A. 
Vaccination required.
Companion animals and ferrets over three (3) months of age shall be vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian at the owner’s expense and no less frequently than is required by state law.
B. 
Vaccination tag and certificate.
1. 
Owners of any animal vaccinated for rabies shall obtain from the veterinarian performing the procedure a unique numbered vaccination certificate and tag containing the following:
a. 
The name and address of the owner;
b. 
A description of the animal;
c. 
A description of the type of vaccine used;
d. 
The date of vaccination; and
e. 
The expiration date of immunity provided by the vaccination.
2. 
The certificate shall be surrendered for verification or examination upon demand of the animal control officer or any other person charged by the town with enforcement of this title. The tag shall bear the certificate number and the year of vaccination, and shall be worn attached to a collar or harness at all times, exceptions being cats, working animals, show dogs, animals being kept in a veterinary hospital, or others performing in agility, herding, tracking, coursing or hunting. Owners shall be responsible for replacing lost tags. Tags and certificates are nontransferable. Owners of animals without valid and current tags and certificates shall be subject to fines as designated in the schedule of fees.
C. 
Exposure to rabies/biting.
To ensure protection of the public health and welfare and control the spread of the rabies virus:
1. 
Any person with knowledge that an animal has bitten a person shall immediately report the incident to the animal control officer; and
2. 
Any physician or other healthcare professional that treats a person for an animal bite shall report such treatment to the appropriate state health agency within twenty-four (24) hours of such treatment.
3. 
The report must specify the name and home address of the person bitten, and the precise location of the bite on the person.
4. 
Any veterinarian who makes a clinical diagnosis of rabies and any person who suspects rabies in any animal, including companion animals, domestic animals, or wild animals, shall immediately report the same to the appropriate state health agency providing information about where and when such animal was seen and, if possible, where it may be found.
D. 
Animal destruction or quarantine.
1. 
Any dog, cat, or other animal determined by the state as requiring the rabies vaccination, and which has bitten or otherwise exposed a person or another animal to the rabies virus, shall be:
a. 
Quarantined by confining it immediately and observing it in confinement for a period of ten (10) days from the date of the bite, at the owner’s expense, at a place and in a manner designated by the animal control officer and approved by the appropriate state health agency. Upon the conclusion of observation period, the animal shall be:
(1) 
Released in accordance with all applicable provisions of this title if the animal does not show signs of infection with the rabies virus; or
(2) 
Destroyed and its head sent to an appropriate laboratory for rabies testing if the animal shows signs of infection with the rabies virus; or if the animal shows signs of infection during the required period of confinement and observation.
2. 
If the animal is proven to the animal control officer to have a valid current vaccination for rabies, and if the area involved is not under quarantine for rabies, then the animal control officer may allow quarantine of the animal at the owner’s home after its inspection and approval by the officer for suitability as a location for quarantine. If the animal shows signs of rabies during the required period of confinement and observation, the animal shall be destroyed and its head sent to an appropriate laboratory for rabies testing.
3. 
No person may remove or release an animal from a required quarantine location, or allow other animals into the quarantine location, during the observation period without the written consent of the animal control officer.
E. 
Dead suspected rabid animals.
Pickup and disposal of rabid animals or animals suspected of infection with the rabies virus shall be handled by the animal control officer in a manner consistent with state law.
(Ordinance 11-19 adopted 2011)
A. 
Conditional use permits.
All boarding kennels, grooming parlors, pet shops, doggie daycares, refuges, animal shelters, guard dog sites, or hobby breeder sites shall be compliant with title 16, chapter 16.16 of this code.
B. 
Guard dog and dangerous animal permits.
1. 
A guard dog permit issued by the animal control officer shall be required for all guard dog sites.
2. 
A dangerous animal permit shall be required for any animal deemed dangerous within the town. The permit will be valid for one year. The owner must comply with the registration and handling requirements for the dangerous animal to obtain the dangerous permit.
C. 
Intact animal permit.
An intact animal permit issued by the animal control officer is required to keep any dog exempt from being sterilized. The animal thus exempted must be registered with a nationally or internationally recognized animal registry organization. No person shall breed or allow to be bred a dog or cat for which an intact animal permit has been issued unless also accompanied by a hobby breeder permit.
D. 
Hobby breeder permit.
A hobby breeder permit issued by the animal control officer will be required for controlled breeding of dogs or cats. The hobby breeder permit number must appear in all advertisements regarding the sale of any litter.
E. 
Multiple animal permit.
1. 
No person or any one household shall own, harbor, maintain or keep more than a combined total of between seven (7) to twelve (12) dogs and/or cats in any combination thereof over the age of three (3) months without a valid hobby breeder permit or multiple animal permit.
2. 
All dogs and cats at a multiple animal site shall be vaccinated against rabies and must be either microchipped or otherwise permanently identified. A fostered pregnant dog or cat and her eventual offspring are temporarily exempted from this rule.
3. 
Granting of multiple animal permits and any other required approvals shall be at the discretion of the animal control officer.
4. 
No permit shall be issued until an inspection by animal control has been completed and compliance with this title is achieved and may be revoked, modified or suspended if an adjoining property owner is reasonably aggrieved by any effects of the multiple animal site.
F. 
Posting of permits; other conditions.
1. 
This provision shall apply to all relevant permits issued pursuant to this title, including, but not limited to, multiple animal, dangerous dog, and guard dog permits.
2. 
A permit holder shall notify the animal control officer of any changes in operations which may affect the status of any permit issued pursuant to this title and shall keep the animal control officer informed of all changes in name, location, address, and home and business telephone number of the site and activities covered by the permit.
3. 
Both the person in charge of a permitted premises and the owner of the permitted premises shall be responsible for complying with this chapter.
4. 
At each permitted premises, a current record shall be kept which describes all animals owned, purchased or received, and the final disposition of each animal.
5. 
Permits shall expire one year after the date of issuance of the permit. An application for renewal shall be filed at [with] the animal control officer thirty (30) days before the date of expiration. The fees and application and inspection procedures for permit renewals shall be the same as those for new applications. Failure to renew permits as specified shall result in the expiration of the permit or in the assessment of a five percent (5%) late fee.
G. 
Permit approval.
Within ten (10) business days of receipt of an application for a permit, the animal control officer shall inspect the premises to determine whether it complies with the standards established in this chapter. The applicant shall be notified in writing by the animal control officer of a denial of the permit application.
H. 
Appeals.
A written request for the appeal of any permit decision must be filed with the chief of police within five (5) days of the animal control officer’s decision.
I. 
Permit expiration; renewal.
No permit except a guard dog permit is transferable from one person or place to another person or place. A guard dog permit may be transferred to a new location operated by the same person during the permit year, provided that advance notice of at least five (5) working days shall be given to the animal control office for each transfer of a guard dog permit. Permit transfers shall not be effective until the animal control officer has inspected and approved the facilities at the new location and recorded the information required on the permit application.
(Ordinance 11-19 adopted 2011)
The owner or custodian of an animal shall be responsible for its care and maintenance. The owner or custodian of any animal shall have the following obligations in regard to the care and maintenance of each animal:
A. 
The owner or custodian of an animal shall provide the animal with:
1. 
Food.
Uncontaminated, edible, nutritious food, in an adequate quantity to maintain the normal weight and condition of a healthy animal. The amount of food administered must conform to the individual animal’s age and condition. All food containers shall be kept clean;
2. 
Water.
Animals shall be provided with constant access to a supply of potable water with sufficient amount as to maintain good health as required by the species whether the animals are outdoors or indoors except as directed by a veterinarian;
3. 
Shelter.
Outside housing shall be soundly constructed of solid materials, such as wood or plastic panels, and of a size appropriate for that species that allows the animal to be able to stand up, sit down, lie down, and turn around, and contain straw or other form of bedding that is regularly changed, in order to protect animals from all four (4) directions from the adverse effects of weather, including sun, wind, rain and snow, that could be detrimental to the health of the animal;
4. 
Exercise area.
Area for exercise that is large enough to accommodate that species;
5. 
Ventilation.
Ventilation must be sufficient to provide for the health and safety of the animal and prevent strong odors from forming;
6. 
Veterinary medical care.
Animal owners shall provide regular basic and emergency medical care for all their animals. No person shall keep an animal which is seriously sick or injured without providing proper veterinary care to the animal. The animal control officer may require a letter of health evaluation from a licensed veterinarian describing the condition of the animal at the owner’s expense;
7. 
Cleaning and grooming.
Basic cleaning and grooming shall be provided as necessary for the health and general welfare of the animal. Grooming the coat on most animals is necessary to ensure the coat is not matted to the point that it becomes so heavy as to cause skin irritation or trap fecal matter. The animal shall not be so dirty as to provide a home for parasites and insects; and
8. 
Microchip.
No animal shall be allowed to have any foreign object imbedded in its skin, fur or hair other than a microchip for companion animals.
B. 
Any owner of an animal shall provide the animal with access to shade, not including its required shelter.
C. 
It is unlawful for a person to carry an animal in or upon any vehicle in a cruel, inhumane, or unsafe manner, including the open bed of a truck where the animal may fall out or suffer from the elements of weather. If an animal control officer determines that an animal in an enclosed vehicle is in immediate danger, the animal control officer may enter the vehicle for the sole purpose of rescuing an animal in danger, by any means necessary and/or legal, without being liable to the owner of the vehicle. The animal control officer may take any animal rescued in this manner into protective custody.
(Ordinance 11-19 adopted 2011)
A. 
Animals on owner’s property.
Any animal, excluding cats, that are not deemed dangerous on its owner’s property shall be:
1. 
Placed in a secure run or kennel measuring at least six feet (6') in width and twelve feet (12') in length, and with access to shade; or
2. 
Kept within a “secure enclosure”, as defined in this title, surrounding the owner’s premises or a portion thereof; or
3. 
Kept under the immediate physical control of a person capable of restraining the animal; or
4. 
Restrained by means of a trolley system, if the following conditions are met:
a. 
Only one dog may be tethered to each cable run;
b. 
The device must be attached to a pulley on a cable run or trolley;
c. 
There must be a swivel on at least one end of the tether to minimize tangling of the tether;
d. 
The tether and cable run must be of adequate size and strength to effectively restrain the dog. The size and weight of the tether must not be excessive, as determined by the animal control officer, considering age, size and health of the dog;
e. 
The cable run must be at least ten feet (10') in length and mounted at ground level;
f. 
The tether must be a minimum of ten feet (10') in length which does not allow the animal to move beyond the legal boundary of the property;
g. 
The device must be affixed to an animal by use of a nonabrasive, comfortably fitted collar or harness; and
h. 
The device must be fastened so that the animal can sit, walk, and lie down comfortably, and must be unobstructed by objects that may cause the device or animal to become entangled or strangled.
i. 
The animal shall not be kept on the cable for more than twelve (12) hours at a time, and must be off of the cable for at least twelve (12) hours before being placed on the cable again.
j. 
Direct point chaining, or tethering of dogs to a stationary object, is prohibited.
5. 
The animal must have access to adequate shade, shelter, food, and potable water as outlined in subsection 6.16.030.A of this chapter.
6. 
The area where the animal is confined must be kept free of feces, garbage and other debris that might endanger the animal’s health or safety.
7. 
The area where the animal is confined must be kept free of insect infestation, such as anthills, wasp nests, fleas, ticks, and maggot infestations.
8. 
The animal shall be brought indoors, [in] garages, or other suitable areas, when temperatures drop to a point where the animal is potentially exposed to harm based on the size, and species of the animal.
B. 
Animals off owner’s property.
1. 
Any animal, excluding cats, off of its owner’s property shall be kept on a leash at all times in compliance with this chapter, and/or under the immediate physical control of a person capable of restraining the animal. Voice command is not an acceptable form of control, except in areas specifically designated by the town.
C. 
Confinement during estrus.
While a female companion animal is in estrus, that animal shall be isolated and protected from interaction with unsterilized male animals of the same species unless breeding is intended consistent with the requirements of this title, and a litter permit or hobby breeder permit has been purchased as provided by subsection 6.16.020.D of this chapter.
D. 
Guard dog(s).
1. 
The premises where a guard dog is housed or is on duty shall be enclosed and secured to prevent escape of the guard dog and injury to the public.
2. 
Guard dog premises shall be posted with warning signs at least twelve inches (12") long on each side. The signs shall state: “Guard Dog” and “Guardia”, and shall show a picture of an aggressive dog. The warning signs shall be posted not more than two hundred feet (200') apart on the exterior walls or fences surrounding the premises, and shall be posted at all exterior corners of the premises and at all entrances.
3. 
Vehicles used to transport any guard dog, and vehicles protected by any guard dog, shall be secured to prevent escape of the animal and injury to the public. Any such vehicle shall be conspicuously posted with warning signs.
E. 
Owner’s liability.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as allowing any animal under physical restraint to commit an act deemed unlawful in this title. The owner shall be liable for any such acts by an animal under physical restraint.
(Ordinance 11-19 adopted 2011)
A. 
Dangerous animals.
1. 
Any owner of an animal determined to be dangerous shall be required to comply with registration and handling requirements for the animal and obtain a dangerous animal permit. The dangerous animal permit will be valid for one year if the owner, in addition to the requirements of this subsection A, establishes that:
a. 
The owner has the written permission of the property owner or homeowners’ association where the dangerous animal will be kept, if applicable;
b. 
The dangerous animal will be maintained exclusively on the owner’s property except for medical treatment or examination;
c. 
When a dangerous animal is moved from the owner’s property, the animal shall be caged or muzzled and restrained with a lead no longer than four feet (4'), and the animal shall be under complete control at all times;
d. 
A clearly visible warning sign with a conspicuous symbol indicating that there is a dangerous animal on the premises is posted where the animal is kept and is visible from a public roadway or from fifty feet (50'), whichever is less; and
e. 
The animal does not attack or repeat attack on any person or other domestic animal at any time without provocation.
2. 
If the owner fails to abide by the conditions of registration, confinement, or handling set forth in this title, the animal control officer may, without court adjudication, order the immediate impoundment or humane destruction of an animal previously determined to be a dangerous animal.
B. 
Seizure of dangerous animals; petition to court.
1. 
Following notice to the owner, if the animal control officer has probable cause to believe that an animal is dangerous, and poses an imminent threat to public safety, the animal control officer may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction in the county where the animal is located for a warrant or order to seize the animal and impound the animal, or may impound the animal with the owner’s consent.
2. 
The animal control officer shall impound the animal if public health and safety so require pending disposition of the case or until the owner has fulfilled the requirements for a certificate of registration pursuant to the provisions of subsection 6.16.020.B of this chapter and any other requirements imposed by the court for compliance with this title.
3. 
After seizure:
a. 
The owner may admit that the animal is dangerous and comply with the requirements for a certificate of registration pursuant to subsection 6.16.020.B of this chapter and any other requirements imposed by the court or agreed to by the owner for compliance with this title; or
b. 
The animal control officer may, within fourteen (14) days after seizure of the animal, bring a petition to a court of competent jurisdiction seeking a determination whether the animal is dangerous.
(1) 
If the court finds evidence that the animal is dangerous and poses an imminent threat to public safety, the court shall order the owner to comply with the registration and handling requirements for the animal and obtain a certificate of registration within thirty (30) days or have the animal humanely destroyed.
(2) 
If the court does not make the foregoing findings pursuant to this subsection, the court shall immediately order the release of the animal to its owner. A determination that an animal is not dangerous shall not prevent an animal control authority from making a subsequent application for seizure based on the animal’s subsequent or prior behavior.
C. 
Minimum enclosure for dangerous animals.
“Minimum enclosure for dangerous animals” means confinement indoors or secure confinement in a locked pen, fenced yard or structure measuring at least six feet (6') in width, twelve feet (12') in length, six feet (6') in height, with secure sides and capped if there is a possibility that the animal can climb the fence. Proper protection from the elements for the animal must be provided. The enclosure must be designed to prevent the entry of young children, and designed to prevent the animal from escaping.
D. 
Exceptions for dangerous animals.
An animal shall not be declared a dangerous animal if:
1. 
The animal is used by a law enforcement official for legitimate law enforcement purposes;
2. 
The threat, injury, or damage was sustained by a person or domestic animal that was provoking, tormenting, abusing or assaulting the animal or had repeatedly, in the past, provoked, tormented, abused or assaulted the animal; or if
3. 
The animal was:
a. 
Responding to pain or injury;
b. 
Protecting itself or its offspring; or
c. 
Protecting or defending a human being or domestic animal from an imminent, unlawful attack or assault.
(Ordinance 11-19 adopted 2011)