(a) 
Every person who owns, possesses, keeps, or harbors a dog of whatever sex over the age of four months within the city shall pay to the city an annual license fee, to be set by a resolution of the city council, for each dog. Every such person whose dog has been spayed or neutered shall pay one-half (½) of the applicable license fee; provided, however, that said person can present a certificate of sterility issued by a licensed veterinarian.
(b) 
Any dog which cannot be spayed or neutered for health reasons shall, upon proof of this fact in writing from a licensed veterinarian, be required to pay one-half the applicable license fee.
(c) 
Senior citizens over 62 years of age may register their dogs at onehalf (½) of the applicable license fee.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
The city shall deliver to the person making such payment a license which shall describe the dog, together with a seal or tag having thereon the number of such license. The city shall keep a record of the name of the owner and a description of the dog licensed.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
Licenses shall become delinquent 30 days following the date on which they are due, and all delinquent licenses shall be subject to the payment of a penalty in an amount to be set by resolution of city council in addition to the license fee.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
(a) 
The license collector, animal control officers and any other designated personnel are each authorized to collect dog license fees.
(b) 
All license fees collected pursuant to the terms of this chapter shall be paid into the general fund of the city.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
No license fee shall be required for the following:
(a) 
Guide dogs for the blind, signal dogs for the hearing impaired and service dogs for the physically disabled registered and identified pursuant to Food and Agricultural Code sections 30850-30854. For the purpose of this subsection, an individual shall be considered to be disabled if he or she is unable to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or to be of long continued and indefinite duration.
(b) 
Dogs honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
(c) 
Dogs in the care, custody and control of nonresidents who are traveling through the city or temporarily staying in the city for a period not exceeding 30 days, or dogs temporarily brought into the city for the exclusive purpose of being entered in a bench show or dog exhibition, provided such dogs are so entered and not kept elsewhere in the city.
(d) 
Dogs used in crime detection or apprehension by public officers.
(e) 
Dogs housed in a duly licensed pet shop prior to sale.
(f) 
Dogs owned by any duly licensed kennel operator.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
In the event any registration tag is lost or destroyed, replacement may be obtained upon showing such proof as may be required and upon payment of the replacement fee in an amount set by city council resolution.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
No person shall attach any current license tag to any dog, which tag was not issued to the dog, or shall remove a tag from any dog which is the property of another, or shall counterfeit or imitate a dog tag, or attach a counterfeit or imitation tag to any dog.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
No person having the care, charge or control of any dog shall permit or allow the dog to be present upon any street, alley, park or public place in the city unless such dog is securely restrained by a leash or chain not exceeding six feet in length and to be held by that person. Any police or other city enforcement officer may order that the owner or person having the care, charge or control of any dog determined to be in violation of this section shall immediately remove such dog from the street, alley, park or public place.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa hereby decrees that maintaining, keeping and/or permitting a barking dog, as defined in section 3-8 of this Code, on any premises in the City of Costa Mesa constitutes a public nuisance. Every day the barking dog violation exists beyond the ten day notice period to correct the problem, as set out in section 3-114 of this Code, shall be regarded as a new and separate offense.
(Ord. No. 08-6, § 2, 8-19-08)
(a) 
Any animal control officer or police officer has the authority to issue an administrative citation pursuant to the procedures set forth in sections 1-34 through 1-48 of this Code to any responsible person for a barking dog violation that the enforcement officer did not see or hear based upon a complaint signed under penalty of perjury lodged by a member of the community who has been disturbed by the barking dog. All barking dog complaints shall be lodged with the Costa Mesa Police Department.
(b) 
Prior to issuing the administrative citation to the responsible person the enforcement officer shall send a warning notice via registered or certified mail or shall personally serve upon the responsible person a warning notice giving the responsible person 10 days from the date of mailing or date of personal service in which to abate the public nuisance caused by the barking dog.
(c) 
The administrative citation shall contain the information set forth in section 1-38 of this Code.
(d) 
The responsible person shall have the right to appeal the administrative citation as set forth in sections 1-42 through 1-47 of this Code.
(e) 
The procedures established in this section may be in addition to criminal, civil or any other legal remedy established by law which may be pursued to address violations of the municipal code.
(Ord. No. 08-6, § 2, 8-19-08)
The word "vaccination" shall mean the inoculation of a dog with a vaccine approved by the Orange County Health Department.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
Every person who owns, possesses, or harbors any dog shall have such dog vaccinated against rabies by a duly licensed veterinarian, or some person under his supervision, in accordance with the following:
(1) 
Primary immunization. Primary immunization or initial immunization shall be defined as the first rabies vaccination administered to dogs after the age of four months and prior to 12 months, as required by California Health and Safety Code, section 121690.
(2) 
Revaccination intervals. Dogs shall be vaccinated one year (12 months) after the primary immunization. Thereafter dogs shall be revaccinated at least once every three years (36 months). If the primary immunization was done after the dog reached the age of 12 months, then the revaccination shall be at least once every three years (36 months).
A dog may not be licensed prior to vaccination, and the period of vaccination must last the length of the full term of the licensing period. A revaccination may not be ordered sooner than 12 months following a primary immunization nor sooner than 24 months for a dog over the age of 12 months.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
Every person who brings into the city a dog which has not been vaccinated with the approved vaccine as herein prescribed: (a) within 12 months prior to the importation, for dogs between the ages of four months and 12 months; or (b) within 30 months prior to the importation, for dogs over the age of 12 months, shall have such dog vaccinated within seven days from and after its arrival in the city. A certificate of vaccination issued by a duly licensed veterinarian, or person under his direct supervision, from any other jurisdiction, establishing vaccination of the specific dog with an approved vaccine may be accepted, provided it is within the interval prescribed by this section.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
The vaccination requirement in this article shall not apply to a dog where a certificate has been issued by a duly licensed veterinarian doing business in the County of Orange setting forth that the giving of the inoculation would endanger the life of the dog. In such an event, the dog shall be confined at all times within the premises of the owner or within a motor vehicle owned by or under the supervision of the owner of such dog.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
Every duly licensed veterinarian, or person under his direct supervision, after vaccinating any dog, shall sign a certificate in triplicate containing the following information:
(a) 
The name, address, and telephone number of the owner or harborer of the vaccinated dog.
(b) 
The type of rabies vaccine administered, the name of the manufacturer, the lot number of the vaccine, and the date of immunization.
(c) 
The year, number of dog license tag, and name of city where issued or, in the event the dog has not previously been licensed, a notation to that effect.
(d) 
A description of the vaccinated dog, including breed, color, age, and sex. Such veterinarian, or person under his direct supervision, shall immediately present the original certificate to the owner, possessor, or harborer of the dog, shall deliver the duplicate copy of the certificate to the Orange County Health Department, and shall retain the triplicate copy thereof.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
No person who owns, possesses, keeps or harbors any dog shall fail or refuse to exhibit the certificate required by section 3-125 upon demand of any person charged with enforcement of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)
In furtherance of the program of the city for vaccination of dogs against rabies, the Orange County Health Department is authorized to:
(a) 
Approve of such vaccines as it may find suitable for such use, designate approved vaccines and file a statement of such approval with the office of the city finance department as a public record.
(b) 
Change said approved vaccines when as a result of experience, research, practice or tests it finds that new or different vaccine is suitable for such use, and designate such changes and file them in the office of the city finance department as a public record.
(c) 
Prescribe the form of certificate to be used by duly licensed veterinarians, or persons under their direct supervision, under the provisions hereof and to distribute such form of certificate to duly licensed veterinarians practicing in this city upon request.
(Ord. No. 07-16, § 1, 8-7-07)