[CC 1979 §73.190; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
Every person who owns any dog, cat or animal susceptible to
rabies, whether in a kennel or not, that is kept within the City or
who permits a dog, cat or animal susceptible to rabies to come upon
or in the City or to remain in or about his/her home, place of business
or other premises in the City shall have such dog, cat or animal that
is susceptible to rabies vaccinated against rabies. Such dogs, cats
and animals must be vaccinated at least once each year if a nerve
tissue origin vaccine is used or once every three (3) years if a chicken
embryo or other three (3) year type vaccine is administered or, if
other vaccine, then at the frequency recommended by a licensed veterinarian.
All puppies shall be confined to their owner's premises. It shall
be unlawful for any person to own any dog, cat or such animal unless
such dog, cat or animal has been vaccinated against rabies in accordance
with the provisions of this Section.
[CC 1979 §73.310; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
A. The Animal
Control Officer or such other persons who may be designated by the
Chief of Police shall have the power to catch, confine and impound
dogs and other animals, as follows:
1. Dogs
wearing an expired or invalid vaccination tag;
2. Dogs
not wearing a vaccination tag;
3. All
female dogs and cats not securely confined in an enclosed place while
in heat;
4. All
dogs or other animals which are at large;
5. All
dogs or other animals infected or suspected of being infected with
rabies and all dogs and other animals exposed to or suspected by him/her
to be exposed to or infected with rabies, including dogs or other
animals known to have been bitten by a rabid animal, whether the dog
or animal to be impounded is running at large or on a leash or whether
is confined to its owner's premises;
6. Dogs
not vaccinated for rabies within the previous twelve (12) months with
nerve tissue vaccine, nor within the preceding thirty-six (36) months
with chicken embryo or flurry strain vaccine or if another vaccine
approved by a licensed veterinarian was used within the preceding
time period approved by a licensed veterinarian as the duration of
effective protection against rabies which that vaccine gives;
7. Dogs
or other animals which have bitten a person or animal, which have
been bitten by a dog or animal suspected of having rabies, which are
suspected of having rabies or have been exposed to rabies;
8. No dogs
shall be exempted from the provisions of this Chapter by virtue of
vaccination tags or a vaccination-registration certificate.
B. Dogs
or other animals impounded in accordance with this Article shall be
impounded in an impounding facility as designated by the City.
C. Each
impounded dog, cat or susceptible animal shall be vaccinated before
being released to the owner. A fee designated by the City to cover
the cost of vaccination and for the impounding service shall be collected
for each dog or cat so released. Dogs and cats that have been vaccinated
before becoming impounded shall be released to their owners within
one (1) week after capture, upon payment of the impounding service
fee as specified herein; a certificate of vaccination for the animal
signed by a veterinarian and that the Animal Control Officer or a
veterinarian is of the opinion that such a release will not impair
the safety of the public. Every animal impounded under the provisions
of this regulation which is found upon arrival at the pound to be
diseased or injured and whose owner is unknown or whose owner relinquished
ownership in writing shall be immediately euthanized if so recommended
by a veterinarian.
D. The Animal
Control Officer may return any "at large" animal to its owner without
impounding the animal provided that a summons shall be issued to the
owner for violation of this Code.
E. The Animal
Control Officer shall complete a record of impoundment form describing
every dog, cat or other animal caught and impounded which shall be
filed with the Police Department. The Animal Control Officer shall
file with the Police Department the final disposition of each animal
impounded.
[CC 1979 §73.320; Ord. No. 1685 §1, 9-7-1989]
Any dog, cat or other animal captured or impounded under the provisions of this Chapter may be redeemed by the owner or other person having the right of possession of such animal upon the presentation of proper vaccination certificate and upon the payment to the City of a fee as set out in Section
160.050 of this Code. If a vaccination certificate cannot be provided, then they shall pay, in addition to the regular fees, a fee equal to the charge for a one (1) year vaccination. Said vaccination shall occur before the animal is released. If the animal is not claimed within one (1) week in the manner provided for herein, such animal shall be disposed of by euthanasia or sold to any person desiring to buy the animal and the fee for the animal shall be as set out in Section
160.050 of this Code. Said vaccinations shall occur before any animal is released. The buyer shall also pay a fee equal to the charge for a one (1) year vaccination. In clarification thereof, no animal shall be sold to any laboratory or agent thereof or any person intending to sell or deliver any animal to any laboratory or like facility. If the City, by and through its employees, shall not be satisfied that any request for adoption is truly for a private owner, the employee is hereby authorized to deny adoption.
[CC 1979 §73.330; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
A. Any dog,
cat or other animal which exhibits objective symptoms suggestive of
rabies, after written certification to the owner by the Animal Control
Officer or veterinarian or such other person designated by the City
for the enforcement of this Article, shall be impounded off the property
of the owner. This animal shall be held for ten (10) days at the impounding
facilities designated by the City for clinical observation and if
alive at the termination of this period, shall be returned to the
owner after payment of the designated fee. As an alternative procedure,
the owner, at his/her own expense, may designate any veterinary hospital
in the County wherein such animal is to be impounded and observed
for a similar ten (10) day period. If such animal shall die during
the observation period, regardless of location, the head shall be
removed and submitted to a qualified laboratory for examination.
B. Any dog,
cat or other animal which has been exposed to rabies shall be immediately
destroyed unless the owner, at his/her expense, desires, chooses,
elects, specifies, picks one (1) of the following alternative methods:
1. Strict
isolation in a kennel or animal hospital for six (6) months.
2. If no
previous vaccination has been given to a dog or cat within a period
of three (3) years with chicken embryo (flurry strain) vaccine or
within one (1) year using vaccine or nerve tissue origin or another
vaccine approved by the veterinarian was used and if the effective
protection limit of the last such vaccination has passed, then such
dog or cat shall be impounded and placed on a schedule of immunization
approved by the Animal Control Officer or veterinarian.
3. If a
dog or cat has been vaccinated previously with vaccine approved by
the veterinarian and is within the duration of the duration of the
vaccine's effective protection as approved by the veterinarian, the
animal shall be revaccinated and restrained by a leash and confined
at home for thirty (30) days.
4. Prior
to release of any dog under clinical observation for rabies, all conditions
of this Chapter shall be fulfilled.
[CC 1979 §73.340; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
The Animal Control Officer or veterinarian or such other person
as may be designated by the City shall dispose of any dog or other
animal infected with rabies and such person so designated shall have
the power to examine and impound any animal bitten by or exposed to
any other animal infected with rabies. He/she shall have the power
to require the owners of such dogs to take such necessary measures
to prevent further spread of rabies and to dispose of any exposed
animal, if such necessary measures are not taken by the owners.
[CC 1979 §73.350; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
Whenever rabies becomes prevalent in the City, the Mayor shall,
according to the necessity of the case, issue a quarantine order requiring
every owner or person in charge of any dog or dogs, whether vaccinated
or not, within the limits of the City to confine his/her dog or dogs
in the home or some other secure building. Whenever, during quarantine,
it is necessary that a dog leave the confines of a home or other secure
building, such dog shall be placed on a leash no more than six (6)
feet in length and under the direct physical control of a competent
person not less than fifteen (15) years of age. Such order shall be
published once in a paper publishing the business of the City and
shall be posted in at least six (6) conspicuous places about the City.
The Mayor may, by proclamation, terminate any such quarantine whenever,
in his/her judgment, the necessity for it no longer exists.
[CC 1979 §73.360; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
A. The owner
of any dog, cat or other animal which bites any person, regardless
of the circumstances or irrespective of whether such dog or cat is
vaccinated, shall be required to place such dog, cat or other animal
in the custody of the Animal Control Officer or veterinarian for confinement
in a manner satisfactory to the Animal Control Officer, veterinarian
or Chief of Police and in a manner that will prevent contact with
people and other animals for a period of ten (10) days following the
evening of the day of the bite for the purpose of clinical observation.
All expenses shall be borne by the owner of the dog, cat or other
animal. If such dog, cat or other animal develops clinical symptoms
suggestive of rabies, it shall be allowed to die a natural death.
If, for any reason, such dog, cat or other animal should die while
in confinement, its head shall be removed by the veterinarian and
submitted to a qualified laboratory. If at the end of such ten (10)
day period of observation such dog, cat or other domestic animal is
alive and healthy, it may be released to its owner.
B. All other
conditions of this Article must be fulfilled prior to the release
of all animals under clinical observation as the result of biting
a person.
C. It shall
be the duty of any person bitten by any animal or the parent or guardian
of any minor bitten by an animal to report the same to the Police
Department immediately. Such report shall contain the name and address
of the owner and of the animal, the day and time bitten, the location
where bitten and a general description of the animal.
D. It shall
be the duty of every physician to report immediately to the Police
Department the full name, age and address of any person under his/her
care or observation who has been bitten by an animal, irrespective
of whether infected with rabies or suspected; and every veterinarian
treating or having under observation any animal infected with rabies
shall report to the Police Department the owner's name and address
and, if the animal is a dog or cat, the vaccination registration number.
[CC 1979 §73.380; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
No owner shall own, keep or harbor upon his/her premises any
dog that by frequent and habitual barking, yelping or howling or by
immediate threat of attacking or biting causes fear or annoyance to
the person or persons living in the immediate area or to persons passing
upon the streets and sidewalks.
[CC 1979 §73.390; Ord. No. 1557 §1, 4-7-1988]
It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal an animal or
interfere with the Animal Control Officer, the veterinarian or persons
or such other persons who may be designated by the City in the performance
of their legal duties as provided in this Article. The Animal Control
Officer or such other persons who may be designated by the City shall
have the right to enter onto any lots or lands for the purpose of
collecting any dog, cat or other animal which is on such lot or land
in violation of this Chapter and whose presence on such lot or land
constitutes a violation of any of the provisions of this Chapter.
The Animal Control Officer or any other person or persons so designated
by the City shall have the power of arrest and authority necessary
to enforce the provisions under this Chapter. The Animal Control Officer
or such other persons who may be designated by the City shall have
the right to enter into a dwelling or building for the purpose of
collecting any dog, cat or other animal which shows obvious signs
of being rabid.