[Amended 12-6-2010 by L.L. No. 4-2010]
No person shall own or harbor a dog except as
provided herein.
A. All dogs
in the City of Watertown, unless otherwise exempted, must be licensed
with the City Clerk by the age of four months, have license tags,
and are required to present a current certificate of rabies at the
time of licensing or the renewal of an existing license. Dogs of any
age which are held at a shelter, pursuant to a contract or agreement
with the County of Jefferson or a duly incorporated society for the
prevention of cruelty to animals, humane society or dog protective
association do not have to be licensed.
B. Any dog
harbored within the City of Watertown which is owned by a resident
of New York City or licensed by the City of New York, or which is
owned by a nonresident of New York State and licensed by a jurisdiction
outside the State of New York, shall for a period of 30 days be exempt
from the licensing and identification provisions of this section.
C. All dog
licenses shall be for a period of one year and will expire at the
end of the month one year from the date of issue. Municipal identification
tags will be issued by the City Clerk.
D. Fees for
licensing dogs. Fees and charges for spayed or neutered dogs and for
unspayed or unneutered dogs shall be as established at least annually
by the Watertown City Council through a budget resolution that adopts
a City Fees and Charges Schedule. Said schedule shall be available
to the public at the office of the Watertown City Clerk.
[Amended 8-15-2016 by L.L. No. 2-2016]
E. Enumeration
fee. When, and if, the City Council determines the need for a dog
enumeration, a fee of $5 will be assessed to all dogs found unlicensed,
or upon license renewal, at the time the enumeration is conducted.
F. Purebred/kennel
license. The City of Watertown will not be issuing purebred or kennel
licenses. All dogs will be licensed individually as per fee system
stated above.
G. Service
dogs. The City of Watertown will issue exempt license(s) for any guide
dog, service dog, hearing dog, detection dog, search dog, working
dog or therapy dog upon presentation of a current certificate of rabies.
H. The City
of Watertown does not authorize the licensing of dogs by a shelter.
I. All dog
licenses and municipal identification tags may be purchased by visiting
the City Clerk’s office or by regular mail. If licensing or
renewing a license by mail, the appropriate fee must accompany the
forms. There will be no refund of fees.
J. All fees
will be used in funding the administration of this chapter.
[Added 8-28-1962; amended 4-2-1990]
As used in this Article, unless the context
otherwise indicates, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DOG
Any member of the species canis familaris.
DOG CONTROL OFFICER
A person appointed by the City Manager to assist in the enforcement
of this Chapter and Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law,
as herein specified, or any member of the Police Department of this
City.
HARBOR
To provide food or shelter to any dog.
IDENTIFICATION TAG
A tag which sets forth an official identification number
as required by the provisions of Agriculture and Markets Law Article
7.
IDENTIFIED DOG
Any dog carrying an identification tag as provided in § 112
of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
OWN and OWNER
Includes any person having a right of property in a dog and
any person who keeps or harbors a dog or has in his care or who acts
as its custodian, and any person who permits a dog to remain on or
about any premises occupied by him.
RUNNING AT LARGE
Any dog roaming, running or self-hunting off the property
of its owner or custodian and not under its owner's or custodian's
immediate control.
[Added 4-2-1990]
An owner or person having custody of any dog
or any other animal shall not permit said dog or any other animal
to defecate on any school ground, public street, alley, sidewalk,
tree bank, park or other public grounds or on any private property
within the City, other than the premises of the owner or person having
custody of said dog or other animal, unless said defecation is removed
immediately.
[Added 8-28-1962; amended 12-1-1986 by L.L. No. 1-1986]
There shall be maintained a public pound or
dog shelter in which shall be distrained all dogs running at large,
which are dangerous as specified in § 121 of the Agriculture
and Markets Law or a public nuisance as herein defined. The City Manager
shall designate a place owned by the City for distraining of dogs
to be known as the "City Dog Shelter."
[Added 8-28-1962]
At the pound or dog shelter a book must be kept
in which the dog warden must enter, or cause to be entered, forthwith
the name and residence of any person bringing any dog to the pound,
the date when the same was brought, a description of said dog sufficient
for identification and the name and residence of the owner thereof,
if known, which book must at all times be open for public inspection.
[Added 8-28-1962; amended 5-21-1984; 4-2-1990]
It is the duty of the Dog Control Officer to
seize and impound:
A. All vicious and dangerous dogs.
B. All dogs running at large.
C. Any dog which is not identified and which is not on
the owner's premises.
D. Any dog which is not licensed, whether or not on or
off the owner's premises.
[Added 8-28-1962; amended 5-21-1984; 12-1-1986 by L.L. No. 1-1986; 4-2-1990]
A. Unidentified dogs. As provided for in § 118
of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the City shall properly shelter,
feed and water for the redemption period any seized dog impounded
by the City until disposed of as provided by the aforementioned law.
B. Each dog which is not identified, whether or not licensed,
shall be held for a period of five days from the day seized, during
which period the dog may be redeemed by its owner, provided that such
owner produces proof that the dog has been licensed and has been identified
pursuant to § 118 of the Agriculture and Markets Law or,
in the event the dog is unlicensed, by purchasing a dog license from
the City Clerk upon proof that said dog has been identified pursuant
to § 118 of the Agriculture and Markets Law and paying a
fee of $25 to the Dog Control Officer for the dog's impoundment. In
the event that the owner is notified by mail, the redemption period
shall be 10 days from the date of the mailing of said notice.
C. Promptly upon seizure of any identified dog, the owner of record shall be notified personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the facts of seizure and the procedure for redemption. If notification is personally given, such dog shall be held for a period of seven days after date of notice, during which period the dog may be redeemed by the owner. If such notification is made by mail, such dog shall be held for a period of nine days from the date of mailing, during which period the dog may be redeemed by the owner. In either case, the owner may redeem such dog upon payment of the impoundment fees prescribed in Subsection
B of this section and by producing proof that the dog has been licensed.
D. The owners of the impounded dog shall pay the City
an additional fee of $5 per day for room and board.
[Added 8-28-1962]
No person shall molest or interfere in any way
with any peace officer, dog warden, or any of his duly authorized
assistants, or with the duly authorized agents of any person or corporation
engaged in enforcing the provisions of the Agriculture and Markets
Law, relating to dogs, or of the provisions of this Article, while
he or they are engaged in the performance of their duties.
[Added 8-28-1962; amended 5-21-1984; 4-2-1990]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any
provision of this Article shall, upon conviction, be subject to a
fine of not less than $50 nor more than $250 or imprisonment for not
more than 15 days, or both. Each day of continued violation is a separate
and distinct offense.