Ohio Valley Dog Owners Inc., an affiliate of NAIA, is working on two fronts to improve animal welfare in Ohio. While opposing an HSUS-backed bill that will make felons of breeders who dock their own puppy tails, the group is working with the Ohio Association of Animal Owners and the state's cat fanciers on a bill that will protect animals from abuse and neglect and animal owners from overzealous prosecution.

Currently, Ohio delegates responsibility for enforcing the state's anti-cruelty laws to humane societies, but it does not require contracts between governments and the societies or insist that humane agents meet job qualifications or receive training in the law, due process, or animal husbandry practices. HSUS has tried for years to change the law, not to require that the enforcers receive any training, but to expand their purview, to declare cruelty a felony, and to separate the care of pets from the care of livestock and working animals. HB 108 meets all the HSUS criteria; it makes cruelty a felony (including tail docking unless done by a veterinarian), allows humane agents to impound animals without a warrant, assesses costs for animal care against owners who have not been tried, and provides for forfeit of the animals if the owner cannot pay the bond.

While working to oppose this bill, OVDO is also working with OAAO to pass a comprehensive animal welfare bill that provides for due process, requires training for humane agents, increase penalties for cruelty, defines neglect as a lesser charge, and exempts humane animal husbandry practices.