[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Oconomowoc
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted as Secs. 12.06 and 12.15 of the 1986 Town Code]
No person or family unit living together, firm or corporation
shall keep more than two dogs upon any premises in the Town, with
the exception that a litter of pups, or a portion of a litter, may
be kept for not exceeding five months from birth. Kennels are exempt
from this restriction. However, maintenance and operation of kennels
shall comply with applicable zoning ordinances of the Town and Waukesha
County.
A.
No person
shall keep or harbor any vicious dog or other animal or any dog which
frequently or habitually barks, yelps or howls and thereby disturbs
the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.
B.
VICIOUS
Definition. As used in this section, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
An animal which may suddenly assault, or which has a propensity
to assault, a person while such person peacefully walks or rides on
the public streets or while such person is lawfully on the premises
of the owner or keeper of such animal.
C.
Removal of vicious animal. Whenever any animal shall, after investigation
by the Police Department, be found to be vicious or to have vicious
propensities, such animal shall either be removed from the Town or
destroyed by the owner within 72 hours after receipt by the owner
of a written notice by a representative of the Police Department;
or in the alternative, such animal shall be kept within a completely
enclosed structure upon the premises of the owner, which premises
shall bear a sign plainly displayed at every point of entrance, giving
warning of the presence of such animal.
No person in control of any dog shall permit the same to run
at large. All dogs off the premises of the owner or custodian must
either be on a leash or accompanied by their owner or custodian in
proper control of it or such dog or dogs shall be deemed "running
at large."
A.
Impounding dogs. Law enforcement officers or other persons authorized
by the Town Board are empowered to seize, impound or restrict any
dogs running at large. Whenever any impounded dogs shall bear identification
or license tags, the owner shall be notified immediately. Any impounded
dogs shall be held for a period of seven days and at the end of such
period shall be disposed of unless the owner reclaims such dog and
pays at the impounding facility the reasonable cost of keeping the
dog and any impounding fee established by the Town. The impounding
fees may be altered or amended by the Town Board at any time by resolution.
B.
Destruction of impounded dogs. Impounded dogs not reclaimed shall
be disposed of by methods approved by the Waukesha County Humane Society.
Every owner of a dog more than five months of age on January
1 of any year shall annually, or within 30 days from the date such
dog becomes five months of age, at the time and in the manner provided
by law, pay the dog license tax and obtain a dog license. Sections
174.05 through 174.10, Wis. Stats., so far as applicable, are adopted
by reference.
Sections 951.01 through 951.18, Wis. Stats., dealing with the care or treatment of animals, so far as applicable, are hereby adopted by reference, provided the penalty for commission of such offenses shall be limited to a forfeiture imposed Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I, of this Code. No person shall cause or allow any place where any animal is or may be kept to become unclean or unwholesome.
[Added 4-20-1998]
No owner, keeper or person walking any dog shall permit or allow
his or her dog to discharge excreta upon any public or private property
other than the property of the owner of the dog, within the Town of
Oconomowoc, if such owner, keeper or person walking said dog does
not immediately thereafter remove and clean up such dog's excreta
from the public or private property.
