[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of
the City of Rockwood as Ch. 610 of the 1989 Codified Ordinances. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
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.
Includes both the male and female of the dog family or genus
Canis.
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.
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.
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.
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]
[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]
