Ohio law requires every dog to be physically confined to the owner's property or kept under reasonable control at all times. The Lorain County Dog Warden enforces this countywide, in both urban and rural areas. A leashed dog on a walk counts as reasonable control.
There is no separate county leash code; Ohio Revised Code 955.21 sets a statewide confinement duty enforced everywhere in Lorain County by the Dog Warden's Office (440-326-5995). The dog must be kept on the premises by a leash, tether, fence, supervision, or secure enclosure, or otherwise under a person's reasonable control. The Dog Warden's guidance states 'all dogs must be kept confined to your property or under reasonable control at all times,' and that letting a dog run out the door is not reasonable control. Cities such as Lorain and Elyria add their own leash ordinances (e.g. Lorain 505.04) that mirror the state duty.
Failure to confine is a minor misdemeanor; the Dog Warden may impound the dog and cite the owner, with escalating fines for repeat offenses.
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See how Lorain County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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