It shall be the duty of the chief of police, all police officers,
the health department official and dog or cat control officers of
the City of Onalaska to enforce the provisions of this article.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
It shall be unlawful for any keeper or owner of any dog or cat
to permit such dog to run at-large within the city. As used in this
section, the term "to run at-large" means to be free of restraint
beyond the boundaries of the premises of the keeper. Any, such dog
or cat when not upon the premises of its owner and which is controlled
by a leash held by a competent person shall not be deemed running
at-large.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse permission to,
or refuse to permit any police officer, health department officer
and dog or cat control officer to go in or upon any premises occupied
or used by such person, when such officer is engaged in the discharge
of his duties under this article.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
It shall be unlawful to keep any dog in the city which by loud,
frequent or habitual barking or howling shall cause annoyance and
disturb the peace and quiet of any person. Any such person who believes
that there has been a violation of this section may file a compliant
against the owner or keeper of such dog with the dog or cat control
officer or police department.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
It is illegal and prohibited by the state to sell or giveaway
animals from the side of the road, at garage sales, flea markets,
or festivals, Texas Penal Code chapter 42, section 6-118.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
(a)
All leashed or unleashed domestic animals are prohibited from
the water parks, fenced playground areas, basketball pavilion and
from all baseball and football fields or stadiums in the city. For
the purpose of this chapter, baseball, softball, t-ball, and football
field or stadium shall be defined by the fence surrounding such field.
(b)
The owner or party responsible for any dog being allowed or
caused to enter into the city shall, prior to allowing or causing
the dog to be muzzled in such a manner and by such a device as to
prevent the dog from being able to bite a person and to remain so
muzzled for so long as the dog remains in the city.
(c)
The city shall post signs in each such area notifying the public
of the prohibition of leashed or unleashed animals.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to promptly remove
and dispose of, in a sanitary manner, feces left by a dog or cat being
handled by that person on property, public or private other than the
premises of the owner or handler of such dog or cat.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
A dog posing a threat to the safety of pedestrians, and others
acts declared to be a nuisance.
(1)
Any dog in the city which poses a threat to the safety of pedestrians
and/or vehicles on public roadways, or on public or private property
or attacks other dog or cats, shall be deemed a nuisance.
(2)
Each owner shall exercise proper care and control of his dog
or cat to prevent it from becoming a public nuisance.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
Providing for abandonment, nonfeeding, torture, mistreatment,
poisoning and striking of dog or cat with vehicle.
(1)
Any person who shall intentionally or knowingly abandons a dog
or cat or dogs or cats in his custody within the corporate limits
of the city shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2)
Any owner who shall fail to provide his dog or cat with sufficient
good and wholesome food and water, proper shelter and protection from
the weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and
with humane care and treatment shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(3)
It shall be unlawful for any person to torture, torment, cruelly
beat, mutilate or poison any dog or cat, or cause or procure any dog
or cat to be treated as such, or for any person having charge or custody
of any dog or cat, either as owner or otherwise, to inflict unnecessary
cruelty upon it any person violating the provision hereof shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.
(4)
Any person who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes
dog or cat shall stop at once and render such assistance as may be
possible and shall immediately report such injury or death, to law
enforcement. Any person violating provision hereof shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor.
(5)
No person shall expose any known poisonous matter, whether mixed
with food or not, so that the same shall be liable to be eaten by
any dog or cat, provided that it shall not be unlawful for a person
to expose on his own property common rat poison mixed only with vegetable
substance. Any person violating the provision hereof shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
(a)
No dog of dangerous, vicious or fierce propensities or tendencies
may be at-large at any time within the limits of the city, and it
shall be unlawful for the owner or other person having any such dog
in possession or under control, or in any manner keeping or harboring
any such dog within the limits of the city to cause or permit any
such dog to be at-large in the city.
(b)
Any dangerous or vicious dog having dangerous or vicious propensities
and tendencies found at-large after its owner has previous knowledge
or notice that such dog is dangerous or vicious or has dangerous or
vicious propensities and tendencies, may be killed by any police officer
of the city without such officer having to catch or impound such dog.
(Ordinance 394 adopted 2/11/2020; Ordinance 441 adopted 7/11/2023)
