For the purpose of this article the following words, terms, or phrases shall have the following respective meanings ascribed to them:
Animal control officer.
The individual employed by the city with the primary authority to oversee and administer the provisions of this article. The chief of police or any police officer of the city are also designated animal control officers.
At-large.
Any dog not confined within a fenced area or other enclosure or not otherwise secured by a leash, lead, or other physical restraint.
City.
The City of Archer City, Texas.
Complaint.
A sworn statement of the animal control officer or any person alleging a violation of this article or state law relative to the regulation of dogs.
Dog.
A domesticated animal that is a member of the canine family.
License tag.
A metallic tag issued by the city.
New owner.
A person who is legally competent to enter into a binding contract and who is purchasing or adopting an unclaimed dog from the city.
Owner or keeper of a dog.
Any natural or juridical person possessing, harboring, keeping, holding, caring for, having an interest in, or having control or custody of a dog. If the owner or keeper of a dog is a minor, the parent or guardian of that minor shall be responsible for compliance with this article.
Purchasing or adopting.
The process of obtaining the right of possession of an unclaimed dog from the city, whether or not a purchase price or other consideration was paid.
Rabies tag.
A metallic tag, issued by a veterinarian, licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state, showing that the dog for which it is issued has been vaccinated against rabies within the current calendar year.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10; Ordinance 343 adopted 3/21/19)
(a) 
Any person in possession of a dog that is more than four (4) months old shall obtain a license from the city at a fee as provided for in Appendix A to this code. No license refunds shall be given for any reason. A separate license is required for each dog and must be renewed annually during the month of April. No license shall be issued until the following requirements are met:
(1) 
The owner or keeper of the dog to be licensed must present a certificate from a veterinarian, licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state, showing that such dog has been vaccinated against rabies during the calendar year for which the license is sought;
(2) 
The owner or keeper of the dog to be licensed must pay the license fee as stated above; and
(3) 
The owner or keeper of the dog to be licensed must complete a city dog license application form stating the owner’s or keeper’s name, address, and telephone number, along with the name, breed, color, and sex of the dog to be licensed.
(b) 
Upon completion of all requirements stated above, the city shall issue to the owner or keeper a license tag for each dog so licensed. The license tag shall have stamped thereon the year for which it was issued and the number corresponding to the number of the license certificate. Both the license tag and rabies tag shall be affixed to the dog’s collar and shall be worn at all times by the dog.
(c) 
A person commits an offense if he or she intentionally or with reckless disregard transfers a license tag or rabies tag from the dog for which such tag was issued to any other dog.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for owner or keeper of a dog to allow such animal to run at-large, as defined in section 2.02.001 of this article.
(b) 
Any citizen shall have the right to file a complaint with the city for violations of this section.
(c) 
An owner or keeper of a dog running at large is in violation of this article, whether or not such dog has been impounded.
(d) 
All dogs are subject to impoundment. In addition to, or in lieu of, impounding a dog at-large, an animal control officer may issue to the known owner of such at-large dogs a citation, which will be forwarded to the city judge for prosecution.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10; Ordinance 343 adopted 3/21/19)
(a) 
Any dog found running at-large, whether or not such dog has been documented running at-large, may be taken up by the city and placed in the city impound shelter. Upon impoundment, an entry shall be made in the impoundment registry showing the breed, color, and sex of the dog, along with any information contained on the dog’s license tags. A copy of the registry shall be placed on file at city hall and shall be open to public inspection. The animal control officer shall provide written notice to the owner or keeper of a dog if the owner or keeper is known to the animal control officer or any police officer of the city from personal knowledge or from a review of the city’s dog licensing records. The notice shall:
(1) 
Describe the dog;
(2) 
State that the dog has been impounded; and
(3) 
Advise the owner or keeper that if the dog is not redeemed within 7 days from the date the notice is sent by the owner or keeper of the dog paying all applicable fees and licensing the dog (if the dog does not have a current license) all in accordance with city regulations then:
(A) 
The dog will become the property of the city; and
(B) 
Will be subject to sale, disposition or humane euthanasia in accordance with this article.
The notice shall be delivered or sent not later than the business day following the date on which the dog is impounded. This notice will be delivered personally to the owner or keeper of the dog when possible. If the owner or keeper of the dog cannot be located and the address of the owner or keeper of the dog is known, then this notice will be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested to the owner or keeper of the dog.
(b) 
Dogs shall be held in the city impoundment shelter for a minimum of 7 days, for dogs, before becoming subject to disposition pursuant to section 2.02.005 of this article. No unlicensed dog shall be released from impoundment until a license is obtained from the city or the owner or keeper of the dog makes arrangements with the animal control officer to take the necessary steps to license the dog or remove the dog from the city within 10 days from the date it is redeemed.
(c) 
The fees and charges as provided in Appendix A to this code shall be applied against any dog so impounded.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)
(a) 
After the time limit for impoundment as set forth in this article has expired, the city may sell or give away to a new owner, or humanly euthanize, any dog without further notice. Accurate records showing the disposition of each dog shall be kept by the city.
(b) 
The owner or keeper of any dog at the time it was impounded may, within thirty (30) days from the date such dog was sold or given away, reclaim and repossess the same from the new owner by reimbursing the new owner for all expenses incurred in the purchase of the dog plus $1.00 per day for each day the new owner had the dog in his or her possession. In no event shall the new owner be held liable for spaying or neutering the dog while in his or her possession. At the end of the thirty-day period from the new owner’s date of purchase or adoption, the right of the owner to reclaim the dog shall expire.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)
(a) 
Dogs that attack persons or that are a danger to persons or dangerous dogs shall be regulated in the manner provided in subchapters A and D of chapter 822 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. For purposes of this article, the term “dangerous dog” shall have the meaning assigned to it in that state statute.
(b) 
For purposes of administering the provisions of subchapters A and D of chapter 822 of the Texas Health and Safety Code the animal control officer shall be the animal control authority and the court to which appeals of the determination that a dog is dangerous by the animal control authority (pursuant to Tex. Health And Safety Code, section 822.0421) may be taken is the city’s municipal court.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)
Any dog that bites, scratches, or otherwise injures a person shall be, upon complaint of the injured person, quarantined and held for a period of ten (10) days at the owner’s or keeper’s expense in any veterinary hospital or animal shelter approved by the city. Prior to being redeemed by the owner or keeper, the quarantined dog shall be examined by a veterinarian, licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state, or other rabies control specialist for rabies or other communicable disease at the owner’s or keeper’s expense.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)
(a) 
Any violation of the regulations established by this article shall constitute an offense. Violation of any of the regulations established by this article shall:
(1) 
Constitute a separate offense for each day any such violation continues; and
(2) 
Shall constitute a separate violation or offense for each dog relative to which a violation occurs.
(b) 
A person found guilty of an offense established by this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be assessed a fine of up to $500.00 and may be subject to other orders or conditions as are permitted by applicable law. If a person found guilty of any violation of this article has been previously found guilty of a violation of this article, the fine for the subsequent violation of this article shall be in an amount not less than twice the amount of the standard fine established by the city, for the first violation, up to a maximum amount of $500.00.
(c) 
The city attorney may require the payment of an administrative fee not to exceed $20.00 upon the dismissal of any charges filed under this article.
(Ordinance 182-E adopted 6/17/10)