Ohio dog owners are about to face some of the strictest rules the state has ever put on the books. Avery’s Law, a wide‑ranging overhaul of how the state handles dangerous animals, kicks in next Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The package, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in December, was pushed through after a brutal 2024 mauling in Reynoldsburg and is designed to close what lawmakers called serious gaps in the old code.
What the law does
Under Avery’s Law, local dog wardens get clear authority to seize dogs right at the scene of an attack that causes serious injury or death, instead of waiting days for a court order. Courts will have a faster process to decide whether a dog should be labeled “dangerous” or “vicious,” and they can order euthanasia for animals that kill or severely injure a person.
The statute spells out the types of injuries that can trigger mandatory termination, while also carving out protections for dogs that were defending people or reacted after being provoked. Reporting from WCPO details how those standards are expected to work on the ground.
Stronger penalties and insurance rules
The law also goes after owners’ wallets and, if necessary, their freedom. Anyone whose dog is designated dangerous or vicious must carry substantial liability insurance. Sponsors say the $100,000 minimum coverage is meant to help pay victims’ medical bills instead of leaving them to fight for compensation out of pocket.
Lawmakers behind the bill have repeatedly described it as a fix for loopholes in the old statute, according to a statement from Rep. Meredith Lawson-Rowe. Committee testimony and bill language also make it a third‑degree felony if an owner fails to prevent a dog from killing or seriously injuring a person. Under Ohio sentencing law, that level of felony can carry up to three years in prison and fines up to $10,000, according to legal summaries that include sentencing guidance compiled by Justia.
The attack that pushed lawmakers
The emotional center of the law is Avery Russell, who was 11 when she was mauled in June 2024 by two American Bully XLs during a playdate in Reynoldsburg. She has undergone multiple surgeries and described the attack in stark terms in her testimony to lawmakers…