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Ballot Board Gives Animal Activists OK To Start Collecting Petition Signatures For Puppy Mill Issue

Ohio Ballot Board
Jo Ingles
Ohio Ballot Board

The green light has been given to the group that wants to begin collecting signatures to put a proposed constitutional amendment involving so-called puppy mills on the November 2018 ballot. 

The Ohio Ballot Board has given its ok to animal welfare advocates who filed the petition to put a vote on puppy mills as a single ballot issue next year. Now backers of the plan can begin circulating petition signatures from Ohioans to put the proposed amendment on the ballot. They’ll need almost 306,000 valid signatures from at least half of Ohio’s counties by July 4th of next year. If voters pass it, care standards for breeding puppies would be set in the Ohio constitution. Many humane societies and rescue groups back the plan but pet stores and some breeders are expected to fight the proposal.

Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.