Late in his term, the previous Ohio governor, Democrat Ted Strickland, had issued an emergency executive order limiting ownership of such animals, but it was not extended by the current governor, Republican John R. Kasich. His spokespersons had said Strickland’s order was not enforceable and pointed to a Kasich-named task force charged with devising a new measure.

In issuing his own executive order on Friday, Kasich said it might have prevented Thompson from keeping his animals because of his history of animal abuse, reported the New York Times.

Freelance writer Pat Summers also blogs at www.AnimalBeat.blogspot.com, where her October 21 post is titled “2nd death, in Ohio.”