Ohio Supreme Court case could change where you can rent with a dog

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A dog bite has set off an Ohio Supreme Court case that could reshape how landlords handle tenants’ pets.

L.H. Hipshire vs Oakwood Village et al isn’t about whether the landlord acted negligently — both sides agree it didn’t.

But if the Supreme Court upholds a lower court’s decision to hold the landlord liable, housing providers say the ruling could lead to higher rents, stricter pet policies or fewer dog-friendly units.

The case began in a Montgomery County mobile-home park in 2020 after a child was bitten in the face by another tenant’s cocker spaniel in a shared playground space. The mother sued the dog’s owner and the landlord, Oakwood Village / Sun Secured Financing.

At issue is whether Ohio’s strict-liability statute makes landlords responsible when a bite happ