Parma, OH Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 955.22 | Vicious, dangerous, and nuisance dog acts. (A) As used in this section and sections 955.11, 955.23, and 955.24 of the Revised Code: [...] (3) 'Nuisance dog act' means one of the following actions committed by a dog without provocation and while off the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer, other than by a police dog that is being used to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties: (a) Chasing or approaching a person in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack; (b) Attempting to bite or otherwise endanger any person in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack; (c) Causing injury to any person without making physical contact in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack; (d) Chasing, threatening, harassing, or injuring another dog or livestock in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attitude of attack; (e) Having been the subject of a third or subsequent violation of section 955.21 of the Revised Code. [...] (D) No owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog that is not an animal shelter for dogs shall negligently, and no animal shelter for dogs that keeps or harbors a dog shall recklessly, fail to prevent the dog from committing a nuisance dog act. Whoever violates this division is guilty a minor misdemeanor on a first offense and a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense.