§ 959.09. Manner of reporting violation; immunity; false reports

April 12, 2021 House Bill 33 - 133rd General Assembly (A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, a person required to make a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code may do so orally or in writing and shall include all of the following in the report: (a) If known, the name and description of the companion animal involved; (b) The address and telephone number of the owner or other person responsible for care of the companion animal, if known; (c) The nature and extent of the suspected abuse; (d) Any other information that the person making the report believes may be useful in establishing the existence of the suspected violation involving a companion animal or the identity of the person causing the violation involving a companion animal. (2) An officer, dog warden, or deputy dog warden required to make a report under section 959.08 of the Revised Code may exclude any information from the report that is confidential or that the officer, dog warden, or deputy dog warden reasonably believes could jeopardize a pending criminal investigation. (B) A person required to make a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code is immune from civil or criminal liability in connection with making that report if the person acted in good faith when making the report. (C) No person required to make a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code shall knowingly make a false report. (D)(1) A court shall award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party in any civil or criminal action or proceeding in which it is alleged and proved that participation in the making of a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code was not in good faith. (2) A court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the party against whom a civil action or proceeding is brought in which it is alleged that participation in the making of a report under section 959.07 or 959.08 of the Revised Code was not in good faith if the action or proceeding is voluntarily dismissed.