Canton, OH Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Canton Codified Ord. § 505.29(a)(3)
- Applies to
- felons convicted on/after May 22, 2012
- Duration
- 3 years from release or conviction
- Penalty
- misdemeanor of the first degree
- Enforced by
- Canton Police Department
- Exemption
- dogs owned before May 22, 2012
Summary
Under Canton Codified Ordinances Section 505.29, anyone convicted of a qualifying violent, weapons, or drug felony committed on or after May 22, 2012, may not knowingly own, possess, or live with a dog lacking a permanently implanted microchip bearing a unique identification number for three years after release or conviction. The same ban covers unspayed or unneutered dogs over twelve weeks old and any dog already declared dangerous or vicious. Canton Police enforce it as a first-degree misdemeanor.
(a) No person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony offense of violence committed on or after May 22, 2012, or a felony violation of any provision of Ohio R.C. Chapter 959, Ohio R.C. Chapter 2923, or Ohio R.C. Chapter 2925 committed on or after May 22, 2012, shall knowingly own, possess, have custody of, or reside in a residence with any of the following for a period of three years commencing either upon the date of release of the person from any period of incarceration imposed for the offense or violation or, if the person is not incarcerated for the offense or violation, upon the date that the person plead guilty to or was convicted of the offense or violation: ... (3) Any dog that does not have a permanently implanted microchip that has an identification number that is unique to the microchip. ... (c) Whoever recklessly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Full Breakdown
Section 505.29 targets a narrow but serious class: people with qualifying felony convictions after May 22, 2012, for violence, weapons offenses under Ohio R.C. Chapter 2923, or drug offenses under Ohio R.C. Chapter 2925. For three years from release or conviction, subsection (a) bars such a person from knowingly owning, possessing, having custody of, or residing with any dog that falls into three categories: an unspayed or unneutered dog over twelve weeks old, a dog already adjudicated dangerous or vicious under Ohio R.C. Chapter 955, or a dog without a permanently implanted microchip carrying a unique identification number.
The microchip clause, subsection (a)(3), is the only Canton provision that ties microchipping directly to a legal duty; it is not a general pet-microchipping mandate for all Canton dog owners. Subsection (b) narrows the reach: the ban does not apply to a covered person confined in an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction institution, nor to a dog the person already owned, possessed, or lived with before May 22, 2012. Subsection (c) makes a reckless violation a misdemeanor of the first degree, one of Ohio's most serious misdemeanor classes, enforced by the Canton Police Department alongside Stark County's separate dog-licensing and rabies-tag requirements. The section is codified from Ohio R.C. 955.54 and sits in Chapter 505, Animals, alongside Canton's dog-bite, running-at-large, and dangerous-dog provisions.
Violations & Fines
Knowingly owning, possessing, or living with a covered dog that lacks a permanently implanted, uniquely numbered microchip during the three-year window after a qualifying felony conviction is a misdemeanor of the first degree under Section 505.29(c), the same classification applied to keeping an unspayed or unneutered dog over twelve weeks old or a dog already found dangerous or vicious. The chapter's general penalty note directs courts to Section 501.99 for the fines and jail exposure that attach to first-degree misdemeanors in Canton.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Canton dog owner have to microchip their pet?
What happens if a covered person's dog isn't microchipped?
Are there any exceptions to the ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Canton
Compare Canton to another location·View the Ohio animal ordinances overview
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