Ohio Supreme Court Affirms Cruelty Protections for All Cats and Dogs
In a landmark decision, the Ohio Supreme Court has clarified that all cats and dogs—whether they live indoors, outdoors, are owned, stray, or community animals—are protected under Ohio’s felony cruelty laws.
The case arose after a man was convicted of felony animal cruelty against a cat. His defense argued that because the animal was not “kept” by a person, it did not qualify for protection under the law. The Court rejected that argument—setting a powerful precedent for animal protection across Ohio.
Listen to the Story Behind the Case
Dr. A. Michelle Gonzalez, DVM, hosts Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutors Tasha Forchione and Sarah Hutnik on the Animal Welfare Junction podcast. Together, they walk through the case from trial to the Court of Appeals, and ultimately the Ohio Supreme Court—and explain how this ruling is already impacting other animal cruelty cases across the state.
Why This Case Matters
This ruling ensures that the legal definition of cruelty to companion animals does not depend on whether an animal lives inside a home or is actively “kept” by a person. As Prosecutors Forchione and Hutnik explain in the podcast, this decision will influence how future cruelty cases are prosecuted and will prevent dangerous legal loopholes that could have allowed animal abusers to go unpunished simply based on an animal’s living situation.
This is a turning point for animal welfare enforcement in Ohio—one that strengthens the ability of humane officers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to hold offenders accountable and protect all animals in our communities.
OAA’s Role
Ohio Animal Advocates was proud to support this case by submitting an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief to the Ohio Supreme Court in favor of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s position. OAA also helped connect additional organizations to the effort, strengthening the case with a broad coalition of advocacy voices.
We are deeply grateful to our board members and advisors who contributed their time, knowledge, and legal expertise in preparing OAA’s brief:
Dr. Mark Bamberger
Dr. Alba Michelle Gonzalez
Kailey Leary
Chris Riggi
Dr. Alana Van Gundy
Their work ensured that the voices of animals and their advocates were heard at the highest level of Ohio’s judicial system.
What You Can Do
This case is a major step forward—but we must keep up the momentum:
Listen & Share: Stream the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Audible and share it with others who care about animal justice.
Report suspected scams cruelty: If something feels off, trust your instincts and report it to local authorities or humane law enforcement. You can find who to call in your county to report animal cruelty using OAA statewide resource list
Support legislation that increases penalties for cruelty: OAA continues to advocate for stronger laws to protect both pets and the public. Ask you state senator to support and co-sponsor S.B. 64 to enhance penalties for felony animal cruelty.
Source The Animal Welfare Junction
