The words defined in this section shall have the meanings indicated
in this section for the purposes of interpretation and enforcement
of this article:
DOG
Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
HYBRID
A "hybrid animal" is the result of the breeding of a domestic
animal and a wolf, coyote, wildcat or other wildlife, and all subsequent
generations of such hybrid, and any animal that is advertised, registered
or represented by its owner to be a canine or feline hybrid.
TETHERING
The restraining of an animal by the tying to any object or
structure, including, without limitation, a house, tree, fence, post,
garage, weight or shed, by any means, including, without limitation,
rope, cord, leash or running line. For purposes of this definition,
"tethering" shall not include the use of a leash used to walk the
animal, or forms of restraint used in the transportation of an animal.
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog which has been declared vicious in accordance with
state law.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing
age shall annually, in the month of June, apply for and procure from
the Municipal Clerk a license and official metal registration tag
for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon
each dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened
thereto.
Dogs used as service dogs shall be licensed and registered as
other dogs herein provided for, except that the owner or keeper of
such dog will not be required to pay any fee therefor. Service animals
are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform
tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks
include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf,
pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having
a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed
medications, calming a person with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service
animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has
been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability.
Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support
may qualify with documentation provided by a training organization
or physician.
No person, except an officer in the performance of their duties,
shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog without
the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration
tag to a dog for which it was not issued.
No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound, or breeder's
premises shall be permitted off such premises except on a leash or
in a crate or other safe control.
Any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with any section of this article or with the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Department of Health shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to a penalty as provided in §
1-15, General penalty, of this Code.