OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 539 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 539’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Brown and Weinstein
Effective date:
Jeff Grim, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
 Increases the number of establishments that are considered high-volume dog breeders
and subject to regulation under the law governing those breeders.
 Requires a high-volume dog breeder to ensure that all euthanasia and surgical
procedures are performed by a licensed veterinarian with regard to a dog that is kept,
housed, and maintained by the breeder.
 Specifically adds tail docking, dew claw removal, and ear cropping to the types of
surgical procedures that must be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
 Requires, rather than authorizes as under current law, the Director of Agriculture or the
Director’s authorized representative to conduct inspections of high-volume dog
breeders during regular business hours without providing notice in advance.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
High-volume dog breeders
Current law establishes requirements and procedures for the regulation of high-volume
dog breeders by the Department of Agriculture. Those requirements include licensure,
standards of care, and enforcement provisions. The bill makes several revisions to these
requirements.
Expansion of the scope of the law
Current law defines a “high-volume dog breeder” as an establishment that keeps,
houses, and maintains six or more breeding dogs and does at least one of the following:
1. In return for a fee or other consideration, sells five or more adult dogs or puppies in any
calendar year to dog brokers or pet stores;
May 24, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
2. In return for a fee or other consideration, sells 40 or more puppies in any calendar year
to the public; or
3. Keeps, houses, and maintains, at any given time in a calendar year, more than
40 puppies that are under four months old, that have been bred on the premises of the
establishment, and that have been primarily kept, housed, and maintained from birth
on the premises of the establishment.
The bill instead defines a “high-volume dog breeder” as an establishment that keeps,
houses, and maintains six or more breeding dogs and, in return for a fee or other consideration,
sells adult dogs or puppies to dog brokers, pet stores, or the public. As a result, the bill
eliminates the number of puppies and adult dogs that an establishment must sell in order to be
considered a high-volume dog breeder. Thus, the bill increases the number of establishments
that are considered high-volume dog breeders and subject to regulation under the law
governing those breeders.1
Standards of care
Regarding a dog that is kept, housed, and maintained by a high-volume dog breeder,
current law requires the breeder to use a licensed veterinarian to perform a surgical or
euthanasia procedure, if a procedure is required. The bill instead states that if a surgical or
euthanasia procedure is performed, a high-volume dog breeder must use a licensed
veterinarian. Consequentially, the bill requires all euthanasia and surgical procedures to be
performed by a licensed veterinarian, including specifically tail docking, dew claw removal, and
ear cropping.2
Inspections
The bill requires, rather than authorizes as under current law, the Director of Agriculture
or the Director’s authorized representative to conduct inspections of high-volume dog breeders
during regular business hours without providing notice in advance.3
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 05-15-24
ANHB0539IN-135
1 R.C. 956.01.
2 R.C. 956.031(V).
3 R.C. 956.10(B)(4) and (C).
P a g e |2 H.B. 539
As Introduced


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 956.01, 956.031, 956.10