The provisions of this chapter are intended to set forth the regulations relating to dogs' licenses, impounding of dogs, dogs at large and quarantine of dogs within the city.
(Ord. 39 § 1, 1971)
For purposes of this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:
means any domesticated canine four months of age or older and shall also include both male and female gender, whether neutered or spayed.
means secured by a leash of no more than six feet in length and under the control of a responsible person, or confined within the real property limits of its owner.
For purposes of this chapter, "enforcing officer" means the city manager or such other person as the city manager may designate. The city council, by contract, may delegate the collection of license fees and the performance of any of the duties of the enforcing officer.
An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if it is fed or sheltered for three consecutive days or more.
means any person, partnership, or corporation owning, keeping, or harboring one or more animals.
means any dog for which the license for the current year has not been paid, or for which the tag for the current year is not in evidence on the dog.
means any dog which shows a propensity to attack, bite, scratch or harass people or other animals without provocation.
(Ord. 39 § 2, 1971; Ord. 340 § 4, 1985)
Each dog over the age four months harbored within the city shall be vaccinated for rabies and licensed. The owner and/or harborer of any such dog shall be required to present to the enforcing officer upon request a valid license and vaccination certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian. Such vaccination shall be made each year unless a vaccine approved by the Department of Public Health of the state has been given by a licensed veterinarian within the past two years.
(Ord. 39 § 3, 1971)
A.
Every person, firm or corporation owning, harboring or having custody or control of a dog within the city, such dog being of the age of four months or more, shall obtain a license and tag for the dog. License and tag fees are payable in advance. The license shall expire the same month as the rabies vaccination.
B.
If any person, firm or corporation acquires the ownership, custody or control of a dog, the new owner shall obtain the license required by this title within thirty days after acquiring the ownership, custody or control of such dog, if the dog is then of the age or four months or more, or within thirty days after such dog attains the age of four months. The license shall expire the same month as the rabies vaccination. The first license fee for a dog may be pro-rated to expire at the same time as the rabies vaccination expires.
C.
Moneys received during the current year for a license shall be first applied to the payment of delinquent fees, sums and penalties due during the preceding year, and any balance remaining thereafter shall be applied to the payment of the current license fees and penalties. A license issued during any prior fiscal year to the same owner shall be prima facie evidence in any court or administrative proceeding that the dog was continuously owned by the same owner from the prior year to the current fiscal year.
(Ord. 39 § 3(a), 1971; Ord. 150 § 1, 1976; Ord. 340 § 5, 1985; Ord. 480 § 1, 1992; Ord. 616 § 1, 2003)
No license to own or harbor a dog, as provided in this chapter, shall be issued except upon an application to authorized employees or agents of the city setting forth the name and address of the owner or possessor of the dog, a brief description of the dog, and proof of the vaccination of the dog to prevent rabies. The fee for renewal or application of a dog license shall include a late penalty fee if application or renewal is not made within thirty days of license expiration, or within thirty days of moving into the city or obtaining the dog, or within thirty days of the dog attaining the age of four months.
(Ord. 39 § 3(b), 1971; Ord. 480 § 2, 1992; Ord. 616 § 1, 2003)
Authorized employees or agents of the city, upon receipt of such application and license fee aforesaid, shall issue and deliver to the owner or possessor a license certifying the payment of the license fee and setting forth the name and address of the applicant and a brief description of the dog, and the number allotted to such dog, and upon receipt of the requisite fees, shall deliver to the applicant a tag which shall set forth the number allotted to such dog, which tag shall at all times be affixed to the collar, harness or other article worn by such dog; provided, however, that no license for a dog shall be issued unless the owner shall have paid the license fee required therefore and shall have exhibited to authorized employees or agents of the city a certificate of the vaccination of the dog to prevent rabies, signed by a duly licensed veterinarian.
(Ord. 39 § 3(c), 1971; Ord. 616 § 1, 2003)
This chapter shall not be applicable to dogs under the age of four months, which are kept within enclosures and not permitted to run at large.
(Ord. 39 § 3(d), 1971; Ord. 616 § 1, 2003)
A.
Upon receipt of documentary proof that a dog has been properly licensed in another city in the state and has a current dog license from that city and that it has, since the issuance of that license, been brought within the city, the city shall transfer such license and deliver to the owner a city license and metal tag as set forth in this chapter upon the payment of such fee therefor as shall be established by the city council of the city by resolution.
B.
No person may use any license for any animal other than the animal for which it was issued.
(Ord. 39 § 3(e), 1971; Ord. 150 § 2, 1976; Ord. 340 § 6, 1985)
A replacement license may be obtained upon payment of a replacement fee therefor as shall be established by the city council by resolution.
(Ord. 340 § 7, 1985)
A.
It is unlawful for any person owning or having the charge, care, custody or control of any dog to cause, permit, or allow the same to be or to run at large upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court, or other public place in the city or upon any private property or premises other than those of the person owning or having the charge, care, custody or control of such dog, unless such dog shall be restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in the charge, care, custody and control of a competent person.
B.
Every owner shall exercise proper care and control of his animals to prevent them from becoming a public nuisance.
C.
The provisions of this section shall not prohibit permitting or allowing dogs to run at large on the premises of the owner or person having the charge, care, custody, or control of such dogs, or prohibit permitting or allowing dogs, other than unspayed female dogs during the copulating season, to run at large on any ranch or undeveloped property when, within a radius of five hundred feet therefrom, there shall be situations not to exceed five residential or commercial establishments other than the residence of the person owning or having the charge, care, custody or control of such dogs.
(Ord. 39 § 5, 1971; Ord. 340 § 8, 1985)
A.
It shall be the duty of the enforcing officer to impound any dog for which a license is required if such dog shall not be wearing a dog license tag, or any dog running at large upon public street or sidewalk or upon private property or any public place contrary to the provisions of this chapter. The enforcing officer shall keep such dog impounded until it is claimed or disposed of.
B.
The owner or possessor of the dog so impounded may reclaim such dog upon payment of the required license fee, apprehension fee, plus boarding fees for each day that the dog is impounded.
C.
If a dog shall have been impounded for a period of seventy-two hours and shall not have been reclaimed by the owner, the enforcing officer, after a reasonable and diligent search for the owner and the notification of the owner, if known, by mail and phone within twenty-four hours (excluding weekends and holidays) after impoundment, may, in lieu of killing such dog, offer such dog for adoption. The enforcing officer of the city may, however, with the approval of a licensed veterinarian, humanely destroy any impounded animal on the same day it is impounded, if, in the opinion of the veterinarian, it is in great pain or discomfort due to an injury or infectious disease which may contaminate and be detrimental to the health of the other animals at the animal shelter.
D.
This section is not applicable to property of institutions, mobilehome parks, condominiums and apartments if a manager is on the premises. In such cases the enforcing officer shall limit enforcement to coordination with management of such property.
(Ord. 39 § 6, 1971; Ord. 340 § 9, 1985)
Any person in possession or control of a dog which is a vicious animal, as herein defined, and who has knowledge or has reason to know that such dog is vicious, shall not permit such dog to be or remain in any public place or premises in the city, unless such dog is properly and effectively muzzled, even though such dog may not otherwise be at large.
(Ord. 39 § 7, 1971; Ord. 340 § 10, 1985)
The enforcing officer or any of his deputies shall have the right to seize any dog within the city having or suspected of having rabies and cause the same to be examined by the health officer, and it shall be the duty of the health officer to examine such dog for the purpose of determining if such dog is afflicted with rabies. If it shall be determined that such dog does not have rabies, it shall be returned to the owner or person harboring the same.
(Ord. 39 § 8(a), 1971)
Whenever it has been shown that any dog has bitten any person, the owner or person having the custody of or possessing such dog, shall, upon the order of the health officer or his authorized agent, quarantine it and keep it securely chained for a period of twelve days and shall permit the health officer or his representative to make an inspection or examination thereof at any time during such period. Dogs quarantined shall not be removed from the premises without the permission of the health officer; provided, however, the health officer, in the interests of protecting the person bitten, may order the dog quarantined at the city pound for a period of twelve days at the owner's expense.
(Ord. 39 § 8(b), 1971)
A.
For the purpose of discharging the duties imposed by this chapter or other applicable law and to enforce the same, the enforcing officer may enter upon private property, except dwellings located thereon, as follows:
1.
During daylight:
a.
When in pursuit of any animal which he or she has reasonable or probable cause to believe is subject to impoundment pursuant hereto or other applicable law,
b.
To impound or place in isolation any animal thereon which he or she has any cause whatsoever to believe or suspect has rabies or is a biting animal,
c.
To inspect or examine animals isolated thereon pursuant hereto or other applicable law;
2.
At night:
a.
When in pursuit of any animal which he or she has reasonable or probable cause to believe is subject to impoundment pursuant hereto or other applicable law,
b.
To impound or place in isolation any animal thereon which he or she has any cause whatsoever to believe or suspect has rabies or is a biting animal.
B.
As a condition of the authority set forth in this section, except where time does not permit in an emergency or when in fresh pursuit, before entering upon private property a reasonable effort shall be made to locate the owner or possessor thereof to request permission to enter upon such property and to explain the purpose of such entry.
(Ord. 39 § 9, 1971)
Any person who has an animal in his possession, custody or control who wilfully or maliciously fails or refuses to exhibit such animal or any license therefor for inspection upon demand by the enforcing officer is guilty of an infraction.
(Ord. 39 § 10, 1971)
This chapter does not apply to any veterinary licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state or to any place of business operated by such veterinary, nor to animal training, animal cosmetics and routine animal husbandry practices, nor to laboratories subject to control or regulation by the National Institute of Health or the Federal Bureau of Animal Industry.
(Ord. 39 § 11, 1971)
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as set forth in Chapter 1.12.
(Ord. 39 § 12, 1971)