[Ord. No. 620 §1, 11-11-2002]
The owner or keeper of any dog of the age of three (3) months
or older shall register said dog with the City Clerk on or before
June first (1st) of each year. The name and address of the owner or
keeper of a dog so registered and an accurate description of the dog
shall be entered in a book kept for such purposes by the City Clerk,
and a certificate of registration and a metal or plastic tag or check
bearing identical numbers shall be issued to a collar or other device
and worn by the said dog.
[Ord. No. 620 §2, 11-11-2002]
Before any dog shall be registered or a certificate of tag shall
be issued as above provided, the owner or keeper of said dog shall
present to the said City Clerk a certificate of immunization issued
and signed by a licensed and registered veterinarian stating that
said dog has been immunized against rabies for the current year, or
that said animal has been permanently immunized against rabies.
[Ord. No. 620 §3, 11-11-2002]
The annual license tax for each dog shall be two dollars ($2.00)
for male and spayed female dogs and four dollars ($4.00) for all other
dogs. Any owner or keeper of any dog who shall fail or refuse to pay
such tax when payment is demanded shall forthwith surrender such dog
to the City Police for the purpose of being destroyed.
[Ord. No. 620 §4, 11-11-2002]
The City Clerk shall keep a list of the persons paying such
tax, noting the date and amount of payment and, upon request, report
to the Board of Aldermen the name of all persons who have paid such
tax and the amount collected. The tax shall be due and payable on
the first (1st) day of June each year, provided however, that if any
person shall become the owner or keeper of any dog after the month
of June in any year, such person shall pay the same tax thereof for
the remainder of the year ending June first (1st) following, as if
dog has been in the City on the preceding June, and such dog shall
be fully subjected to the provisions of this Article. The tax shall
be paid by the City Clerk into the City Treasury to the credit of
the General Fund of the City. It shall be unlawful for any person
to attach or suffer to be attached to any dog on which the tax has
not been paid for the current year, the metal or plastic tag hereinbefore
described or any imitation thereof.
[Ord. No. 530 §5, 5-12-1986]
The owner shall cause said tag to be affixed by a permanent
metal fastening to the collar of the dog so licensed in such a manner
that the tag may be easily seen by the officers of the City. The owner
shall see that the tag is constantly worn by such dog.
[Ord. No. 530 §16, 5-12-1986]
Dog tags are not transferable and no refunds shall be made on
any dog license fee because of leaving the City or death of the dog
before the expiration of the license period.
[Ord. No. 530 §10, 5-12-1986]
In case any dog tag is lost, a duplicate may be issued by the
Clerk upon presentation of a receipt showing the payment of the license
fee for the current year. The first (1st) replacement issued an owner
shall be issued free of charge but for any subsequent tags a fee of
one dollar ($1.00) shall be charged.
[Ord. No. 530 §12, 5-12-1986]
The City pound shall be any suitable confinement facility as
may be designated from time to time by the Board of Aldermen.
[Ord. No. 620 §5, 11-11-2002]
A. Any
duly authorized Public Health Official, Law Enforcement Official or
Animal Control Officer may impound any animal found running at large
outside of the owned or rented property of the owner or custodian
of such animal. Any animal impounded pursuant to this Section shall
be:
1. If the owner can be ascertained and the animal is not diseased or
disabled beyond recovery for any useful purpose, held for recovery
by the owner. The owner shall be notified within five (5) business
days of impoundment by phone or by mail of the animal's location and
recovery procedures. The animal shall be held for ten (10) business
days. An animal unclaimed after ten (10) business days may be put
up for adoption or humanely killed.
2. Placed in the care or custody of a veterinarian, the appropriate
animal control authority or animal shelter. The animal shall not be
disposed of, unless diseased or disabled beyond recovery for any useful
purpose, until after expiration of a minimum of five (5) business
days, during which time the public shall have clear access to inspect
or recover the animal through time periods ordinarily accepted as
usual business hours. After five (5) business days, the animal may
be put up for adoption or humanely killed.
3. If diseased or disabled beyond recovery for any useful purpose as
determined by a Public Health Official, Law Enforcement Official,
veterinarian or Animal Control Officer, humanely killed.
4. No animal, whether licensed or not, shall be allowed to run at large
or upon the premises of one other than the owner. If any such dog
is found running at large in violation of this provision, it shall
be taken up and impounded and shall not be released, except upon approval
of the Chief of Police, after payment of the fees provided as follows:
a. Upon the first (1st) taking up, a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) impoundment
fee plus three dollars ($3.00) per day for each day or part of a day
the dog is held.
b. Upon being taken up for the second (2nd) time, within three hundred
sixty-five (365) days of first (1st) taking up, or any other previous
taking up, a thirty dollar ($30.00) impounding fee plus three dollars
($3.00) per day for each day or part of a day the dog is held.
c. Upon the third (3rd) taking up, the dog shall be disposed of by humane
methods.
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Provided however, that if any dangerous, fierce or vicious dog
so found at large cannot be safely taken up and impounded, such dog
may be slain by any Police Officer.
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B. The
owner or custodian of an animal impounded pursuant to this Section
shall be liable for reasonable costs for the care and maintenance
of the animal. Any person incurring reasonable costs for the care
and maintenance of such animal shall have a lien against such animal
until the reasonable costs have been paid and may put up for adoption
or humanely kill any animal if such costs are not paid within ten
(10) days after demand. Any monies received for an animal adopted
pursuant to this Subsection in excess of costs shall be paid to the
owner of such animal.
C. The
owner or custodian of any animal killed pursuant to this Section shall
be entitled to recover the actual value of the animal up to but not
to exceed six hundred dollars ($600.00) if the owner or custodian
shows that such killing was unwarranted.
[Ord. No. 620 §6, 11-11-2002]
A. Any
duly authorized Public Health Official or Law Enforcement Official
may seek a warrant from the appropriate court to enable him/her to
enter private property in order to inspect, care for or impound neglected
or abused animals. All requests for such warrants shall be accompanied
by an affidavit stating the probable cause to believe a violation
of Sections 578.005 to 578.023, RSMo., has occurred. A person acting
under the authority of a warrant shall not be liable for any necessary
damage to property while acting under such warrant. All animals impounded
pursuant to a warrant issued under this Section shall be:
1. Placed in the care or custody of a veterinarian, the appropriate
animal control authority or an animal shelter. If no appropriate veterinarian,
animal control authority or animal shelter is available, the animal
shall not be impounded unless it is diseased or disabled beyond recovery
for any useful purpose.
2. If it is determined by a veterinarian that an animal impounded under
a warrant is diseased or disabled beyond recovery for any useful purpose,
that animal may be humanely killed.
B. The
owner or custodian of any animal who has been convicted of animal
neglect or animal abuse shall be liable for reasonable costs for the
care and maintenance of the animal. Any person incurring reasonable
costs for the care and maintenance of such animal shall have a lien
against such animal until the reasonable costs have been paid and
may put up for adoption or humanely kill such animal if such costs
are not paid within ten (10) days after demand. Any monies received
for an animal adopted pursuant to this Subsection in excess of costs
shall be paid to the owner of such animal.
C. The
owner or custodian of any animal killed pursuant to this Section shall
be entitled to recover the actual value of the animal if the owner
or custodian shows that such killing was unwarranted.
[Ord. No. 620 §13, 11-11-2002]
In the case of licensed dogs which are impounded for any reason,
the Police or other authorized person shall provide notice by ordinary
mail to the owner as shown on record at City Hall and the affidavit
of the Police or other authorized person that any notices required
hereunder have been mailed by ordinary mail with postage prepaid shall
be prima facie evidence of the receipt of such notice by the owner
of the dog.
[Ord. No. 530 §15, 5-12-1986]
It is unlawful to counterfeit or attempt to counterfeit the tags provided for in Section
205.020 of this Article or take from any dog a tag legally placed upon it by its owner with the intent to place it upon another dog or to place such tags upon another dog.
[Ord. No. 620 §7, 11-11-2002]
No person shall keep within the City any dog which by loud or
frequent or habitual howling or barking shall annoy or disturb any
family or neighborhood.
[Ord. No. 620 §8, 11-11-2002]
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep in the City or suffer
to be kept upon his/her premises or under his/her control any dog
or other animal that is an annoyance or nuisance to any person or
is vicious, fierce, dangerous or likely to harm or injure any person
or to suffer such dog or animal to run at large in the City.
[Ord. No. 620 §9, 11-11-2002]
No owner or keeper of any female dog shall suffer her/him to
run at large within the City while she/he is in heat.
[Ord. No. 620 §10, 11-11-2002]
The Police or other authorized person shall apprehend any dog,
licensed or not, that has bitten any person and such dog shall be
placed in the custody of a licensed veterinarian for a period of ten
(10) days to determine whether or not the dog has rabies and to determine
if the dog is safe to be released to the owners. The owner of the
dog shall pay the veterinarian for keeping the dog ten (10) days.
[Ord. No. 620 §11, 11-11-2002]
It is unlawful for any person to have knowledge that any person
has been bitten by a dog or other animal to refuse to notify the Police
promptly. It is unlawful for the owner of such dog or other animal
to refuse or fail to comply with the written or printed recommendations
made by the Police or other designated persons in any case.
[Ord. No. 620 §12, 11-11-2002]
At the discretion of the Mayor, if in his/her opinion the safety
of the citizens of the City requires it, he/she may issue a proclamation
directing all owners of dogs to muzzle or keep dogs confined for a
specified time. Any dogs found running at large after the publication
of such proclamation and until such proclamation be revoked shall
be killed by the Police or other persons authorized to do so.
[Ord. No. 620 §14, 11-11-2002]
This Article shall not be construed to include any dog temporarily
within the City limits which displays a valid dog license from another
political subdivision where rabies inoculations are required for obtaining
a license or, in the alternative, a certificate of inoculation by
any licensed veterinarian.
[Ord. No. 620 §15, 11-11-2002]
No person shall interfere with, obstruct or hinder the Police
or other authorized person in their attempts to apprehend or restrain
any dog.
[Ord. No. 620 §16, 11-11-2002]
A. Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in any other Section of this Article, at the discretion of the Mayor, if in his/her opinion the public health and safety of the citizens of the City requires it, he/she may issue a proclamation directing all owners of dogs to keep dogs confined from Tuesday at 6:00 P.M. until Thursday at 2:00 P.M. for such period of weeks as the Mayor in his/her discretion deems necessary. Any dogs found running at large during this period of time shall be taken up by the Police or other person authorized to do so and dealt with in the manner prescribed by Section
205.100 of this Article, including the assessment and collection of detention and release fees. Additionally, if the dog taken up be licensed, notice of impoundment shall be given in the manner set forth in Section
205.120 of this Article.
B. In
the event that the solid waste collector shall collect residential
solid waste on a date other than Wednesday or Thursday, then no amendment
of this Section shall be required, but the Mayor shall be authorized
to issue a proclamation for the confinement of dogs from 6:00 P.M.
on the evening preceding the first (1st) day of solid waste collection
until 2:00 P.M. on the final day of collection.