It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any dog or cat over
the age of six months in the City without having the same registered:
Provided, That the owner, keeper, or harborer of any such animal shall
pay to the City Clerk each year, before the animal is registered,
a registration fee established and set by the governing body for each
animal; however, no fee shall be required for pet owners 60 years
of age and over; said clerk shall register the name of such owner
or keeper in a book to be kept by him or her for that purpose, and
shall deliver to the owner, or keeper of such animal a certificate
in writing, stating that such person has registered such animal and
the number by which he or she is registered, and shall also deliver
to said owner or keeper of such animal a metallic tag with the letters
Mission Woods and the registration number marked or stamped thereon
which shall be by the owner or keeper attached to the collar to be
used on said animal so registered. The City Clerk shall keep in a
book suitable for the registration of animals, the time of such registration
and the amount paid therefor. The fiscal year for the registering
and licensing of animals under the provisions of this article shall
begin on January 15th of each year, and if such license is not obtained
before the 15th day of February in any year, or upon the date registration
of the animal is required, then, in addition to the regular license
fee such person shall be required to pay an additional fee of $2 during
the first 30 days of delinquency up to 90 days; $10 for a delinquency
over 90 days; $20 for a delinquency of 120 days or more.
Before the City Clerk shall issue a license or register the
name of the owner or keeper of an animal, the owner or keeper of such
animal shall furnish to the City Clerk a certificate from a licensed
veterinarian showing that said animal has been immunized against rabies
at the time of application.
Whenever any dog or cat shall be found within the City limits of Mission Woods, without having a license or registration tag attached to a collar or some other device, such animal shall be taken up by the humane officer, or by any other agency designated by the City to do so, and such animal shall be held five days at a shelter house provided by said agency, and if within the five days, the owner of any animal so held shall present to the person in charge of such shelter house a license receipt, such animal shall be delivered to the owner thereof. If not so claimed within five days, the animal shall become the property of the designated agency to be disposed of in some humane manner or placed in a good home under the agency's regulations. The owner or keeper claiming any animal as provided in this section shall pay the fee and board costs as set forth in Section
2-211.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal or any person
harboring an animal when notified that such animal has bitten any
person or has so injured any person as to cause an abrasion of the
skin, to sell or give away such animal or to permit or allow such
animal to be taken beyond the limits of the City, for a period of
not less than 15 days after date that such animal has so bitten or
injured any person, except under the care of a licensed veterinarian.
It shall be the duty of such owner or keeper upon receiving notice
of the character aforesaid to immediately place such animal in a licensed
veterinary hospital, where such animal shall be confined for a period
of not less than 10 days; and such owner or person keeping or harboring
such animal shall notify the City Clerk of the name and location of
the veterinary hospital and the date that the animal was confined.
The owner or keeper of the animal shall pay any unpaid license fees,
penalties and board costs of the animal.
Any dangerous, fierce or vicious animal may be slain or picked
up by the humane officer or any authorized City representative. If
the animal has been slain, it shall be the duty of the humane officer
or any authorized City representative to deliver, or cause to be delivered,
its carcass and brain to a laboratory where examination of the same
may be made.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or cat to permit
such animal to run at large within the corporate limits of the City
at any time. Any such animal shall be deemed to be running at large
therein when found upon property other than that of the owner, keeper
or harborer thereof: Provided, that any animal kept securely tied
or kept securely within an enclosure on private premises or led by
a leash, chain, strap or rope, and thus under the control of its owner
or keeper, shall not be deemed to be running at large. It shall be
lawful for any humane officer or other person designated by the governing
body to pursue and capture such animals so running at large.
Any animal captured or apprehended under the terms and conditions of Section
2-208 shall be held for a period of five days and disposed of in the manner as shall from time to time be determined by the governing body of the City.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized, whenever in his or
her opinion the danger to public safety from rabid animals is imminent,
to issue a proclamation ordering the person owning, keeping or harboring
any dogs or cats to muzzle the same or confine the same, by good and
sufficient means, to the house, stable, outbuilding, or yard, wherein
such person may reside for such a time as may be specified in such
proclamation, and the person keeping or harboring any animal shall
confine the same by good and sufficient means, within the house, yard,
stable or outbuilding of such owner or keeper, and have such animal
or animals properly and securely muzzled during the time specified
in such proclamation, and all animals found running at large within
the City during the time so specified in the proclamation, without
being securely muzzled are hereby declared to be a nuisance and it
shall be the duty of any police officer of said City to kill such
animal.
It is hereby made the duty of the proper person designated by
the governing body to capture all dogs and cats found running at large
in violation of this article and place them in a shelter house designated
by the governing body for that purpose, and if the owner, keeper or
harborer of any such animal does not redeem the same within five days
after such impounding, by the payment to the City Clerk of a license,
if required, and penalties, if any, plus the cost of the board bill
charged by the owner or owners of the shelter house and presentation
of a receipt from the City Clerk showing payment of any required license
fee and penalties, then such animal may be disposed of in some humane
manner by the designated operator of the shelter house.
It shall be unlawful to have more than two dogs and two cats
over the age of three months, in any household residentially zoned
property, without a special permit from the governing body.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall
upon conviction thereof be fined in any sum not exceeding $500 or
be imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or by both such fine and
imprisonment.