In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwise
requires, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
Mammals, reptiles and birds.
AT LARGE
To be off the premises of the owner and not under the control
of some person either by leash or otherwise, but a dog or cat within
an automobile of any other person with the consent of the owner of
said dog or cat shall be deemed to be upon the owner's premises.
CAT
Any feline, regardless of age or sex.
CRUEL
Causing unnecessary and excessive pain or suffering or unjustifiable
injury or death.
DOG
Any canine, regardless of age or sex.
FARM ANIMAL
Any warm-blooded animal normally raised on farms in the United
States and used for food or fiber.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
As appears in § 967.02(5), Wis. Stats., and includes
a humane officer under § 173.03, Wis. Stats., but does not
include a conservation warden appointed under § 23.10, Wis.
Stats.
NEUTERED
A dog or cat having nonfunctional reproductive organs.
OWNER
Any person owning, harboring or keeping a dog or cat and
the occupant of any premises on which a dog or cat remains or to which
it customarily returns daily for a period of 10 days; such person
is presumed to be harboring or keeping the dog or cat within the meaning
of this chapter.
PET
An animal kept and treated as a pet.
The City Clerk-Treasurer shall assess and collect a late fee
set by the Common Council from every owner of a dog five months of
age or over if the owner failed to obtain a license prior to April
1 of each year, or within 30 days of acquiring ownership of a licensable
dog, or if the owner failed to obtain a license on or before the dog
reached licensable age. Said late fee shall be charged in addition
to the required license fee.
Every owner or person harboring or keeping a dog or cat who
knows that such dog or cat has bitten any person shall immediately
report such fact to the Chief of Police and shall keep such dog or
cat confined for not less than 10 days or for such period of time
as the animal control officer shall direct. The owner or keeper of
any such dog or cat shall surrender the dog or cat to a law enforcement
or humane officer upon demand for examination.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or possessing an
animal, dog or cat to permit such animal, dog or cat to go upon any
parkway or private lands or premises without the permission of the
owner of such premises and break, bruise, tear up, crush or injure
any lawn, flowerbed, plant, shrub, tree or garden in any manner whatsoever,
or to defecate or urinate thereon.
It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to keep or harbor
any dog which habitually barks, howls or yelps or any cat which habitually
cries or howls to the great discomfort of the peace and quiet of the
neighborhood or in such manner as to materially disturb or annoy persons
in the neighborhood who are of ordinary sensibilities. Such dogs and
cats are hereby declared to be a public nuisance. A dog or cat is
considered to be in violation of this section when two formal, written
complaints are filed with the Police Department within a four-week
period.
No person except a police officer or health or humane officer
in the pursuit of his duties shall, within the City, shoot or kill
or commit an act of cruelty to any animal or bird or disturb any bird's
nest or bird's eggs.
It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or permit any animal,
specifically including but not limited to dogs, horses, and cats,
to be on property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such
person unless such person has in his immediate possession an appropriate
device for scooping excrement and an appropriate depository for the
transmission of excrement to a receptacle located upon property owned
or possessed by such person. Any person causing or permitting a dog,
horse, or cat to be on property not owned or possessed by such person
shall immediately remove all excrement of such dog, horse, or cat
to a receptacle located upon property owned or possessed by such person.
No person shall permit his or her dog or other animal to excrete feces
upon public rights-of-way or in any park in the City. This section
shall not apply to a person who is visually or physically handicapped.
Any person who violates this chapter shall be subject to a penalty as provided in §
1-4 of this Code. This section shall also permit the City Attorney to apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating any aspect of this chapter.