(A) The director of agriculture, after providing an opportunity for an adjudication hearing under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, may assess a civil penalty against a person who has violated or is violating division (A), (B), or (C) of section 956.20 of the Revised Code or division (E) of section 956.21 of the Revised Code.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 956.22

  • agriculture: includes farming; ranching; aquaculture; algaculture meaning the farming of algae; apiculture and related apicultural activities, production of honey, beeswax, honeycomb, and other related products; horticulture; viticulture, winemaking, and related activities; animal husbandry, including, but not limited to, the care and raising of livestock, equine, and fur-bearing animals; poultry husbandry and the production of poultry and poultry products; dairy production; the production of field crops, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees, flowers, sod, or mushrooms; timber; pasturage; any combination of the foregoing; the processing, drying, storage, and marketing of agricultural products when those activities are conducted in conjunction with, but are secondary to, such husbandry or production; and any additions or modifications to the foregoing made by the director of agriculture by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. See Ohio Code 1.61
  • Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Pet store: means an individual retail store to which both of the following apply: the store sells forty or more puppies or adult dogs in any calendar year to the public; and with regard to the sale of a dog from the store, the sales person, the buyer of a dog, and the dog for sale are physically present during the sales transaction so that the buyer may personally observe the dog and help ensure its health prior to taking custody. See Ohio Code 956.01
  • state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59

(B) The person who is assessed a civil penalty under this section is liable for a civil penalty of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars for a first violation, not more than five thousand dollars for a second violation, and not more than ten thousand dollars for a third or subsequent violation.

(C) Any person assessed a civil penalty under this section shall pay the amount prescribed to the department of agriculture. The department shall remit all money collected under this section to the treasurer of state for deposit in the pet store license fund created under section 956.181 of the Revised Code.