For the purpose of this chapter:
Male and female dogs.
Any person, firm or corporation owning or keeping or harboring
or having control of or custody of a dog.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.201)
(a)
Any person who violates or fails to comply with any provision or provisions of this division shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine as provided for in section 1.01.009 of this code, and any person who shall aid, abet, or assist in the violation of any provision of this division shall also be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine as provided for in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(b)
For
any animal that has all of the necessary tags attached, the base fine
shall be one-half of that charged for other animals. The purpose being
that owners can be contacted easily.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.212)
It shall be the duty of the animal control officer or any of
his or her deputies or any city police officer which [while] on duty
to cause all dogs running at large within the limits of the city to
be picked up and impounded, to keep and properly care for all dogs
impounded, to put to death or destroy all dogs that have not been
redeemed or sold, and to perform such duties as may be directed by
the mayor under the terms of this division.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.206; Ordinance 2010.11.2, sec. 1, adopted 11/9/10)
It shall be the duty of the animal control officer or any of
his or her deputies or any city police officer on duty to report in
writing to the city manager once each month the total number of dogs
impounded, the total number of dogs redeemed or sold to private parties,
and the total number of dogs put to death under the provisions of
this division, which report shall be approved by the city manager
and filed with the city secretary.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.207; Ordinance 2010.11.2, sec. 1, adopted 11/9/10)
There is hereby fixed and assessed as a police regulation for
the protection of the public health an annual license fee as provided
for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code against the
owner or keeper of each and every dog more than four (4) months of
age kept in the city. The license shall run from April 1 of each to
April 1 of the succeeding year, and any part of such year deemed and
considered the entire year.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.202)
It shall be the duty of the city secretary to provide suitable
metal tags for said dogs, with a number thereon beginning at one (1)
and running consecutively, which tags shall evidence the payment of
the license fees and the registration of the dogs, and each person
owning or keeping a dog within the limits of the city shall apply
to the city secretary for a tag, and upon payment of said license
fee and presentation of a certificate by a practicing veterinarian
showing that said dog has a current rabies vaccination when making
application for a license, the city secretary shall supply to each
such applicant therefor a tag suitable to be placed upon a collar
around the dog’s neck, and shall in a well-bound book kept for
such purpose register the number of said tag, the name of the owner
and his or her address, and a description of said [dog], and no such
license shall be issued unless the application is accompanied by such
certificate. It shall be the duty of the owner of each dog to apply
to said officer for such license, pay the fee for same, and obtain
a tag therefor, and to have and to keep said tag at all times during
the year securely fastened around the neck of said dog, and the failure
of the owner in this respect shall have the same effect as if no license
had been paid upon said dog, and it shall be unlawful for any person
to issue any counterfeit license tag upon said dog except the tag
adopted and issued by the city.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.203)
It shall be the duty of the owner or keeper of any dog to procure
a duplicate tag from the city secretary in the event that the original
tag is lost or destroyed, and the city secretary shall issue a duplicate
tag upon application of any person who has complied with the provisions
of this division and upon payment of the fee as provided for in the
fee schedule found in appendix A of this code for the cost of issuing
the duplicate tag.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.204)
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any dog in the limits
of the city for which the license herein provided has not been procured
from the city secretary, and which has not been vaccinated for rabies
[or] upon which the tag hereinabove provided for is not at all times
fastened about the neck of such dog.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.205)
It shall be unlawful for the owner or person in control of any
unspayed female dog, which dog is in heat, to allow same to be upon
the streets and in public places of the city unless accompanied by
the owner or person controlling same.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.208)
No person shall willfully or knowingly keep or permit any dog
on his premises or in or about his premises that barks or howls repeatedly
in such a manner as to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood
or the occupants of adjacent premises. A person shall be deemed to
have willfully and knowingly violated the terms of this division if
such person shall have been notified by the animal control officer
or any police officer of any such disturbance and shall have refused,
for a period of 24 hours, to correct such disturbance and prevent
its reoccurrence.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.210)
The animal control officer shall retain all seized animals for
a period as provided for in this chapter. At that time the animals
shall be destroyed as provided in other articles of this chapter.
(2001 Code, sec. 2.213; Ordinance
adopting Code)
Dangerous dogs, as defined in V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code,
section 822.041, shall be regulated in accordance with the provisions
of V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code, chapter 822, subchapter D.
(2001 Code, art. 2.1200)
