Aggressive dog.
A dog that meets one of the following conditions:
(1) 
Makes an unprovoked attack on another domestic animal that causes bodily injury to that animal and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept;
(2) 
On more than one occasion, when unprovoked, bites one or more persons who were lawfully inside the dog’s enclosure;
(3) 
Repeatedly attempts, successfully or unsuccessfully, to climb over, dig under, chew through, break or otherwise escape from an enclosure where the dog is being kept in an attempt to attack, chase, or attack a person or another domestic animal; or
(4) 
A peace officer or animal control officer has reason to believe the dog has a dangerous disposition and is likely to be harmful to humans or other domestic animals.
Animal.
Any living creature, including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, cows, horses, birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, fowl and livestock.
At-large.
Any animal not under restraint as defined by this section. An animal inside a vehicle parked in a public place will be considered at-large unless it is restrained in such a manner that it cannot exit the vehicle on its own volition.
Cats.
Includes the male, the female and the altered cat.
Dangerous dog.
A dog that:
(1) 
Makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; or
(2) 
Commits unprovoked acts in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person.
Dogs.
Includes the male, the female and the altered dog.
Fowl.
Chickens, ducks, guineas, pigeons, pheasants, peacocks, geese, quail, doves or similar feathered animals except parakeets, parrots or other birds that are customarily retained as common household pets.
Harboring.
The act of keeping and caring for an animal or providing premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter or care for a period of three days or more.
Livestock.
All types of sheep, goats, fowl, horses or any member of the domesticated equine family, including but not limited to mules, donkeys, ponies, llamas, and alpacas, and all members of the bovine family, including but not limited to cows, bulls, buffalo and bison.
Owner.
Any person who owns, shelters, keeps, handles, harbors, or has temporary or permanent custody of an animal, or who knowingly allows an animal to remain on any property over which the person has control.
Public nuisance dog.
Any dog that meets one of the following conditions:
(1) 
Substantially interferes with the right to enjoyment of life or property by persons other than the owner by acts including, but not limited to, frequent, long, or continued barking or howling, repeated defecation on property other than that of the owner, or damaging property other than that of the owner;
(2) 
Attacks domestic animals;
(3) 
Is documented by animal control, a police officer, a neighborhood protection official or a member of the public to be running at-large three or more times in a 12-month period; or
(4) 
Is one of a number of dogs or other animals maintained on the property owned or controlled by its owner so as to be dangerous to the public health, safety or welfare.
Secure enclosure.
A fenced area or structure that is:
(1) 
Locked;
(2) 
Capable of preventing the entry of the general public, including children;
(3) 
Capable of preventing the escape or release of a dog;
(4) 
Clearly marked as containing a dangerous dog; and
(5) 
In conformance with the requirements for enclosures established by the local animal control authority.
Unprovoked.
Action by a dog that is not:
(1) 
In response to being tormented, abused, or assaulted by any person;
(2) 
In response to pain or injury;
(3) 
In protection of itself or its food, kennel, or nursing offspring; or
(4) 
In response to a person trespassing or committing a crime on the owner’s property.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.101; Ordinance 2022-07 adopted 5/10/22)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, possess or harbor any animal in the city, except as provided in this chapter, and any failure, neglect or refusal to comply with the provisions of this chapter or any act or omission contrary to the terms hereof shall be deemed a violation hereof.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.102)
(a) 
“Wild animals” as used in this section shall mean and include any wild mammal, amphibian, reptile or fowl which is not naturally tame or gentle but is of wild nature or disposition and which, because of its size, vicious nature, or other characteristics, would constitute a danger to human life or property. Such animals shall include but not be limited to lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, bears, wolves, foxes, elephants, rhinoceroses, alligators, crocodiles and all other forms of poisonous reptiles and other like animals.
(b) 
It is unlawful for anyone to keep or harbor any wild animals within the city limits.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.105)
(a) 
All owners must keep their animals under restraint except as otherwise provided by this section.
(b) 
An animal not under restraint is at-large, except if the animal is:
(1) 
On the premises of its owner’s property and is under the immediate personal supervision and the control of a responsible person and obedient to that person’s commands. However, it is an exception to the supervision and control requirements of this subsection, if the animal is a cat and is on the premises of its owner;;
(2) 
Wearing a functioning electronic collar and is under the control of a responsible person and obedient to that person’s commands;
(3) 
If a dog, is in a designated dog park;
(4) 
Accompanied by its owner or trainer at a bona fide animal show, field trial, or exhibition;
(5) 
A service animal in the performance of its duty under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C.S. § 12101 et seq., as amended and is under the immediate control of a responsible person and obedient to that person’s commands; or
(6) 
An animal used for law enforcement purposes by a law enforcement agency.
(c) 
It is unlawful for an animal to be at-large.
(d) 
All animals at-large are subject to impoundment by animal control. Animal control officers, police officers, and their designees have the authority to impound at-large animals as provided below:
(1) 
On public property, in all cases;
(2) 
On private property, if the consent of the resident or property owner is obtained;
(3) 
On private property, in all cases except fenced rear yards of residences, if the officer reasonably believes that the animal will run at-large if not impounded, except for cats on the premises of their owner; and
(4) 
When authorized by appropriate courts of law.
(e) 
Running at-large complaints will result in having said unrestrained animal, public nuisance animal(s), or public nuisance dogs picked up by the city’s animal control contractor and impounded in an animal shelter for a minimum of three days, and there be confined in a humane manner, at the owner’s, harborer’s, keeper’s or custodian’s expense. During the time of impoundment, proof of rabies certificate, where applicable, shall be provided by the owner, harborer, keeper or custodian. If no rabies certificate is produced, the unrestrained animal(s) may be impounded for an additional ten (10) days at a licensed veterinarian’s office selected by the city or take such other action as may be necessary to determine whether the animal has rabies at the owner’s, harborer’s, keeper’s or custodian’s expense. In the event the owner of the animal cannot be found, the city may pay such cost.
(f) 
In addition to or in lieu of impounding and keeping of an animal found at-large, the code enforcement officer may issue a written ordinance violation notice to the known owner of such animal. Such notice shall impose upon the owner a penalty as prescribed in the fee schedule in chapter 12 of this code, and it must be paid to the city within seventy-two (72) hours from the date such notice is delivered to the owner’s residence. In the event that such penalty is not paid within the time period prescribed, the code enforcement officer may initiate a citation.
(Ordinance 2022-07 adopted 5/10/22)
(a) 
Impounded dogs and cats shall be kept for at least three (3) working days.
(b) 
Any animal not reclaimed by its owner within three (3) working days shall become the property of the city at the city’s discretion and shall be placed for adoption in a suitable home or humanely euthanized.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.107; Ordinance 1608 adopted 8/9/16)
(a) 
Registration.
Every permanent resident owning, possessing, keeping or harboring a dog of the age of six months or more shall apply to the city secretary or other authorized person for registration which shall describe the dog and state the name and address of the applicant and owner. Such registration shall be valid for one (1) or three (3) year(s), depending on the vaccination period on the rabies vaccination certificate. No registration shall be issued for any dog unless a certificate of vaccination for rabies, signed by a licensed veterinarian, certifying that the dog to be registered has been immunized, shall be presented to the city secretary/authorized person. Such certificate shall be dated during the immunization period in which the registration is applied for. The city secretary/authorized person shall note upon the registration the fact of the vaccination, whether it is for a one-year or three-year immunization, and the date thereof. The secretary/authorized person shall note in the record the expiration of the rabies vaccination and the animal will be required to be immunized accordingly. The registration must be done once a year or once every three years starting in 2015. The applicant shall pay to the secretary/authorized person a sum approved by council as a registration fee. The registration may be done by mail for an additional fee as provided for in the fee schedule found in chapter 12 of this code and a copy of the certificate of vaccination.
(b) 
Tags.
Upon the issuance of a registration, the city secretary or other authorized person shall give to the applicant a tag which shall bear the number of the registration. Such registration tag shall, at all times, be attached to the collar to be worn by the dog registered. It shall be unlawful for anyone, other than the owner, to remove such license tag from the dog for which issued or for anyone to attach such registration tag to a dog for which such tag was not issued.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.108)
It shall be the duty of every physician, or other medical practitioner, to report to the city council the names and address of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.109)
(a) 
General fees.
General fees are as provided for in the fee schedule found in chapter 12 of this code.
(b) 
Pick-up fee.
(1) 
A pick-up charge as provided for in the fee schedule found in chapter 12 of this code plus any charges assessed by the pound will be paid by the animal’s owner.
(2) 
A registration fee as provided for in the fee schedule found in chapter 12 of this code shall be assessed for any dog that requires pick-up if the dog does not have current registration with city. The owner must bring proof of current vaccination to the secretary of the city and obtain a release to pick up their animal and they will pay any charges incurred by the pound.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.110)
(a) 
The owner(s) of every animal shall be responsible for the removal of any excreta deposited by their animal(s) on public walks, public rights-of-way, recreational areas, or private property owned by another.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any owner to fail to remove such animal excreta from public areas and private areas owned by another.
(c) 
All pens and enclosures wherein farm livestock or other such animals are kept shall be maintained and kept in such a manner as not to become unsanitary or offensive to persons residing in the vicinity thereof; nor shall they be maintained or kept as to breed flies or in any manner cause any injury to the health of the public residing in the vicinity of the pen or enclosure.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.111)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for anyone to beat or otherwise maltreat any animal in the city; or to willfully and wantonly kill, maim, wound, poison, or disfigure any horse, ass, mule, cattle, sheep, goat, swine, dog, cat or any other domesticated bird or beast of any kind, or to mutilate, cruelly kill, overdrive, override or overload, or unreasonably confine or in any matter oppress the same; or to unreasonably fail to provide the same with proper food, drink, or shelter; or to drive, work, or use the same when such animal is maimed, wounded, sick, lame, or otherwise unfit for labor. This section is not to be construed to prevent police officers or other persons from killing dogs or other animals when lawfully entitled to do so.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for anyone to cruelly beat or otherwise maltreat in the city any animal retained as or to be sold as a pet; or to willfully and wantonly maim, wound, poison, or disfigure any such animal; or to mutilate or cruelly kill; or to leave any such animal tied up or confined anywhere day or night, without properly feeding, watering, or caring for the same (including but not restricted to providing veterinary care) in a manner consistent with the natural needs of such animal.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.112)
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep on premises under his or her control within the city any livestock, including but not limited to: horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, goat, fowl, llama, or alpaca, in such a manner that the livestock will be located closer than 150 feet to any adjacent person’s living quarters. It shall further be unlawful to keep any such livestock in an area wherein there is less than 12,000 square feet per head of livestock so kept, to which 12,000 square feet each such animal shall have unrestricted access; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any property surrounded by property or acreage not subdivided or platted.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.113)
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep on premises under his or her control within the city any bees in such a manner that the beehives will be located closer than 150 feet to any person’s living quarters.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.114)
The keeping, harboring or maintaining of any hog, pig or other swine animal within the city is hereby prohibited.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.115)
No person shall willfully or knowingly keep or harbor on his premises or elsewhere any animal or livestock of any kind that makes or creates an unreasonable disturbance to the neighbors or the occupants of adjacent premises or persons living in the vicinity thereof. This includes, but is not limited to, animals making or creating noises by howling, barking, bawling, or creating noxious odors. A person shall be deemed to have violated the terms of this section if such person shall have been noticed by any city official of such disturbance and shall have failed or refused to correct such disturbance and prevent its reoccurrence. Such a continued disturbance is hereby prohibited and declared to be a nuisance.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.116)
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.006 of this code.
(Ordinance 1405 adopted 7/8/14; 1998 Code, sec. 2.117)