A.
It shall be illegal for any person(s) to cause or permit any animal
to suffer neglect or act(s) of cruelty. Violations of this Article
shall be considered municipal infractions, subject to a fine of five
hundred dollars ($500) for a first violation and one thousand dollars
($1,000) for any and each subsequent violation.
B.
Whenever it becomes necessary, in order to protect any animal from
neglect or cruelty, any police officer or animal control officer may
take possession of said animal. If an animal is impounded, yarded
or confined and continues without adequate food, housing, water or
care, or is cruelly treated or neglected, any police officer or animal
control officer may enter into and upon any place in which the animal
is impounded, yarded or confined and supply it with necessary food,
housing, water and care so long as it there remains, or, if necessary
for the health of the animal, may remove the animal, and not be liable
to any action for that entry or for taking possession of the animal.
In all cases the owner or custodian of the animal shall be notified
of that action and of any administrative remedies that may be available
to the owner or custodian. The owner or custodian may file within
ten (10) days a request in writing with the City Chief of Police for
the return of the animal. If the owner or custodian is not notified
and fails to file the petition within the time prescribed, or if the
owner or custodian is unknown and cannot within reasonable effort
be ascertained for a period of twenty (20) days, the animal shall
be held to be abandoned and be dealt with as such. Nothing in this
section shall be construed as permitting the entry into a private
dwelling without appropriate permission or court order.
C.
The animal control officer, police officer, or other agent authorized
or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter may issue to the
owner and custodian of any animal found to be suffering from or the
victim of neglect or abuse a municipal infraction citation as set
forth in this Article.
A.
Any person who accidentally or otherwise strikes an animal with any
motor vehicle and injures or kills the animal shall immediately notify
the police or the animal control officer of the location of the accident.
B.
No person may willfully poison any animal, except that any person
may use poison in a careful and humane manner to destroy vermin, including
but not limited to rats, mice and insect pests.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully and unjustifiably
kill, wound, injure, torture, torment, tease, molest, bait, overdrive,
overwork, deprive of adequate food, water or housing, mutilate, poison,
abandon or subject to conditions detrimental to its health or general
welfare any animal.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep animals under unsanitary
or inhumane conditions, to fail to provide adequate care or reasonably
clean quarters, or to fail to provide proper medical attention for
sick, diseased or injured animals. Adequate care shall comprise, but
not be limited to, the following:
(1)
Food shall be wholesome, palatable and free from contamination. It
shall be of sufficient quantity and nutritive value as to maintain
all animals in good health.
(2)
Clean, potable water shall be available at times and quantities sufficient
to maintain health for all animals. Any water receptacle shall be
kept clean and sanitary; be of appropriate size and design for the
animal; and be positioned to prevent spillage. Ice and snow shall
not be considered a suitable source of water.
(3)
All animals shall be able to stand to their full height, stretch
out, turn around, lie down, and maintain postural adjustments comfortably.
(4)
Animals shall be allowed to exercise and have freedom of movement
as necessary to reduce stress and maintain physical condition.
(5)
The continuous maintenance of a dog on a chain or tether less than
fifteen (15) feet in length, positioned so that at its greatest length
it prevents the dog from becoming entangled with any obstruction,
from partially or totally jumping any fence, or from leaving any part
of its owner's or custodian's property.
C.
All animals shall have access to sufficient shade from the sun.
D.
All animals kept outdoors shall have access to weatherproof shelter.
Between November 1 and March 30 and in inclement weather, dogs shall
have available a structure having at a minimum three (3) sides, a
roof and a solid floor, with a door or flexible flap of windproof
material, and dry bedding such as cedar chips, hay or straw to provide
insulation. Other animals shall have available a structure of a style
suitable for the species in question and sufficient to keep out the
elements.
E.
An animal shall be afforded immediate veterinary care if it is known
or suspected to be ill or injured.
F.
Both indoor and outdoor enclosures shall receive cleaning as necessary
to remove excreta and debris so as to minimize disease hazards, odor
and danger to the animal.
G.
Animals with hair coats requiring grooming to prevent severe matting,
filth accumulation and/or skin disease shall be groomed in accord
with normal and accepted grooming practices.
H.
Animals may not be maintained on a balcony or deck unless they are
accompanied by a responsible adult. Animals must be maintained in
a safe and humane manner. Decks and balconies are generally too small
for the proper maintenance of a pet. Furthermore, animals maintained
on a deck could jump off the balcony or deck, or squeeze through railings,
fall off and run at large or hang itself if on a chain. Use of balconies/decks
as bathrooms for animals creates an unsanitary situation for persons
living below the balcony/deck.
I.
It shall be unlawful for any person to promote, stage, hold, manage,
conduct, carry on, or attend any illegal games, exhibition, contest,
fight, or combat between one (1) or more animals or between animals
and humans or to set free any animal for the purpose of chasing or
having a race thereafter. This shall include but is not limited to
hares or rabbits, cocks or other fowl, and dogs.
J.
It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership or corporation being
the owner, possessor, or custodian of a dog, cat, or other domestic
animal to abandon such animal.
K.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or confine an animal
or allow an animal to be placed or confined in a motor vehicle under
such conditions or for such period of time as to endanger the health
or well-being of such animal due to temperature, lack of food, water
or housing or such other conditions as may reasonably be expected
to cause suffering, disability or death.
L.
It shall be unlawful, having struck and injured an animal while operating
a motor vehicle, to fail to notify the police or animal control officer
of such accident or otherwise to make reasonable efforts to provide
or cause to be provided appropriate care to an injured animal.
