To amend sections 4729.01, 4729.36, 4729.531, 4729.532, 4729.54, and 4729.55 of the Revised Code to allow wild animal rehabilitation facilities to receive a limited license to administer euthanasia drugs and to modify the law regarding the use of terms that are limited to pharmacies and pharmacists.
SB152 amends Ohio’s pharmacy and dangerous-drug statutes to create a limited pharmacy license for wild animal rehabilitation facilities, alongside existing authority for animal shelters and county dog wardens, so they may purchase, possess, and administer certain manufactured dosage-form drugs for euthanasia and pre-euthanasia sedation/anesthesia. The bill requires the State Board of Pharmacy to issue the license if application requirements are met and directs the board to adopt rules governing licensure, approved drugs, and related compliance standards.
The bill also updates the rules governing who may use pharmacy-related terms such as “pharmacy,” “pharmacist,” and related words, reinforcing that those terms generally remain restricted to licensed pharmacies and pharmacists. In addition, it revises terminal distributor of dangerous drugs provisions to expressly accommodate animal shelters, wild animal rehabilitation facilities, and county dog wardens, including documentation, supervision, and certification requirements tied to euthanasia technician training and animal drug handling.
The bill changes several sections of the Revised Code, primarily Chapter 4729, by expanding limited licensure to include wild animal rehabilitation facilities and by conforming related licensing, supervision, and drug-administration provisions. It affects the State Board of Pharmacy, the state veterinary medical licensing board, animal shelters, county dog wardens, and wild animal rehabilitation facilities, while preserving restrictions on drug distribution and requiring certified personnel and board-approved protocols for euthanasia-related drug use.
The voting record shows strong, unanimous support in both chambers, with no recorded opposition in committee or on the floor. The bill appears to have been viewed as a practical animal-care and regulatory clarification measure, balancing humane euthanasia access for wildlife rehabilitation and shelter operations with pharmacy oversight and training requirements.
There is little evidence of substantive controversy in the available record, but the main policy issue is the expansion of limited drug-handling authority beyond traditional animal shelters and county dog wardens to wild animal rehabilitation facilities. Any concern would likely center on ensuring proper training, safe storage, and controlled use of euthanasia and pre-euthanasia drugs, as well as preserving the distinction between pharmacy practice and animal-care operations. The bill addresses those concerns by requiring board-approved certification, approved drug lists, and licensing oversight.