[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987; Ord. No. 1039, 12-5-2000; Ord. No.
1068, 1-21-2003; amended 8-3-2021 by Ord. No. 1289; 7-5-2022 by Ord. No. 1308]
Any person who owns, keeps, or harbors a dog or cat over the
age of four months within the City shall pay a fee and acquire a license
for each such dog or cat annually, except that no fee shall be required
of senior citizens age 65 years or older to license a spayed or neutered
pet. The fee shall be delinquent after March 15 of each year, provided
however that the fee for any dog or cat first brought into the City
shall not be delinquent until 30 days thereafter. Licenses shall be
issued upon the payment of a license fee as approved by the City Council
and set forth in the Master Fee Schedule, which shall be doubled upon
becoming delinquent unless such late fee is waived for good cause
shown. The City may authorize the Nebraska Humane Society or other
agents to sell and issue animal licenses, and said agents may add
an administrative fee as approved by the City Council. Said license
shall not be transferable and no refund will be allowed in case of
death, sale, or other disposition of the licensed dog or cat. The
owner shall state at the time the application is made his or her name
and address, and the name, breed, color, and sex of each dog or cat.
A certificate that the dog or cat has been vaccinated for rabies,
effective for the ensuing year of the license, shall be presented
when the license is applied for and no license or tag shall be issued
until the certificate is shown. Service dogs and cats shall be subject
to the licensing provisions herein except that such service animals
shall be exempt form the licensing fee until retirement or discontinuance
of the animal as a service animal. (Ref. 16-206, 54-603, 71-4412 RS
Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987; Ord. No. 1117, 12-5-2006]
Upon payment of the required license fee, the license authority
shall issue a numbered receipt and tag as necessary to the owner for
the dog or cat licensed. Tags shall be issued annually, or at other
interval determined by the authority. Alternatively, the authority
may recognize a microchip identification number as the license number,
and the microchip shall substitute for the physical tag. (Ref. 16
- 206, 54-603 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
It shall be unlawful for the owner, keeper, or harborer of any
dog or cat to permit or allow such dog or cat to wear any license,
metallic tag or other Municipal identification than that issued by
the Municipal Clerk or designated agent for dogs or cats, nor shall
the owner, keeper, or harborer wrongfully and knowingly license a
female dog or cat with a license prescribed for a neutered male or
female dog or cat. (Ref. 16-206, 54-603 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
Any person who shall harbor or permit any dog or cat to be for
10 days or more in or about his or her house, store, or enclosure,
or to remain to be fed within the Municipality, shall be deemed the
owner and possessor of such dog or cat and shall be deemed to be liable
for all penalties herein prescribed. (Ref. 54-606, 71-4401 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
The Municipal Police shall have the authority to kill any animals
showing vicious tendencies, or characteristics of rabies which make
capture impossible because of the anger involved. (Ref. 54-605 RS
Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, or harbor
any dog or cat or other animal within the Municipality of a dangerous
or ferocious disposition that habitually snaps or manifests a disposition
to bite, without the said dog or cat being securely held by a chain.
If any vicious or dangerous dog or cat is allowed to run at large,
the Municipal Police or designated agent shall have the authority
to put the dog, cat or animal to death. Upon the written complaint
of two or more affected persons from different households, filed with
the Municipal Clerk's office, in any thirty-day period, that any dog,
cat or animal owned by the person named in the complaint is committing
injury to persons or property, or is an annoyance, dangerous, offensive
or unhealthy, the Mayor shall cause the complaint to be investigated
and, if in his opinion the situation warrants, shall notify the owner
to restrain such dog, cat, or animal from running at large, and keep
such dog, cat, or animal upon the premises of the owner, even though
the license has been paid. (Ref. 16-206 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
It shall be unlawful for any person to hinder, delay, or interfere
with any Municipal Policeman who is performing any duty enjoined upon
him by the provisions of this Article, or to break open, or in any
manner directly or indirectly aid, counsel, or advise the breaking
open of the animal shelter, any ambulance wagon, or other vehicle
used for the collecting or conveying of dogs or cats to the shelter.
(Ref. 28-906 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
It shall be unlawful to kill, or to administer, or cause to
be administered, poison of any sort to a dog or cat, or in any manner
to injure, maim, or destroy, or in any manner attempt to injure, maim,
or destroy any dog or cat that is the property of another person,
or to place any poison, or poisoned food where the same is accessible
to a dog or cat; Provided, that this Section shall not apply to Municipal
Policemen acting within their power and duty. (Ref. 28-1002 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
Whenever complaint is made to City Police or other appointed
persons for the purpose that a dog or cat, whether with or without
a license tag, is at large and doing bodily injury, it shall be his
duty to investigate such complaint. If upon such investigation, it
appears that there is reasonable cause for the complaint, it shall
be the duty of the Police Officer to report all pertinent facts to
the City Prosecutor who shall then undertake the proper disposition
of the case. If the defendant is adjudged guilty of a violation of
this Section, the court may in addition to the penalty provided for
the violation of this Chapter, order such disposition or destruction
of the defending dog or cat as may seem reasonable and proper in the
premise. (Ref. 16-206 RS Neb.)
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
No person shall allow any stray dog or cat to habitually remain
or to be lodged or fed within his house, yard, enclosure or place
but shall turn such dog or cat over to the Animal Hospital, Shelter
or Pound for observation for a period of 72 hours, after which time
shall be handled the same as an impounded dog or cat. (Ref. 16-206
RS Neb.)
[Ord. No. 1028, 9-5-2000]
[Amended by Ord. No. 794, 2-3-1987]
It shall be unlawful for any person, by agreement or otherwise,
to set dogs or cats to fighting, or by any gesture or word to encourage
the same to fight. (Ref. 16-206 RS Neb.)