(a) 
Every person who shall own, keep or harbor any dog or cat within the city shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies by four months of age, and the animal must receive a booster within the 12-month interval following the initial vaccination. Every dog or cat must be revaccinated against rabies once each year with a rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and the vaccine must be administered according to label recommendations.
(b) 
A veterinarian who vaccinates a dog or cat against rabies shall issue to the animal’s owner a vaccination certificate in a form that meets the minimum standards approved by the state board of health. Each owner shall also receive a durable vaccination tag, separately numbered, indicating the year it was issued and the attending veterinarian/clinic.
(c) 
A copy of each rabies vaccination certificate issued shall be retained by the issuing veterinarian and be readily retrievable for a period of not less than five years from the date of issuance. Information contained in a rabies vaccination certificate or in any record compiled from the information contained in one or more certificates that identifies or tends to identify an owner or an address, telephone number, or other personally identifying information of an owner of a vaccinated animal is confidential and not subject to disclosure under chapter 552, Government Code. The information may be disclosed only to a governmental entity for purposes related to the protection of public health and safety. A governmental entity that receives the information, including a county or municipality that registers dogs and cats under V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code, chapter 826, subchapter D, must maintain the confidentiality of the information, may not disclose the information under chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use the information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the protection of public health and safety. A person commits an offense if the person distributes information that is confidential under this subsection. An offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Health and Safety Code section 826.0211(c).
(d) 
No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog or cat over four months of age within the city unless the animal has been vaccinated against rabies and registered with the city and wears a collar or harness with proof of the vaccination and registration securely attached to the animal. It shall be unlawful to affix a tag indicating adherence to the requirements unless the animal has been so vaccinated and identified.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
It shall be unlawful for any person having knowledge of any dog, cat or other animal attacking or biting any person, or the knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal suspected to have symptoms of rabies, to fail to report the facts forthwith to an animal control officer, the local law enforcement officers or the city manager. The report shall state the name and address of the person bitten, the time and place of the incident and the name and address of the reporter.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
Whenever it is shown that any domestic dog, cat or domestic ferret has bitten or scratched any person, no owner or person having custody or possession thereof, upon order of an animal control officer, any police officer or the city health officer, shall fail, refuse or neglect to place the domestic dog, cat or domestic ferret in quarantine, as provided in state law, for a period of ten days. If quarantine is indicated for other animals, they are to be quarantined or confined for an observation period of thirty days. No domestic dog, cat or domestic ferret or other animal shall be released from quarantine without the authorization of the animal control officer or veterinarian in charge. The total cost of confinement for the ten-day period shall be borne by the owner.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
(a) 
No owner shall permit a dog or cat to be at large within the corporate limits of the city. All animals shall be kept under restraint or subject and responsive to voice commands when not on the owner’s property. Every vicious animal, as determined by the animal control officer, shall be confined by its owner within a secure enclosure and shall be appropriately muzzled or caged when off the premises of the owner. No animal shall be allowed to cause a nuisance. The owner of every animal shall be held responsible for any behavior of their animal under the provisions of this article.
(b) 
Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
(a) 
Guard dogs shall be securely enclosed within the area patrolled at all times or under the continuous control of a trained handler.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain guard dogs in any area for the protection of person or property unless the following provisions are met:
(1) 
Guard dogs shall be confined to an enclosed area adequate to ensure they will not escape;
(2) 
The dogs shall be under the absolute control of a handler at all times when not securely enclosed;
(3) 
The owner or other person in control of premises upon which a guard dog is kept shall post a sign at each entrance to the premises with lettering clearly visible from a distance of 50 feet. The sign shall contain a telephone number where some person responsible for controlling the guard dog can be reached 24 hours a day; and
(4) 
Prior to placing a guard dog on any nonresidential premises, the persons responsible for the placing shall inform the city in writing of their intention to place the dog or dogs, the number of dogs to be placed, the location where the dog or dogs will be placed, and the length of time the dog or dogs will be guarding the area.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
It is unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor more than four (4) dogs or four (4) cats or any combination thereof, over four (4) months of age, within the city. However, this section shall not apply to veterinarians and animal hospitals, pet stores, kennels or groomers when such animals are kept upon the premises in the normal course of business. This section shall also not apply to a new litter of dogs or cats.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
In the event that the animal control officer finds animals to be suffering, it shall forthwith remove, or cause to be removed, any animals to a safe place for care at the owner’s expense or humanely destroy them when necessary to prevent further suffering. Return to the owner of living animals may be withheld until the owner has made full restitution for all expenses incurred and removed the causes or conditions causing the suffering.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
(a) 
At any time after the expiration period for redemption of impounded animals, the city may sell any animal for cash, or place any animal in a suitable home or place, without further notice of any kind. Sale may be private or public.
(b) 
All fees and proceeds of sale collected shall be recorded and delivered to the general fund of the city.
(Ordinance 612 adopted 11/9/10)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for an owner or person in control of an animal to fail to keep the animal in an adequate enclosure, which is one that complies with all of the requirements of this section.
(1) 
Subject to the further requirements of this section, an enclosure shall be an area that is completely surrounded by a substantial fence or other structure of sufficient strength, height, construction, materials, and design as to prevent any domestic animal from escaping from the area and to isolate the animal from the public and from other animals not under the control of the same owner.
(2) 
For all dogs, an enclosure shall have an outside-perimeter barrier that is a minimum height of forty-eight (48) inches when measured from the ground. Any portion of a building that is intended to form part of an enclosure must have a continuous wall (inclusive of windows and doors) that meets the applicable height requirement.
(3) 
All nonbuilding portions of an enclosure, including gates, shall be constructed of chainlink, welded wire, wrought iron, brick, mortared stone, concrete block, wood stockade, or other similar fencing-type material approved by the animal control officer.
(4) 
Where a building forms a part of an enclosure, there shall be minimal separation between the building and the remaining parts of the enclosure to prevent escape of the animal or animals intended to be contained.
(5) 
An enclosure shall be designed, erected, and maintained in accordance with all applicable zoning and building regulations of this code.
(6) 
When not in use, all gates shall be closed and secured in a manner that prevents an animal from leaving the enclosure.
(7) 
Broken or damaged portions of an enclosure shall be repaired with like material and provide a seamless barrier that reasonably inhibits or prevents escape.
(8) 
If petitioned by an owner, the animal control officer may modify or waive the requirements of subsections (2), (3), and (7), provided that the animal control officer determines that proposed alternate measures will adequately contain the animal(s) in question. In considering a petition, the animal control officer may take into account factors that include, but are not limited to, zoning requirements, deed restrictions and covenants, and the size and physical characteristics of the animal or animals to be enclosed. The decision of the animal control officer shall be final and unappealable.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for an owner to fail or refuse to exercise diligent care and control of his or her animal to prevent such animal from becoming a public nuisance.
(c) 
It shall be unlawful for a person to use a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device to attach a dog to a stationary object.
(d) 
It is an affirmative defense to a violation of subsection (c) that the dog tethering:
(1) 
Is during a lawful animal event, veterinary treatment, grooming, training, or law enforcement activity;
(2) 
Is required to protect the safety or welfare of a person or the dog, and the dog’s owner maintains direct physical control of the dog;
(3) 
Occurs in the direct physical control of the owner in a designated city dog park; or
(4) 
Occurs on the owner’s premises; and:
(A) 
While the dog is within the owner’s direct physical control; and
(B) 
Prevents the dog from advancing to within fifteen (15) feet of the edge of any public street;
(5) 
Occurs by means of a running line, pulley, or trolley system of at least twenty (20) feet long with a ten (10) foot lead chain.
(e) 
The affirmative defenses provided in subsection (d) are only available if the following specifications are met:
(1) 
The chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device is attached to a properly fitted collar or harness worn by the dog;
(2) 
The chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device is not placed directly around the dog’s neck;
(3) 
The chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device does not exceed 1/20th of the dog’s body weight;
(4) 
The chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device, by design and placement allows the dog a reasonable and unobstructed range of motion without entanglement; and
(5) 
The dog has access to adequate shelter and clean and wholesome water.
(f) 
It shall be unlawful for an owner or person in control of an animal to carry or transport the animal on any public roadway in an unenclosed vehicle (such as a pick-up or flatbed truck, jeep, or similar vehicle) unless the animal is:
(1) 
Contained in a closed, vented animal carrier that is secured in such a manner as to prevent the carrier from being thrown from the vehicle in the event of a collision; or
(2) 
Secured by a leash or other device that is cross connected to prevent the animal from falling, jumping, or being thrown from the motor vehicle and from strangling on a single lead.
(g) 
A person commits an offense if the person fails to comply with this section.
(1) 
An offense under this section is a class C misdemeanor. If a person fails to comply with this section with respect to more than one (1) dog, the person’s conduct with respect to each dog constitutes a separate offense.
(2) 
An offense under this section is punishable by a fine not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00).
(h) 
This section does not prohibit a person from walking a dog with a handheld leash.
(Ordinance 627, sec. II, adopted 2/12/13)