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:
ANIMAL
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]
ANIMAL FANCIER
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]
ANIMAL SHELTER
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.
AT LARGE
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.
CAT
All domesticated members of the Felis catus family, male or female.
DOG
All domesticated members of the Canis familiaris family, male or female.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
DWELLING UNIT
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.
EXOTIC ANIMALS
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.
A. 
Class Mamalia.
(1) 
Order Artiodactyla (hippopotamuses, giraffes, not cattle, swine, sheep, goats or camels).
(2) 
Order Canivora.
(a) 
Family Felidae (lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, ocelots, servals, not domestic cats).
(b) 
Family Canidae (wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, not domestic dogs).
(c) 
Family Ursidae (all bears).
(d) 
Family Mustelidae (weasels, skunks, martins, minks, not ferrets).
(e) 
Family Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis).
(f) 
Family Hyaenidae (hyenas).
(g) 
Family Viverridae (civets, genets, mongooses).
(3) 
Order Edentatia (anteaters, armadillos, sloth).
(4) 
Order Marsupialia (opossums, kangaroos, wallabies).
(5) 
Order Perissodactyla (rhinoceroses, tapirs, not horses or donkeys or mules).
(6) 
Order Primates (lemurs, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas).
(7) 
Order Proboscidae (elephants).
(8) 
Order Rodentia (squirrels, beavers, porcupines, Gambian rats, prairie dogs, not guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils or hamsters).
B. 
Class Reptilia.
(1) 
Order Squamata.
(a) 
Family Varanidae (monitor lizards, komodo dragons), all species.
(b) 
Family Iguanaidae, all species.
(c) 
Family Boidae (boa constrictors, pythons), all species.
(d) 
Family Colubridae (boomslangs and African twig snakes), all species.
(e) 
Family Elapidae (such as coral snakes, cobras, mambas, etc.), all species.
(f) 
Family Nactricidae (keelback snakes), all species.
(g) 
Family Viperidae (such as copperhead, cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, etc.), all species.
C. 
Order Crocidilia (such as crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials, etc.), all species.
EXPOSED TO RABIES
An animal that has been bitten by or come in contact with any animal known to have been infected with rabies.
HUMANE OFFICER
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.
KENNEL
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]
NEUTERED MALE DOG
Any male dog which has been operated upon to prevent conception.
OWNER
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.
RESTRAINT
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.
SPAYED FEMALE DOG
Any female dog which has been operated upon to prevent conception.[2]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[2]
Editor's Note: The former definition of "Treasurer," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
The provisions of this chapter may also be enforced by the Washington County Sheriff's Deputy or Village law enforcement officer, when appropriate.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
B. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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.
C. 
Harboring excess animals. Harboring animals in excess of the number allowed by § 118-7, and harboring an exotic animal in violation of § 118-8, is subject to a forfeiture of $200 for the first offense, $300 for the second offense and $500 for each offense thereafter.
D. 
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. 
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.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
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 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.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
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.
B. 
Exceptions:
(1) 
The number of cats in A-1 Exclusive Agricultural and A-2 General Agricultural Districts is not limited; the Rs-1 Country Estate Zoning District is limited to no more than two cats per acre (§ 70-191).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: This reference (§ 70-191) is to the Village Zoning Ordinance.
(2) 
Residents who obtain an animal fancier permit or kennel license as described in § 118-9.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(3) 
No exceptions are granted for exotic animals.
A. 
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) 
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. 
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. 
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]