A severe case of animal abuse 20 miles east of Cincinnati in Clermont County has put back into the spotlight a law that toughens the penalties for those who commit the offense, which is now a felony.
Ohio Revised Code Section 959.131 - Penalties involving prohibitions concerning companion animals, went into effect April 2021:
Those are the possible penalties now faced by 47-year-old Jason Wayne Moermond, who worked as a part-time police officer for the Owensville Police Department and a pharmaceuticals company in nearby West Chester, according to police reports and court documents.
No person who confines or who is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal shall negligently do any of the following: (1) Torture, torment, needlessly mutilate or maim, cruelly beat, poison, needlessly kill, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal.
A number of pet rescue owners and officials at animal protective agencies and shelters are quick to point out that the Covid-19 pandemic also has been a game changer among pet owners. Some say they are seeing the number of abuse and neglect cases go up in the last two years, as well as the need for temporary care for pets as their owners are displaced.
Since ORC Section 959.131 became effective, the Level 5 felony–which formerly was a misdemeanor–now carries up to six months in prison and a $10,000 fine.
