Gov. John Kasich signed into law Tuesday a measure to crack down on so-called “puppy mills” in Ohio.
The bill requires dog breeding operations that sell 60 dogs or produce at least nine litters in a single calendar year to be licensed and adhere to standards for care and treatment of their animals.
The law establishes an advisory board to help develop those standards and authorizes the state Department of Agriculture to contract with local veterinarians to conduct inspections.
Ohio is home to at least 1,000 high-volume dog breeders, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
The law exempts medical kennels, research kennels, veterinarians and animal shelters operated by counties or municipal corporations.
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