A.
Any dog residing in Town must be licensed.
B.
Such license shall not be issued until payment of the applicable
fee and presentation of a current and valid certificate subscribed
by a licensed veterinarian that the dog or cat has been vaccinated
against rabies, and that the dog is current on its rabies vaccination.
The vaccination certificate shall indicate the date of vaccination,
the type used and the period of immunization.
C.
Licenses shall be renewed at the start of every calendar year.
D.
Dogs less than four months of age are exempt from having licenses.
E.
Upon issuing a permit to keep any dog, the Animal Control Officer
or other designated person shall issue to the owner a metallic or
durable plastic tag, stamped with an identifying number and with the
year of issuance, and so designed that it may be conveniently fastened
to the dog's collar or harness by the owner. The tag shall not
be the same color for consecutive years. This tag shall be worn by
the dog at all times when the dog is off the premises of its owner.
The Animal Control Officer shall maintain a record of the identifying
numbers and shall make the record available to the public.
Licenses issued in accordance with this chapter are conditioned
upon the requirement for humane care of the dogs and for compliance
by the owner with all provisions of this chapter and other applicable
state and local laws.
The Animal Control Officer may revoke any license if the person
holding the license refuses or fails to comply with this or any state
or local law governing cruelty to animals or the keeping of animals.
When a license is revoked, the owner of the dog shall within 10 days
thereafter surrender the dog to the Animal Control Officer to be put
up for adoption, remove the dog from the Town jurisdiction, or humanely
euthanize the dog. No part of the license fee shall be refunded. If
the owner fails to surrender the dog to the Animal Control Officer,
remove the dog from the Town jurisdiction or euthanize the dog being
owned, kept or harbored by such person as required in this chapter,
such dog may be seized by an Animal Control Officer subject to the
municipal court's disposition of the dog and, thereafter, put
up for adoption or humanely disposed of.
A rabies certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian showing
that a dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies is required of
all dog and cat owners.
Whenever it becomes necessary to safeguard the public from the
dangers of hydrophobia, or rabies, the mayor, if he or she deems it
necessary, may issue a proclamation ordering every person owning a
dog to confine it securely on his premises and to muzzle the dog with
a muzzle of sufficient strength to prevent its biting any person.
Any unmuzzled dog found within the Town during the time of the proclamation
shall be seized and impounded, unless noticeably infected with rabies.
All dogs so noticeably infected with rabies and displaying vicious
propensities shall be killed by a police officer or other authorized
person finding such dog, without notice to the owner. If it is determined
that an impounded dog is not infected, the dog shall be released to
the owner upon payment of the impoundment fee provided for in this
chapter. If unclaimed after five days, the dog shall become the property
of the Town and may be adopted.
B.
C.
In any court proceeding, it shall be presumed that the dog involved
in any violation was not spayed or neutered, unless the owner or other
responsible person presents evidence that the dog was spayed or neutered
at the time of such violation.
D.
In addition to any other penalty which may be imposed, any person
convicted three or more times of violation of any provision of this
chapter within any period of 24 consecutive months may have any permit
to keep a dog revoked by the Animal Control Officer, and no new permit
issued for one year thereafter.
