The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Any living creature other than a human being which is raised
and/or maintained in confinement or which is intended to be or is
kept as a pet. It shall include, without limitation, the following:
dogs, cats, domesticated horses, mules, cattle, sheep, goats, swine,
fowl, geese, turkeys, emus, llamas, chickens, peacocks and confined
domestic hares and rabbits.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
Any person or persons in a property/residence who keeps,
harbors, raises, or possesses more than three cats over the age of
five months or any person or persons in a property/residence who keeps,
harbors, raises, or possesses more than three dogs over the age of
five months and obtains a permit for housing such animals. All such
animals must be owned by the person or persons in a property/residence.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
Any premises designated by the Village Board for the purpose
of impounding and caring for all animals found at large in violation
of this chapter.
When any animal is off the property of its owner and is upon
any public highway, school grounds, public park, or other public grounds
or any private property without the permission of the property owner.
Also the animal is not under the control of a person over the age
of 14 or person capable of physically restraining or otherwise safely
handling the animal.
All domesticated members of the Felis catus family, male
or female.
All domesticated members of the Canis familiaris family,
male or female.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
One or more rooms, including the bathroom and the complete
kitchen facilities, which are arranged, designed for, or used as living
quarters for one family or household.
For purposes of this chapter shall include, but are not limited
to, any or all of the following orders and families of animals, whether
bred in the wild or in captivity, including all hybrids. The animals
listed in parentheses are intended to act as examples of common order
or family species and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list
or to limit the generality of each group of animals, unless otherwise
specified.
Class Mamalia.
Order Artiodactyla (hippopotamuses, giraffes, not cattle, swine,
sheep, goats or camels).
Order Canivora.
Family Felidae (lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, ocelots, servals,
not domestic cats).
Family Canidae (wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, not domestic
dogs).
Family Ursidae (all bears).
Family Mustelidae (weasels, skunks, martins, minks, not ferrets).
Family Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis).
Family Hyaenidae (hyenas).
Family Viverridae (civets, genets, mongooses).
Order Edentatia (anteaters, armadillos, sloth).
Order Marsupialia (opossums, kangaroos, wallabies).
Order Perissodactyla (rhinoceroses, tapirs, not horses or donkeys
or mules).
Order Primates (lemurs, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas).
Order Proboscidae (elephants).
Order Rodentia (squirrels, beavers, porcupines, Gambian rats,
prairie dogs, not guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils or hamsters).
Class Reptilia.
Order Squamata.
Family Varanidae (monitor lizards, komodo dragons), all species.
Family Iguanaidae, all species.
Family Boidae (boa constrictors, pythons), all species.
Family Colubridae (boomslangs and African twig snakes), all
species.
Family Elapidae (such as coral snakes, cobras, mambas, etc.),
all species.
Family Nactricidae (keelback snakes), all species.
Family Viperidae (such as copperhead, cottonmouths, rattlesnakes,
etc.), all species.
Order Crocidilia (such as crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials,
etc.), all species.
An animal that has been bitten by or come in contact with
any animal known to have been infected with rabies.
An individual appointed by the Village under § 173.03,
Wis. Stats., certified by the State of Wisconsin, empowered to enforce
§ 95.21, Chs. 173, 174 and 951, Wis. Stats., and ordinances
relating to animals enacted by the Village of Richfield.
Any licensed establishment, including hobby kennels, commercial
kennels, boarding kennels, breeding facilities or animal day-care
facilities but excluding animal fanciers where three or more dogs
are kept for breeding, sale, temporary housing, care or sporting purposes,
which are only allowed in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural and A-2 General
Agricultural Zoning Districts or as may be permitted in business zoning
districts through a conditional use permit.[1]
Any male dog which has been operated upon to prevent conception.
Any person owning, keeping, or harboring an animal. The occupant
of any premises on which an animal remains or to which it customarily
returns daily for a period of 10 days is presumed to be harboring,
sheltering, or keeping an animal within this definition.
A dog controlled by a leash, at heel beside a competent person
and obedient to that person's commands, on or within a vehicle
being driven or parked on the streets, or within the property limits
of its owner or keeper.
Any female dog which has been operated upon to prevent conception.[2]
B.Â
The Village Board shall appoint a humane officer through a contract
with the Washington County Humane Society who shall have the qualifications
required and exercise the powers set forth by Ch. 173, Wis. Stats.,
and all subsequent amendments. Such appointment may be made upon such
terms and conditions as the Village Board shall deem necessary and
which are not in conflict with state law. Such appointment shall be
renewed annually by operation of this chapter, unless the Village
Board appoints another person or contracts with another organization
to this position prior to an annual renewal date.
C.Â
Pursuant to Ch. 173, Wis. Stats., and all subsequent amendments,
abatement orders of the humane officer may be appealed to the Village
Administrator, who may modify or withdraw such orders.
Each violation of any provision of this Chapter 118 shall be subject to the penalties and remedies described in § 1-3 of this Code, except that the forfeiture amounts described in § 1-3A shall be as follows for the following offenses:
A.Â
Failure to obtain rabies vaccination. Failure to have a dog vaccinated against rabies, as provided in § 118-10, is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $50 nor more than $100.
B.Â
Failure to comply with quarantine order. Failure to comply with an
order to deliver the animal to a law enforcement officer, the county
pound or veterinarian, or with the conditions of an order that the
animal be quarantined, in violation of this chapter or Wisconsin Statutes
Chapter 173, is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor
more than $1,000.
D.Â
Dog at large or untagged. Permitting a dog to run at large or be untagged in violation of § 118-11 is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for the first offense, and not less than $50 nor more than $200 for subsequent offenses. If the dog is both at large and untagged, such penalties shall be doubled.
E.Â
Vicious or hybrid dogs. Violation of any provision of Article V of this chapter, Wolf-Dog Hybrids, except § 118-31, Release, is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $75 nor more than $1,000. Violation of § 118-31, Release, is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000.
If a domesticated pet, such as a dog or cat, defecates on public
land or property of another, the pet owner shall immediately remove
the feces in a sanitary manner.
No person owning or having in his or her possession or under
his or her control any farm animal or fowl shall allow the same to
run at large within the Village.
No person shall keep or maintain any livestock, such as horses,
cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits, or poultry, except in zoning districts
permitting such use as outlined in the Village of Richfield Zoning
Ordinance.
A.Â
The number of dogs over the age of five months shall be limited to
three per property/residence. The number of cats over the age of five
months shall be limited to three per property/residence. The total
number of dogs and cats over the age of five months shall not exceed
six per residence. The number of Vietnamese pot bellied pigs shall
be limited to one per property/residence if said pot bellied pig is
kept as a pet and not for breeding purposes.
A.Â
A person shall not, within the Village, own, possess, keep, harbor,
transport in, have in one's possession, act as a custodian for,
or have custody or control of an exotic animal.
(1)Â
Exceptions:
Exotic animals owned by and in the custody and control of a circus
or traveling exhibit may be kept in the Village only for the length
of the event, but not longer than seven days.
B.Â
The definition of "exotic animal" shall not include cattle, swine,
sheep, goats, camels, domestic cats, domestic dogs, ferrets, horses,
donkeys, mules, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs, hamsters, common rats,
mice, gerbils, nonvenomous snakes, nonvenomous iguanas, fish, turtles,
or birds.
C.Â
Impoundment of exotic animals. The Washington County Sheriff's Deputy,
Village law enforcement officer or humane officer shall immediately
impound all prohibited and/or dangerous animals found in violation
of this chapter and place the animals in a suitable storage facility
pending removal of the exotic animal from the Village or other lawful
disposition.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
