[R.O. 2012 §210.010; Ord. No. 2854 §1(A — B), 8-11-2003; Ord. No. 3454 §1, 4-20-2009]
For the purposes of this Chapter, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this Section:
Normal and prudent attention to the needs of an animal, including
wholesome food, clean water, shelter, and health care as necessary
to maintain good health in a specific species of animal.
Structurally sound, properly ventilated and weather-proofed
housing which is large enough to allow the animal housed in it to
stand up, turn around and lie down; is equipped with bedding that
will not absorb water and/or freeze; and will not exacerbate existing
weather conditions by, for example, absorbing heat on hot sunny days
or excessive size which would not retain body heat in winter. This
adequate shelter must be located at least six (6) feet from side or
rear property line.
Manifesting any of the characteristic symptoms of rabies
as described in any standard medical textbook.
Every living vertebrate except a human being.
Off the premises of the owner, and not under the control
of a competent person. All animals and domestic others shall be leashed
at all times by a competent person.
Any place where animals are regularly bought, sold or traded.
Breaking of the skin caused by an animal.
Any male or female member of the domestic feline family.
A commercial variety show featuring animal acts for public
entertainment.
Any pet shop, grooming shop, auction, riding school or stable,
zoological park, circus, performing animal exhibition, or kennel.
A human being who is capable of controlling and governing
the animal in question.
Any animal with the following characteristics shall be classified
as dangerous:
Any animal which has inflicted a severe or fatal injury on a
human, on public or private property. The victim receiving severe
injuries, or the victim's parent or guardian, must provide the Police
Department with a signed physician's statement, documenting injury
and treatment qualifying such as a severe injury, or sign an authorization
for the release of such statement.
Any animal which has killed or injured a domestic animal, livestock
or poultry without provocation, while off the owner's property.
Any dog owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose
of dog fighting, or any dog trained for dog fighting.
Any animal which has bitten a human being, without provocation
on public or private property other than the owner's.
Any animal which, while on the owner's property, has bitten,
without provocation, a human being other than the owner.
Any animal which, when unprovoked, chases or approaches a person
upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds, or private property
other than that of the owner, in a menacing fashion or apparent attitudes
of attack, regardless of whether or not a person is injured by said
animal.
Any animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition
to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the
safety of human beings or domestic animals.
For the purposes of this Chapter and the definition of dangerous
animal, in determining whether or not an animal has been provoked,
Law Enforcement Officers and the Public Safety Committee shall take
into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the subject
investigation to specifically include, but not necessarily limited
to, whether or not the animal in question was guarding the property
of its owner and whether or not the animal in question had been teased,
aggravated or harmed by the victim or anyone with the victim at the
time of the bite or attack. If it is determined that the animal in
question was guarding property or had been hurt, teased or aggravated
at the time of the incident, it shall be presumed that the animal
was provoked.
Any male or female of the domestic canine family.
Having been bitten or scratched by, or having fought or come
in contact with an animal affected with rabies.
To put to death in a humane manner.
Any animal which is normally considered domesticated but
which is usually kept for purposes other than as a pet. This definition
shall include, but not be limited to, cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep
and poultry.
Any member of the avian species. This definition includes,
but is not limited to, chickens, geese, ducks and pigeons.
A commercial establishment where animals are bathed, clipped,
plucked, or otherwise groomed.
Any premises wherein any person engages in the business of
boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee,
or selling dogs, cats, or other domestic animals including, but not
limited to, fowl. Any premises having a combined total of four (4)
or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals including, but not limited
to, fowl, over the age of four (4) months is subject to kennel regulations.
In addition to its ordinary meaning, any person who keeps
or harbors an animal or professes to be owning, keeping, or harboring
an animal.
Any spectacle, display, act, or event, other than circuses,
in which animals are used.
Any animal kept for pleasure rather than utility. Hunting
dogs are included in the pet category.
Any person, partnership, or corporation, whether operated
separately or in connection with another business enterprise, except
for a licensed kennel, that buys, sells, or boards any species of
animal.
Domestic fowls, including, but not limited to, chickens,
turkeys, ducks or geese, raised for meat or eggs.
That committee which is appointed by the Mayor and approved
by the Board of Aldermen which shall have the responsibility of determining
whether or not a given animal is a "dangerous animal" within the meaning of this Chapter.
Any place which has available for hire, boarding, and/or
riding instruction, any horse, pony, donkey, mule, or burro.
Any physical injury to a human or domestic animal, resulting
directly from an animal's bite and/or actions which result in broken
bones or lacerations requiring stitches or in-patient hospitalization,
or any injury which requires two (2) or more visits for medical attention
to a physician or veterinarian, shall be documented by a signed physician's
or veterinarian's statement.
Any establishment maintained and operated by a licensed veterinarian
for surgery, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and injuries of
animals.
Any live non-human primate (monkeys, chimpanzees, apes, gorillas
and lemurs), kinkajou, coatamuni, raccoon, fox, skunk, pigeon, poisonous
reptiles, venomous snakes, constrictor reptiles, crocodilian reptiles
two (2) feet or more in length including alligators, crocodiles, and
caimans, bear, wolf, wolf hybrids, coyote, coyote hybrids (coydogs),
cougar, leopard, jaguar, tiger, lion, lynx, bobcat, ocelot, or any
crossbreeds of the above. Wild animals does not include insects, fish,
avian species, or other reptiles, mammals, or animals not listed above.
Any facility, other than a pet shop or kennel, displaying
or exhibiting one (1) or more species of non-domesticated animals
operated by a person, partnership, corporation, or government agency.
[R.O. 2012 §210.020]
A.Â
Except
as hereby provided, in all residential zoning districts, domestic
pets may be kept by the occupant of a dwelling unit.
B.Â
The
parent or guardian of a minor child is responsible for the adequate
care of any animal owned by, in the control of, or harbored by said
minor child.
C.Â
No
owner shall fail to provide his/her animals with sufficient good and
wholesome food, water, adequate shelter and veterinary care when required,
and humane care and treatment. No owner shall permit any cat, dog
or domestic other to stay outdoors without said adequate shelter.
D.Â
No
person shall cruelly ill treat, torment, overload, overwork, or otherwise
abuse an animal or cause, instigate, or permit any dogfight, cockfight,
bullfight, or combat between animals or between animals and humans.
E.Â
No
person shall intentionally or purposely kill dogs, cats or domestic
others in any manner except humane euthanasia. This does not apply
to necessary action taken in the defense of oneself or another.
F.Â
No
owner shall purposely abandon any animal in any place without making
provisions for its adequate care.
G.Â
Any
person who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes a domestic
animal, shall immediately report such injury or death to the animal's
owner. In the event the owner cannot be ascertained and located such
operator shall at once report the accident to the appropriate law
enforcement agency.
H.Â
No
person shall expose any known poisonous substance, whether mixed with
food or not, so that the same shall be liable to be eaten by an animal,
provided that it shall not be unlawful for a person to expose, on
his/her own property, common rat poison mixed only with vegetable
substances. City Health Officials are exempt from this requirement.
I.Â
Disposal Of Fecal Matter.
1.Â
All fecal accumulations in any pen, run, cage or yard where any animal
is kept shall be removed and disposed of in such a manner as to prevent
the breeding of flies and creation of offensive, disagreeable or noxious
odors or other nuisance conditions.
2.Â
Any person having physical possession and control of any animal,
whether on their property, someone else's property or in a public
place including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, parking lots
and public parks, shall remove fecal matter deposited by the animal.
[R.O. 2012 §210.030; Ord. No. 4116 § 1, 6-12-2017]
A.Â
No person or business shall keep any wild or dangerous animal for
display or for exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or for a
fee. This Section shall not be construed to apply to zoological parks,
performing animal exhibitions or circuses or those exhibitions of
wild animals that have received and maintain a permit from the United
States Department of Agriculture.
B.Â
No person shall keep or permit to keep any wild animal as a pet.
[R.O. 2012 §210.040]
Honey bees may be kept only in zoning district "NU" and only
after obtaining a conditional use permit.
[R.O. 2012 §210.050]
A.Â
No
performing animal exhibition or circus shall be permitted in which
animals are induced or encouraged to perform through the use of chemical,
mechanical, electrical, or manual devices in a manner which will cause,
or is likely to cause, physical injury or suffering.
B.Â
All
equipment used on a performing animal shall fit properly and be in
good working condition.
[R.O. 2012 §210.060]
Every person who owns, controls, manages, possesses any dog,
cat or domestic other, or who permits a dog, cat or domestic other
to come or remain in or about any home, place, business or other premises
owned or controlled by such person, shall purchase an I.D. tag with
the animal's name, owner's name, address, area code and phone number,
and fasten it securely to the collar or harness of the animal. A rabies
tag shall also be considered an I.D. tag if it is issued by a licensed
veterinarian.
[R.O. 2012 §210.070]
A.Â
Every
person who is responsible for any puppy or kitten or domestic other
shall have such puppy or kitten or domestic other vaccinated by a
veterinarian against rabies before the puppy or kitten or domestic
other reaches six (6) months of age, but not before it reaches three
(3) months of age.
B.Â
Every
person who is responsible for every cat, dog, domestic other, puppy
and kitten shall maintain current vaccination for rabies, by a veterinarian.
No cat, dog or ferret shall be exempted from this Article due to advanced
age. Domestic others are required to have anti-rabies vaccinations
if there is a commercial vaccine available for that species.
C.Â
When
a veterinarian tag is procured, the owner shall fasten it securely
to the collar or harness of the animal.
D.Â
The
veterinarian tag will be clearly stamped with the year in which the
anti-rabies vaccine was given to the animal, and a figure indicating
the number of the entry on the animal register.
E.Â
The
veterinarian tag should be attached to a leather or nylon collar or
harness and shall be worn at all times. Veterinarian tags will be
changed whenever an updated anti-rabies vaccine is given, and the
new tag should be exchanged on the collar or harness for the old one.
Should the current tag become lost or defaced, a new one can be purchased
from the attending veterinarian or any other licensed veterinarian
if the vaccination registration paper is presented to their office.
F.Â
Any
new resident of Union must comply with this Section within thirty
(30) days of occupancy.
