Every owner or keeper of an animal kept in the city shall see that such animal:
A. 
Is kept in a clean, sanitary and healthy manner and is not confined so as to be forced to stand, sit or lie in its own excrement; the person(s) responsible for animal(s) shall regularly and as often as necessary to prevent odor or health and sanitation problems, maintain all animal areas or areas of animal contact;
B. 
Has food that is appropriate for the species in adequate amounts to maintain good health, fresh potable drinking water where appropriate, shelter and ventilation, including quarters that are protected from excessive heat and cold and are of sufficient size to permit the animal to exercise and move about freely;
C. 
Shall not be tethered by use of a choke collar, or on any collar too small for the size and age of the animal, nor by any rope, chain or cord directly attached to the animal’s neck, nor by a leash less than twelve feet in length, or of such unreasonable weight as to prevent the animal from moving about freely;
D. 
Is protected against abuse, cruelty, neglect, torment, overload, overwork, or any other mistreatment;
E. 
Shall provide the reasonably necessary medical care, in addition to the required rabies vaccination which shall include recommended vaccinations as required by accepted veterinary standards, and if diseased or injured, or exhibiting symptoms of disease, receives proper care and is segregated from other animals so as to prevent transmittal of the disease; and
F. 
Is maintained in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and all regulations respecting animal care and control as are adopted by the city and in effect from time to time.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to keep or maintain or cause to be kept or maintained any animal, unless the keeping of such is permitted in the particular district as provided in Title 17 of this code. This provision shall not apply to service animals.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013)
A. 
Purpose and Intent.
1. 
The purpose and intent of beekeeping is to provide for the safe and orderly keeping of bees in the city of Rancho Mirage to promote urban beekeeping that is supported by the Pollinator Health Task Force that was created by 2014 Presidential Order to address the decline of honey bees and other pollinators.
2. 
The purpose and intent of these regulations create certain minimum standards that allow beekeeping in residential zones in an attempt to mitigate the decline of honey bees in a manner that will protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city of Rancho Mirage.
B. 
Applicability. Beekeeping is allowed in all residential zoning districts, subject to compliance with the standards of this section and other relevant requirements of this title.
C. 
General Requirements.
1. 
Beekeeping shall be limited to the Apis mellifera (European/Western common honeybees) variety and must be an ancillary use to a single-family dwelling.
2. 
Every person that is the owner or is in possession of an apiary shall comply with the California State requirements for registration of each apiary owned or operated in the city of Rancho Mirage.
3. 
Every person who registers an apiary with the state of California shall send notices to all neighboring parcel owners within a five hundred-foot radius of the property where the apiary is to be housed, notifying them of his or her intention to keep bees. Said notices shall be sent within two weeks of the apiary being registered with the state.
4. 
Beekeeping shall be operated and maintained in accordance with recognized best management practices that provide safe and healthy living conditions for the bees during active operation of the colonies in a manner that avoids nuisance impacts on surrounding properties and persons (i.e. managing and controlling colonies to reduce occurrence of swarms, which means the formation, or the beginnings of the formation of a new hive outside the apiary) and protects the public health, safety and welfare. Beekeeping training and membership is encouraged to promote recognized best management practices.
5. 
A beekeeper shall maintain adequate records and best management practices and proof of re-queening every two years. These records may be required by the Community Developer Director in response to a nuisance complaint as defined by this section.
6. 
The maximum number of permanent beehive colonies that may be kept per single-family dwelling unit shall be limited to two colonies on lots that are one acre and less in area, and four colonies on lots greater than one acre. Additional bee hive colonies are allowed on a temporary basis to address swarming or any other issues related to proper beekeeping management.
7. 
All bee hive colonies shall be kept in inspectable hives consisting of moveable frames and combs.
8. 
Beehive colonies must be kept in good and usable condition at all times.
9. 
Beehive colonies shall be promptly and properly removed if the beekeeper discontinues the beekeeping use on the property.
D. 
Hive Placement Requirements.
1. 
Beehive colonies shall be located within the rear yard of a private single-family dwelling.
2. 
A barrier of at least six feet in height consisting of a solid fence, wall or dense vegetation shall be installed and maintained between the beehive colonies and all abutting properties. Barriers shall comply with the fences, hedges and walls regulations set forth in Section 17.20.070.
3. 
Beehive colonies shall be located at least ten feet from all property lines.
4. 
In order to ensure the appropriate height of the honey bee flight path, beehive colony entrances shall face away from the nearest property line(s).
E. 
Hive Management Requirements.
1. 
Beehive colonies shall be continually managed to provide adequate living space for their resident bees to prevent swarming.
2. 
Beehive colonies shall be re-queened at least once every two years to prevent swarming.
3. 
A water source for bees shall be provided at all times on the property where the bees are kept to discourage bee visitation at swimming pools, hose bibs and other water sources on adjacent public or private property.
4. 
Beehive colonies maintenance materials or equipment must be stored in a sealed container or placed within a building or other bee-proof enclosure.
F. 
Nuisance. Bees or hives shall be considered a public nuisance when any of the following occurs:
1. 
Colonies of bees exhibit defensive behavior, commonly associated with guarding, pursuing, and stinging; or, interfere with the normal use of neighboring properties.
2. 
Colonies of bees swarm.
G. 
Penalties for Violations.
1. 
Any person violating this section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable pursuant to Section 14.100.090 (Infraction penalties) of this code.
2. 
Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to administrative fines and administrative penalties pursuant to Section 6.100.050 (Administrative fine) of this code.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013; Ord. 1145 § 2, 2019)
The code compliance manager may prohibit any animal if findings are made that the keeping of such animals create an unsanitary condition or other public nuisance.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013)
No person under the age of eighteen shall place any dog, cat, puppy or kitten on public display for the purpose of sale, offer for sale, barter or give-away upon any street, sidewalk, parking lot, shopping center walkway or other public place, and no transfer of any such animal shall be made in any such place to any person under the age of eighteen.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013)
A. 
If it shall appear to the code compliance manager that any animal has rabies, the code compliance manager may destroy such animal forthwith pursuant to this chapter, or may hold such animal for further examination or observation for such time as the code compliance manager may determine to be appropriate.
B. 
Whenever any animal has been bitten by an animal which has rabies or which exhibits any symptoms of rabies, or which is suspected of having or having been exposed to rabies, the owner or the person having custody of such bitten animal shall immediately notify the code compliance manager, and shall immediately confine the animal within a secure enclosure and maintain that confinement until it is established that such animal does not have rabies. The code compliance manager shall have the power to quarantine such animal, or impound it at the owner’s expense if the owner or person having custody of such animal shall fail, refuse, or is unable, in the opinion of the code compliance manager, to adequately confine such animal immediately, or in the event the owner of such animal is not readily accessible.
C. 
Whenever it is shown that any animal has bitten any person, the owner shall, upon the order of the code compliance manager, quarantine such animal and keep it confined at the owner’s expense for a minimum period of ten days for dogs and cats and fourteen days for all other animals, and shall allow the code compliance manager to inspect and examine such animal at any time during such period of quarantine. Animals quarantined pursuant to this subsection shall not be removed from the premises upon which such animal is quarantined without permission of the code compliance manager. The code compliance manager is authorized to impound any animal at the owner’s expense in the event the owner or person having custody of such animal fails or refuses or is unable to so confine such animal. Animals shall remain quarantined until notice is given by the code compliance manager that such quarantine is terminated.
D. 
The code compliance manager may, in her or his discretion, post an appropriate sign on any premises where an animal is quarantined, to warn the public of such quarantine. It is unlawful for any person to remove such a sign without the permission of the code compliance manager.
E. 
Whenever the code compliance manager determines that an epidemic of rabies or any animal disease which threatens the public health or safety exists, or is threatened, he or she shall have the authority to take such measures as may be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of the disease, including, but not limited to, the declaration of quarantine against any or all animals in any area of the city, for a period of not more than one hundred twenty days. An additional or extended quarantine period may be declared by the city council if such period shall be deemed necessary by the code compliance manager for the protection and preservation of the public health, peace and safety. Any quarantine declared pursuant to this subsection, other than as restricted in this chapter, shall be upon such conditions as the code compliance manager may determine.
(Ord. 1052 § 2, 2013)