Dec 19, 2025
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed new rules governing possession of dangerous dogs into law on Friday as part of a marathon bill signing ceremony alongside hemp regulation and property tax relief.Avery's Law was passed in honor of Av ery Russell, who was 11 years old when she was seriously injured in a dog attack in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, last year.The law also comes after a pair of attacks in Colerain Township in March spurred calls for more proactive policing of dangerous animals and more authority for dog wardens to act quickly after an attack.Avery's Law allows authorities to seize and euthanize dogs after a single attack causing serious injury and death, instead of two as Ohio law previously stated. It also empowers dog wardens to immediately seize a dog following an attack, increases potential penalties on dangerous dog owners and increases an owner's liability insurance requirements.Despite the sweeping changes, one victim and her family said legislators needed to do more.WATCH: We talk with dog attack victims and Hamilton County's Dog Warden about Avery's Law Ohio governor signs law regarding dangerous dogsEmily Rentschler was attacked in March and said the $100,000 liability insurance requirement now written into Ohio law doesn't come close to covering the costs of her recovery."My medical bills exceeded $100,000 almost immediately, and that number continues to grow," Rentschler said in a statement to us. "I still face additional surgeries in the future, including scar revision and other medical procedures, along with ongoing mental-health treatment. These are lifelong consequences, not temporary setbacks."Rentchler's mother, Carrie Davis, met with us after DeWine's signing ceremony to share her thoughts.Davis told us she wants to see more investment put into police departments and dog warden offices to proactively track and deal with dangerous dogs."It's a step in the right direction, but what gets funded gets done," she said.Sean wants to hear from you. You can contact him here:Davis said she worries that additional authority in low-staffed dog warden offices wouldn't help prevent attacks from happening."There's no money for officers to confiscate the dogs on site, immediately, and kennel them. No money for that. No money to capture the dogs. Show me the money," Davis said.Hamilton County Dog Warden Beth Ward called for Ohio law to change in the wake of Rentschler's attack."We have laws that are very old, antiquated, so to speak, that need to be updated," she said back in March.After the signing, we reached back out to Ward, and she sent us a statement: Todays signing of Averys Law represents a step forward in public safety and accountability for dog owners in Ohio. The changes being made will help give our dog wardens clearer authority and more stringent penalties for owners whose dog seriously injures or kills someone. Our officers are prepared to implement these changes thoughtfully to help ensure safer communities in Hamilton County.Avery's Law also specifically defines the "serious injuries" required for forced euthanasia of a dog.It included injuries carrying the substantial risk of death or those leaving the victim with permanent incapacity, serious disfigurement, or substantial suffering or prolonged pain.Dogs that attack after being provoked through teasing or abuse wouldn't be considered vicious, and dogs that are "coming to the aid or defense of a person who was not engaged in illegal or criminal activity and who was not using the dog as a means of carrying out such activity" wouldn't be included, according to the law. ...read more read less
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