Canal Winchester, OH Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 955.21 | Requirement to properly confine or restrain a dog. (A) Except as provided in division (F) of this section, no owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall fail at any time to do either of the following: (1) Keep the dog physically confined or restrained upon the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer by a leash, tether, adequate fence, supervision, or secure enclosure to prevent escape; (2) Keep the dog under the reasonable control of some person. A violation of division (A) of this section is a strict liability offense and section 2901.20 of the Revised Code does not apply. (B) Whoever commits a violation of this section that involves a dog that is not a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars or more than one hundred dollars on a first offense, and on each subsequent offense shall be fined not less than seventy-five dollars or more than two hundred fifty dollars and may be imprisoned for not more than thirty days. Additionally, the court may order the offender to personally supervise the dog that the offender owns, keeps, or harbors, to cause that dog to complete dog obedience training, or to do both. (C) Whoever commits a violation of this section that involves a nuisance dog is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on the first offense and of a misdemeanor of the third degree on each subsequent offense involving the same dog.