The following words, when used in this Chapter, shall have the
meanings set out herein:
ANIMAL
Any creature not of the human species.
CRUELTY/ABUSE/NEGLECT
To beat, whip, hit, kick, throw objects at, smack, torment,
cause physical injury, or failure to provide food, water, shelter,
medical care, preventive care or other necessities to the aid or comfort
of the animals well-being including, but not limited to, medical care
and preventive medical care.
DOGS OR CATS
All animals of the canine or feline species, both male and
female.
IMMINENT CARE
The need of food, water, preventive care, medical attention,
shelter, basic needs to health and/or comforts of life.
OWNER OR KEEPER
Any person having a right of property in an animal, or who
keeps or harbors an animal, or who has it in his/her care, or acts
as its custodian, or who knowingly permits an animal to remain on
or about any premises owned or occupied by him/her.
PREVENTIVE CARE
Vaccinations against infectious diseases as well as dental
care.
RUNNING AT LARGE
Allowing an animal to be off the private premises of the
owner or keeper, or his/her agent or servant, and not on a leash or
confined to the arms, motor vehicle, trailer or other conveyance of
the owner or keeper, his/her agent or servant.
SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY
Physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death
or that causes serious disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment
of the function of any part of the body.
SHELTER
An animal structure designed to keep out the elements such as rain, snow, wind, heat, cold and consisting of four (4) sides and a roof. Also in reference to Section
210.140.
TRESPASSER
A person upon the premises of the owner or keeper of the
dog in question without license or privilege to be upon said premises.
UNRESTRAINED ANIMAL
Any animal running at large or any animal on the premises
of its owner or keeper but not confined to said premises by a leash,
fence, structure or other means that would prevent the animal from
leaving such premises.
VICIOUS ANIMAL
1.
Any animal not confined to the property of its owner or agent
that without provocation has bitten any person not a trespasser causing
serious physical injury to that person.
2.
Any animal that has killed or caused injury to another animal
without provocation.
3.
With the determination of the Animal Control Officer or any
agent acting on behalf of that authority, any animal that growls,
snaps, hisses, spits or attempts to bite or claw with the intent to
do physical injury to a human being or the animal of another without
provocation, that is not confined to the property of another and that
said person or animal not be a trespasser.
The owner or keeper of any dog or cat in the City of Webb City
is hereby required to have such animals vaccinated against rabies
by a licensed veterinarian and to procure a certificate of such vaccination
from the veterinarian and to present such certificate to the City
Clerk on or before June first (1st) of each year; and the City Clerk
shall register such certificate, which registration shall remain in
force until the May thirty-first (31st) next following said registration;
and upon registration, the City Clerk shall issue a tag evidencing
the registration and certificate of vaccination, and the owner or
keeper shall securely attach the tag so issued to a collar to be worn
continuously by the animal for which the tag was issued. It shall
be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog or cat to permit such
animal to remain in the City of Webb City unless wearing the tag above
provided for.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor on his premises more
than three (3) dogs or cats other than under the age of six (6) months
shall be deemed the owner of a kennel.
It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog or cat to permit the same to run at large within the City of Webb City at any time. Any dog or cat found without the tag provided for in Section
210.040, and any dog or cat found running at large, shall be impounded.
No person shall keep or harbor an animal which habitually barks,
cries, meows or makes other noise that unreasonably disturbs another
between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.
No person shall keep or maintain or permit the keeping or maintenance
of any outside pen for dogs or cats unless such enclosure has an area
equal to thirty-two (32) square feet.
No owner or other person in control of a pet animal or livestock
shall allow such pet animal or livestock to defecate upon public property,
parks, streets or rights-of-ways, or upon property of any other person
without his/her permission, unless the owner or person in control
of such pet animal or livestock shall take adequate measures to remove
such droppings.
[Ord. No. 11-008 §1, 6-13-2011; Ord. No. 11-011 §1, 6-27-2011]
A. Prohibited—Definitions. It shall be unlawful to keep,
harbor, own or in any way possess within the City limits of the City
of Webb City any pit bull dog. For the purposes of this Section, a
pit bull dog is defined to mean:
1. The bull terrier breed of dog;
2. Staffordshire bull terrier breed of dog;
3. The American pit bull terrier breed of dog;
4. The American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog;
5. Dogs of mixed breed or of other breeds than above listed which breed
or mixed breed is known as pit bulls, pit bull dogs or pit bull terriers;
6. Any dog which has the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly
of the breeds of bull terrier, Staffordshire terrier, any other breed
commonly known as pit bulls, pit bull dogs or pit bull terriers; or
a combination of any of these breeds.
B. Exceptions. The prohibition shall not be applicable to pit
bull dogs currently registered within the City of Webb City or to
those dogs which become registered in the City within fifteen (15)
days of the effective date of this Section. The keeping of such dogs
currently registered and those which become registered within fifteen
(15) days of the effective date of this Section, however, shall be
subject to the following regulations:
1. Leash and muzzle required. No person shall permit
a registered pit bull dog to go outside its kennel or pen unless such
dog is securely leashed with a leash no longer than four (4) feet
in length. No person shall permit a pit bull dog to be kept on a chain,
rope, or other type of leash outside its kennel or pen unless a person
is in physical control of said leash. Such dogs may not be leashed
to inanimate objects such as trees, posts, buildings, etc. In addition,
all pit bull dogs on a leash outside the animal's kennel or pen must
be muzzled by a muzzling device sufficient to prevent such dog from
biting persons or other animals.
2. Secure confinement. All such dogs shall be securely
confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or kennel,
except when leashed and muzzled as above provided. Such pen, kennel
or structure must have secure sides and a secure top attached to the
sides.
3. Keeping on porch, patio, etc., prohibited. No pit
bull dogs shall be kept on any porch, patio, or in any part of the
house or structure that would allow a dog to exit such building on
its own volition. In addition, no such animal may be kept in a house
or structure where the windows are open or where screen windows or
screen doors are the only obstacle preventing the dog from exiting
the structure.
4. Photograph required. All owners or keepers of pit
bull dogs registered with the City must, within ten (10) days of the
effective date of this Section [May 9, 2011], provide to the Police
Department two (2) color photographs of the registered animal clearly
showing the color and approximate size of the animal.
5. Incidents to be reported. All owners or keepers
of such dogs must, within ten (10) days of the incidents listed below,
report the following to the Police Department:
a. The removal from the City or death of the animal;
b. The birth of offspring of the animal;
c. Any change in address of the owner or keeper.
6. Offspring removed. All offspring born of pit bull
dogs within the City must be removed from the City within eight (8)
weeks of the birth of such animal.
7. Sale, barter or transfer prohibited. No person shall
sell, barter or in any other way transfer possession of a pit bull
dog within the City to any person within the City.
C. Violations, Penalty. Any person violating the provisions
of this Section shall upon conviction be fined a sum of not less than
fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
In addition, the court shall order the registration of the subject
pit bull dog revoked and the dog removed from the City.