(A) The director of agriculture may issue a pet store license to an owner or operator of a pet store when the owner or operator does all of the following:

(1) Applies for a license in accordance with this section and rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code;

(2) Affirms in writing that the owner or operator will maintain compliance with the applicable requirements established under section 959.20 of the Revised Code;

(3) Submits with the application for a pet store license a fee of five hundred dollars.

(B) The director of agriculture may deny, suspend, or revoke a license issued under this section for a violation of division (A), (B), or (C) of section 956.20 of the Revised Code or rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code. The denial, suspension, or revocation of a license is not effective until the licensee is given written notice of the violation, a reasonable amount of time to correct the violation, if possible, and an opportunity for a hearing.

The director also may refuse to issue a license under division (B) of this section if the applicant has violated division (A), (B), or (C) of section 956.20 of the Revised Code or the rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code during the thirty-six-month period prior to submitting an application for the license.

(C) Any license issued under this section is valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance. A pet store license must be renewed annually in the manner provided in rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code.

(D) Money collected by the director of agriculture from each application fee submitted under this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the pet store license fund created in section 956.181 of the Revised Code.

(E) No owner, operator, or manager of a pet store shall negligently display, offer for sale, deliver, barter, auction, broker, give away, transfer, or sell any live dog from a pet store in this state unless a license has been issued for the pet store by the director of agriculture in accordance with this section and rules adopted under section 956.03 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 506, §1, eff. 9/28/2018.

Added by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 331, §1, eff. 3/21/2017.