Effective: June 14, 1995
Latest Legislation: House Bill 202 - 121st General Assembly
(A) No person shall tamper with any livestock.
(B) No person shall sabotage any livestock exhibited at an exhibition.
(C) In addition to the penalties established in section 901.99 of the Revised Code, whoever violates division (A) or (B) of this section is subject to disciplinary action by the director of agriculture under section 901.74 of the Revised Code.
(D) This section does not apply to either of the following:
(1) Any action taken or activity performed or administered by a licensed veterinarian or in accordance with instructions of a licensed veterinarian if the action or activity was undertaken for accepted medical purposes during the course of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship;
(2) Accepted grooming, commercial, or medical practices as defined by rules of the director adopted under section 901.72 of the Revised Code.
(E) As used in this section:
(1) "Tamper" means any of the following:
(a) Treatment of livestock in such a manner that food derived from the livestock would be considered adulterated as defined in division (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (H), (I), or (J) of section 3715.59 of the Revised Code;
(b) The injection, use, or administration of any drug that is prohibited under any federal law or law of this state, or any drug that is used in any manner that is not authorized under any federal law or law of this state. Whenever the commissioner of the United States food and drug administration or the secretary of the United States department of agriculture, pursuant to the "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act," 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), 21 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, or the federal "Virus-Serum-Toxin Act," 37 Stat. 832 (1913), 21 U.S.C.A. 151, as amended, approves, disapproves, or modifies the conditions of the approved use of a drug, the approval, disapproval, or modification automatically is effective for the purposes of division (E)(1)(b) of this section, unless the director, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, adopts a rule to alter for the purposes of that division the action taken by the commissioner or secretary. The director may adopt such a rule if the director considers it to be necessary or appropriate for the protection of food safety or the health, safety, or welfare of livestock or to prevent the use of a drug for the purpose of concealing, enhancing, transforming, or changing the true conformation, configuration, or condition of livestock. No such rule shall authorize the use of any drug the use of which is prohibited by, or authorize the use of any drug in a manner not authorized by, the commissioner or secretary under either of those acts.
(c) The injection, or other internal or external administration of any product or material, whether gas, solid, or liquid, to livestock for the purpose of concealing, enhancing, transforming, or changing the true conformation, configuration, condition, or age of the livestock or making the livestock appear more sound than it actually is;
(d) The use or administration, for cosmetic purposes, of steroids, growth stimulants, or internal artificial filling, including paraffin, silicone injection, or any other substance;
(e) The use or administration of any drug or feed additive affecting the central nervous system of the livestock;
(f) The use or administration of diuretics for cosmetic purposes;
(g) The surgical manipulation or removal of tissue so as to change, transform, or enhance the true conformation or configuration of, or to conceal the age of, the livestock.
(2) "Sabotage" means intentionally tampering with any livestock belonging to or owned by another person that has been registered, entered in, or exhibited in any exhibition, or raised with the apparent intent of being entered in an exhibition.