It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any dog owned,
kept, or harbored by the person to be at-large.
(Ordinance 840-18 adopted 4/23/18)
No vicious animal, nor a female cat or dog in season, shall
be allowed upon any public place in the city, whether or not said
vicious animal or female cat or dog in season is under control by
means of a physical restraint; however, this section shall not apply
to such female cat or dog in season when confined within a vehicle.
(1978 Code, sec. 5-72; Ordinance 1001-22 adopted 9/12/2022)
(a)
The
city council shall select and establish facilities for impoundment,
maintenance, shelter and destruction of stray, diseased, injured,
rabid, aggressive, dangerous, nuisance or vicious animals.
(b)
The
animal control authority shall ensure that any facility so selected
or designated by the city council shall, at all times, comply with
standards and regulations established by the city and applicable law.
(c)
The
animal control authority shall require proof of rabies vaccination
prior to the release of any dog or cat. In the absence of a current
rabies vaccination, the shelter facility shall collect from the owner
or adoptive claimant an amount equal to the cost of vaccination and
issue a credit voucher therefor to such owner or adoptive claimant.
(1978 Code, sec. 5-73; Ordinance 1001-22 adopted 9/12/2022)
(a)
It
shall be the duty of the animal control authority, police or other
designee of the city to:
(1)
Impound any stray animal found running at-large within the corporate
limits;
(2)
Impound any animal which is diseased and endangers thereby the health
of a person or another animal;
(3)
Impound any animal which has bitten a human or which has acted in
a vicious manner as described herein;
(4)
Humanely destroy an animal posing an imminent danger to persons or
property under circumstances of emergency or an unclaimed animal held
in excess of seventy-two (72) hours;
(5)
Humanely destroy an animal that is injured to a degree presenting
little or no likelihood of recovery as deemed by a licensed veterinarian
or other authorized person, after reasonable attempt to contact the
owner of the animal.
(b)
If
an animal running at-large is found upon the premises of any person,
the owner or occupant thereof shall have the right to confine the
animal temporarily in a humane fashion pending notification and response
by the animal control authority or other authorized person. When so
notified, it shall be the duty of the animal control authority to
take possession and impound the animal at the city animal shelter
in accordance with this chapter.
(c)
All
animals impounded at the animal shelter shall be held for a minimum
of seventy-two (72) hours, during which time the owner, upon satisfactory
proof to the animal control authority of ownership and of inoculation
of the animal for rabies as required by this chapter within the twelve
(12) months immediately preceding the date of such redemption, may
redeem the owner’s dog or cat upon the payment of an impoundment
fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) if not microchipped, or twenty
dollars ($20.00) if microchipped, for the first impoundment, twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) for the second impoundment and fifty dollars ($50.00)
for each impoundment thereafter, as long as the animal is spayed/neutered.
If the animal is not spayed or neutered on the third impoundment,
the impoundment fee will be one hundred dollars ($100.00), which includes
the fee charged to spay/neuter the animal. A boarding fee of five
dollars ($5.00) per day per animal must be paid upon redemption for
care of animals, and all other fees provided by this chapter. Proof
of inoculation must be presented to the animal control authority within
seventy-two (72) hours after the release of such animal. Failure to
do so shall constitute a misdemeanor, and appropriate charges may
be filed against the owner for violation of this chapter and any permit
issued pursuant to this chapter may be revoked subject to appeal as
provided by this chapter.
(d)
The
animal control authority and any police officer shall have the authority
to impound any dog found at-large in the city, and shall have the
authority while in pursuit, subject to applicable legal requirements
and constitutional requirements, to enter onto private property to
apprehend said animal. It shall be unlawful for any person to hamper
or interfere with any animal control authority or police officer of
the city while enforcing any provision of this chapter, and they are
authorized to issue a citation to any person who does hamper or interfere
with any animal control authority or police officer in the performance
of their duties.
(e)
Should
the owner of any dog that is being pursued or that has been caught
present himself to the animal control authority or police officer
of the city who has apprehended or is attempting to apprehend the
animal, such officer may return the dog forthwith to the owner unless
the dog is acting viciously or has bitten any human or other animal,
in which case it shall be impounded as provided elsewhere in this
chapter. If the animal is released to its owner, the owner shall be
issued citations for each violation that the animal control authority
or police officer deems were committed by such owner.
(f)
An
animal control authority or police officer is authorized to employ
all humane means of capturing any dog or cat found to be at-large
in violation of any ordinance of the city. This shall include, but
not be limited to, the use of cages with snap-shut doors in which
food and water shall be provided. Persons owning or in control of
property may request that such cages be placed on their property to
assist in capturing animals trespassing thereon. Persons who refuse
to allow such cages to be placed on their property shall not be considered
aggrieved sufficiently to warrant the officer of the city otherwise
exerting maximum effort to capture animals of which they may have
complained. Such cages may also be placed as necessary upon any city-owned
property or other public property where permission of the controlling
body has been obtained. The removal of an animal from such cage other
than by a duly authorized agent of the city, and the act of tampering
with or damaging such a cage, shall be deemed a misdemeanor. Each
cage shall bear notice to this effect.
(Ordinance 907-19 adopted 11/25/19)
The animal control authority shall be authorized to place for
adoption any animal impounded by the city under the following conditions:
(1)
The
animal control authority shall be the sole judge as to whether an
animal is healthy enough for adoption and its health and age adequate
for vaccination. However, such decision by the animal control authority
shall not constitute a warranty of the health or age of the animal.
(2)
For
animals adoption fees, see most recent city resolution establishing
said adoption fees, which amount shall include the registration of
said animal.
(3)
In
addition to the adoption fee, if said animal is not vaccinated, the
adopting person shall present to the animal control authority a current
vaccination certificate from any veterinarian within seventy-two (72)
hours, excluding weekends and/or holidays, for each adopted animal.
Failure to obtain the vaccination within seventy-two (72) hours of
the adoption date shall authorize the re-impoundment of the animal.
(Ordinance 840-18 adopted 4/23/18)
It shall be unlawful for any dog to be restrained in violation
of chapter 821, subchapter D of the Texas Health and Safety Code,
as amended.
(Ordinance 840-18 adopted 4/23/18)
