(a)
Basic care.
It shall be unlawful for the owner/custodian of any animal to refuse or fail to provide such animal with sufficient wholesome and nutritious food, water in sufficient quantities, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, grooming when lack thereof would adversely affect the health of the animal, and humane care and treatment, or to fail to provide adequate shelter and protection from the weather. All pens, cages or other enclosures where animals are kept shall be securely built and maintained, be adequate in size for the kind and number of animals contained therein, contain adequate and appropriate bedding and be maintained in a sanitary condition; such enclosures shall be cleaned and maintained so as to not become offensive.
(b)
Leaving animal in parked vehicle.
It shall be unlawful to leave any animal in any standing or parked vehicle in such a way as to endanger the animal’s health and safety. Any police officer is authorized to use reasonable force, including the breaking of a side window, to remove an animal from a vehicle whenever it appears the animal’s health or safety is or soon will be endangered, and said endangered or neglected animal shall be impounded.
(c)
Abandonment.
It shall be unlawful for any owner/custodian of any animal to willfully abandon such animal, abandonment consisting of leaving such animal for a period in excess of twenty-four (24) hours, without providing for someone to feed, water and check the animal’s condition. No owner shall leave an animal by a roadside or other area or leave such animal on either public or private property without the property owner’s consent. An animal so left shall be deemed abandoned. In the event that an animal is found so abandoned, such animal may be taken to the local animal shelter.
(d)
Cruelty to animals.
No owner/custodian shall beat, cruelly ill-treat, torment, mentally abuse, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse an animal, or cause, instigate, or permit any dogfight, cockfight, bullfight, or other combat between animals. No owner/custodian shall neglect to provide basic care to an animal.
(e)
Duties of person striking animal with vehicle.
Any person who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes a domestic animal shall stop at once and render such assistance as may be possible and shall immediately report such injury or death to the animal’s owner; in the event the owner cannot be ascertained and located, such operator shall at once report the accident to the appropriate law enforcement agency or to the local humane society.
(Ordinance 319, secs. 2.1.1–2.1.5, adopted 3/7/11)