opens in a new tab; leaving this website) - Owner, keeper or harborer shall require the dog to wear a valid registration tag.
• Dog licensing (ORC 955.21) (opens in a new tab; leaving this website) - No owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog more than three months of age shall fail to file the application for registration.
• Control/Confinement (ORC 955.22C) (opens in a new tab; leaving this website) - Owner, keeper or harborer shall keep their dog confined on the property by fence, chain, leash, tether or adequate supervision. The owner, keeper or harborer shall keep the dog under reasonable control at all times.
• Effective May 22, 2012, state law no longer defines “breed of dog commonly known as a pit bull” as vicious. Any dog may be designated as nuisance, dangerous or vicious based on its actions.

Nuisance Dog

Any dog that without provocation and while off the property of the owner, keeper, or harborer has chased or approached a person in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person.

Dangerous Dog

Any dog without provocation that has done any of the following on or off the owner’s property:

• Caused injury to any person.
• Killed another dog.
• Been the subject of a third or subsequent violation of 955.22C.

Vicious Dog

Any dog without provocation that has caused serious injury or killed a person while on or off the owner’s property.

Additional Information Regarding Dangerous and Vicious Dog

• Dangerous or Vicious dog confinement (ORC 955.22D) - A dog that has been designated as dangerous or vicious and while on the owner’s property must be secured at all times in a locked pen with a top, locked fenced yard, or other locked enclosure with a top. A dog that has been designated as dangerous or vicious and while off the property of the owner must keep the dog on a chain link leash no longer than six feet in length and additionally; keep the dog in a locked pen that has a top, locked fenced yard or other locked enclosure with a top OR have the leash controlled by someone of suitable age OR muzzle the dog.
• Dangerous or vicious dog registration (ORC 955.22E) - The owner, keeper or harborer of a dog that has been designated as dangerous or vicious must register the dog as dangerous with the County Auditor office.

Who to Call for Other Animal-Related Issues:

Animal Cruelty, Neglect, or Abandonment:

Fairfield Area Humane Society (opens in a new tab; leaving this website), 740-687-0627

Barking Dogs:

Please call your local law enforcement’s non-emergency line to report a noise violation.

Wildlife Issues:

Ohio Division of Wildlife- 800-945-3543
Ohio Wildlife Center- 614-793-9453
Fairfield County Wildlife Officer- 614-902-4210

Other Animal Bites Besides Dogs:

Fairfield County Health Department (opens in a new tab; leaving this website)- 740-652-2800

Surrounding County Dog Wardens:

Franklin County- 614-525-3400
Pickaway County- 740-474-3741
Hocking County- 740-385-2131
Perry County- 740-342-3795
Licking County- 740-349-6563