Ohio Animal Advocates recently submitted a letter of support for our partner, YWCA of Northwest Ohio, and its application for FY2026 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding. The YWCA of Northwest Ohio provides critical services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including outreach, safety support, emergency shelter, and assistance for survivors with pets.

Ohio’s dog-bite statute, R.C. 955.28(B), imposes strict liability on the “owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog” for any injury to a person or property caused by the dog. This means that owners, keepers, and harborers can be held responsible for injuries caused by a dog, regardless of whether they intended or could have foreseen the injury.

A federal judge has blocked another attempt by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to dramatically change how billions of dollars in federal homelessness funding are distributed.

A Columbus man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges involving dogfighting and methamphetamine distribution. Joel Brown admitted to keeping 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes in Franklin County. The investigation began in 2024 after a complaint to Columbus Humane prompted law enforcement to search a property where Brown was keeping dogs.

An Ohio researcher was awarded a 2025 ARDF animal-free biomedical research grant for work in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Jason Tchieu at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is working to create a human pluripotent stem cell-derived model of the olfactory epithelium and olfactory sensory neurons. 

On May 11, 2026, Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa signed House File 2348 into law, raising torture of a companion animal to a Class D Felony on the first offense. Iowa is the 50th state to make this happen, following Mississippi who raised animal torture to an automatic felony in 2020.  

A recent incident in Fukushima, Japan has captured international attention after a bear injured four people, evaded capture, and reportedly escaped from a factory by opening a locked window from the inside. Local officials described the animal as "extremely intelligent" after it was observed turning on a water faucet to drink and apparently manipulating a window latch to escape confinement.

Progress is being made in Ohio towards addressing bestiality, a violent and exploitative form of animal abuse that often results in death. Ohio Senate Bill 393, introduced in the 136th General Assembly, strengthens penalties for sexually oriented offenses involving juveniles and animals. The bill aims to modernize state laws to match federal standards and address emerging digital crimes.

For decades, animal advocates, social workers, law enforcement professionals, veterinarians, and domestic violence experts have recognized an important pattern: violence toward animals often does not occur in isolation.

In a significant victory for animal protection advocates, has announced it will ban the sale of animal fur products across its platform beginning August 11, 2026.

The updated policy prohibits the sale of products made from animals killed primarily for their pelts, including raw pelts, fur garments, and fur accessories made from animals such as mink, fox, and rabbit — regardless of whether the items are new or vintage.

A loose ostrich running through rural Ohio may sound like an unusual or even humorous news story, but incidents like this raise important questions about exotic animal ownership, public safety, and animal welfare.

According to reports from local authorities, an ostrich escaped in Madison County, Ohio, on March 23, 2026, prompting a response from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies spent several hours searching for and eventually helping corral the bird before it was safely returned to its owner. The ostrich was spotted near Lafayette Plain City and Taylor Blair roads before authorities successfully reunited the animal with its home.

An incident involving a community cat in Huber Heights, Ohio, is drawing national attention and raising serious concerns among animal advocates about humane response protocols, accountability, and the treatment of free-roaming cats.

According to reports, on April 23, a Huber Heights police officer shot an orange tabby cat after responding to a call about an animal allegedly suspected of having rabies. The officer’s report stated the cat appeared injured, was limping, and had white foam coming from its mouth. The officer then used his service weapon to shoot the cat twice.