Ohio dog owners, take note. Avery’s Law is now on the books and dog owners who are negligent could be on the hook for their pets’ behavior.

Avery’s Law is named for Avery Russell, of Reynoldsburg, who was 11 years old when she was severely injured in an attack by two vicious dogs in June 2024.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 247 in December and Avery’s Law took effect on Wednesday. The bill is designed to help prevent similar attacks.

Avery’s Law:

• Imposes criminal penalties on a dog owner if he or she negligently fails to keep their dog from committing, without provocation, an attack.

• Gives the local dog warden the authority to seize a dog immediately following such an attack.

• Revises the investigation and enforcement requirements for when an authority receives any complaint that indicates a possible violation of any provision of the law.

• Includes protections for dogs that are defending themselves, their owners, or their property.

• After receiving due process, mandates termination of the dog if it kills or seriously injures a person.

• Mandates $100,000 in liability insurance or owners of dangerous/vicious dogs.

The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Kevin Miller, R-Buckeye Lake, of Licking County.

State Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, praised the legislation in December.

“This law will hopefully save lives and prevent the tragedy of Avery’s story and others who have reached out from my district,” said Thomas, who represents parts of Ashtabula and Trumbull counties. “It is a long overdue change to how we treat dangerous dogs and negligent owners in Ohio.”

Earlier this month, Miller told Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle reporter Dan Pompili that his bill is not intended to punish responsible dog owners or well-meaning dogs defending themselves or their homes.

“That basically boils down to provoked or unprovoked attacks, and my bill only deals with provoked cases,” Miller said. “If the dog is protecting itself or its home or family, then that is not the issue we’re concerned with. The biggest issue is when a dog gets out or is off its leash and attacks someone for no reason.”

Matthew Dubon, Trumbull County’s dog warden, likes that Avery’s Law gives officials like him the ability to take possession of dogs involved in such attacks right away. That part of the bill is a major change from previous Ohio law.

“Before, when a bite happened, we could not really show up to someone’s house and confiscate their personal property (the dog),” Dubon told the newspapers. “We’d have to just put the animal on a 10-day bite hold at the residence while the case was reviewed.”

Looking back, it’s almost amazing that Ohio dog wardens had to operate without that authority for so long.

As Thomas said, Avery’s Law is long overdue. So, too, are serious consequences for dog owners whose pets hurt and maim people and animals.