[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Rockwood as Ch. 610 of the 1989 Codified Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Noise by animals and birds — See Ch. 144, § 144-7D.
Disposal of dead animals — See Ch. 212.
Manure or offal from household pets or domestic animals — See Ch. 212, § 212-9B(5).
Fees — See Ch. A276.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AT LARGE
Off the premises of the owner and not under the control of the owner or a member of his or her immediate family either by leash, cord, chain or otherwise.
DOG
Includes both the male and female of the dog family or genus Canis.
HARBORING A DOG or KEEPING A DOG
Allowing any dog habitually to remain and be lodged or fed within the house, store, building, enclosure or premises of the person harboring or keeping such dog.
[Amended 7-17-2002 by Ord. No. 408]
A. 
Leash requirement. No person owning, possessing or harboring any dog shall permit such dog to be upon the streets, highways and other public places unless such dog shall be attached to a substantial leash, which leash shall be under the control of a person physically capable of restraining and controlling the actions of such dog on the leash.
B. 
Nuisances caused by defecating dog. It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having charge, custody or control of any dog or other animal to permit the dog, either willfully or through failure to control such animal, to defecate on a public street, sidewalk, public park, public right-of-way or any public property, or upon any private property other than that of the owner or person who has custody or control of such dog and thereafter allow such nuisance to remain on the public sidewalk, public park, public right-of-way or any private property other than that of the owner or person who has custody or control of the dog. The person in control of the dog shall remove such nuisance immediately from the public sidewalk, public park, public right-of-way or any private property other than the private property of the owner or person who has control of the dog.
No person shall harbor or keep a dog which, by loud, frequent and habitual barking, yelping or howling, causes serious annoyance to the neighborhood or to people passing to and fro upon the streets or sidewalks.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Section 610.04, Muzzles, which immediately followed this section, was deleted 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
A. 
Required. No person shall own, maintain, keep or harbor any dog, four months of age or older, within the City, without first having obtained a license therefor from the City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent.
B. 
Application; contents. An application for a dog license shall contain the following information:
(1) 
The full name and residence address of the applicant; and
(2) 
The breed, color, sex and markings of the dog for which the license is sought.
C. 
Rabies inoculation certificate. A valid certificate of a current vaccination for rabies, with a vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture, signed by an accredited veterinarian, shall accompany each application for a dog license.
D. 
Fees. A dog license fee shall be paid to the City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent for the issuance of a dog license. The license fee required to license either a male or female dog and the fee for any dog license issued prior to May 15 of each year is established by resolution of the City Council. A new resident of the City shall have 30 days after becoming such a resident to comply with the licensing requirements of this chapter, during which time the dog license fee shall be as established by resolution of the City Council. The dog license fee for a dog licensed within 30 days after attaining the age of four months shall also be set by resolution of the City Council. After the thirty-day time limit, in either case, the license fee shall be as set by resolution of the City Council.
E. 
Issuance. The City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent shall issue a dog license if:
(1) 
An application therefor has been made, as required herein; and
(2) 
He or she finds that such issuance is consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
F. 
Expiration date. Each dog license issued shall commence on the date of issuance and shall expire on December 31 following the date of issuance, except that such license may be continued until May 15 of the next year without violating the licensing provisions of this chapter.
G. 
Records. The City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent shall keep a record of all dog licenses issued.
H. 
Tags.
(1) 
At the time of issuing a dog license, the City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent shall deliver to each applicant a brass tag which shall be affixed to the collar of the licensed dog.
(2) 
Duplicate tags, in case of loss, may be issued by the City Treasurer or his or her authorized agent upon payment by the applicant of a fee as set by resolution of the City Council and upon filing of an affidavit of loss by the applicant.
(3) 
No tag issued under this subsection shall be affixed to the collar of any dog, other than the dog for which the license was issued.
A. 
Every person owning, possessing or harboring any dog over four months old shall provide such dog with a substantial collar of any durable material, to which collar shall be securely attached the license tag issued under this chapter.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
B. 
No person shall remove the collar or license tag without the consent of the owner of the dog or the person to whom the license tag was issued.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
There is hereby established the office of Animal Control Officer. The Animal Control Officer shall have charge of the dog pound and shall carry out the duties required in this chapter.
A. 
Seizure.
(1) 
Any person 18 years of age or over may, and every police officer and other person appointed by Council for that purpose shall, promptly seize, take up and place in the pound all dogs that are found running at large in any street, alley, commons or other public or open space or place within the City without a valid City dog license, or contrary to the safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City, or contrary to any public law.
(2) 
Any police officer or other person designated by Council may seize and impound any dog kept in violation of this chapter.
B. 
Refusal to surrender. No person shall refuse to deliver up to any officer, or to any other person designated by Council to enforce this chapter, any dog kept or harbored in violation of this chapter.
C. 
Receipts.
(1) 
The Animal Control Officer shall issue a receipt for each dog delivered to him or her for impounding, containing the following information:
(a) 
The day and hour of such delivery; and
(b) 
The breed, color, sex and markings of the dog delivered.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
(2) 
The Animal Control Officer shall retain a copy of the receipt for inspection and record.
D. 
Redemption. No dog shall be released unless the owner or person entitled to demand the same shall pay to the Animal Control Officer a fee provided by resolution of the City Council. No dog shall be released unless all laws and regulations of the state in connection with dogs have been fulfilled.
E. 
Disposal of unclaimed dogs.
(1) 
All dogs not claimed or released within 48 hours after being impounded shall be destroyed.
(2) 
A dog may be sold at the pound after the expiration of 48 hours.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
(3) 
Council shall make suitable provisions for the disposal of the bodies of all dogs that have been destroyed.
F. 
Disposition of moneys collected. All moneys collected at the dog pound or by the Animal Control Officer under this chapter shall be turned over to the City treasury.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
No person shall harbor or keep a vicious dog or a dog that is known to be rabid. Any dog which has attacked, assaulted or bitten any person in any public place or place open to the public shall be presumed to be vicious dog.
No person shall hinder, obstruct or delay any member of the Police Department or any other person who is engaged in lawfully taking into custody or impounding any animal pursuant to this chapter.
No person shall permit any dog owned, harbored or kept by him or her or which is under his or her control to be in any City park unless under leash.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 159, Parks and Recreation.
[Amended 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407]
No person within the City shall treat any domestic animal in a cruel or inhumane manner. No person within the City owning or keeping or harboring any dog, in a kennel or otherwise, shall willfully or negligently cause or permit such dog to suffer unnecessary torture or pain.
No person shall throw or deposit any poisonous substance on any exposed public or private place where it endangers, or is likely to endanger, any animal or bird.
No person, except a public officer acting in his or her official capacity, shall molest, injure, kill or capture any wild bird, or molest or disturb any wild bird's nest or the contents thereof.
No person shall keep or house any animal or domestic fowl within the City, except dogs, cats, birds, fowl or animals commonly classified as pets.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Section 610.16, Housing of dogs, and Section 610.17, Dog kennels, which immediately followed this section, were deleted 5-1-2002 by Ord. No. 407.
No person within the City shall hunt wild game or in any manner carry any gun, weapon or firearm within the City for the purpose of hunting any wild game or fowl at any time.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 258, Weapons and Explosives.
A violation of any provision of this chapter shall be a municipal civil infraction, punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II.