Goddard's Law updated to include all dogs and cats

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CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Ohio Supreme Court has unanimously ruled the state’s felony companion animal cruelty law, also known as Goddard’s Law, now applies to all dogs and cats, protecting animals that aren’t kept by a family or owner. 

The decision comes after an animal cruelty conviction involved a kitten doused in bleach that was thrown out because the kitten was not “kept.”

The Cleveland Division of Police responded to an apartment building in October 2021 about a kitten that was doused in bleach. 

According to the Ohio Supreme Court, Alonzo Kyles admitted to pouring the bleach. That is when the kitten was taken to a veterinarian, where it was confirmed that it suffered chemical burns on its paws. 

Kyles was convicted of cruelty to companion animals and sentenced to nine months in prison.

According to the Ohio Supreme Court, the Eighth District Court of Appeals vacated Kyles’ conviction because the kitten was not “kept.”

The court has now concluded that “any” means “all” and defines “companion animal” as including any dog or cat. regardless of where they are “kept.” This was a unanimous 7-0 decision by the Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday.

“Thankfully the Ohio Supreme Court used basic common sense when reaching this decision,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said. “The 7-0 decision speaks volumes about the lower court’s decision.”

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Celeste Houmard

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