[Ord. No. 191 §I, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 1564-2024, 3-4-2024; Ord. No. 1589-2024, 10-21-2024]
As used in this Chapter, the following terms mean:
CAT
A cat of either sex if over the age of four (4) months.
DOG
A dog of either sex if over the age of four (4) months.
EXPOSED TO RABIES
When bitten by, or fought with, or has come in close contact with a dog or other animal shown to be infected with the rabies virus as determined by standard laboratory testing.
OWNER
Any person, group of persons or corporation owning, keeping or harboring a dog or dogs or other animal.
RESTRAINT
A dog is under restraint if it is:
1. 
Within a fully enclosed or fenced area including an electronic fence or electric collar that controls the movement of a dog by emitting an electrical shock when the animal wearing the collar nears the boundary of the owner's, keeper's, harborer's or maintainer's property. The collar may be controlled manually by a person or automatically in a predetermined manner;
2. 
On a handheld leash by a responsible person physically capable of controlling such dog.
RUNNING AT LARGE
At large shall mean:
1. 
Private Property: An animal freely roaming on the private property of another without the consent of the property owner or person in control of the property.
2. 
Public Property: An animal freely roaming on any public property, street, alley, park, school ground, or highway without the consent of the public entity in control of the property.
3. 
Leash Requirement: Any dog on public property (including streets, alleys, parks, school grounds, or other public spaces within the City) that is not securely attached to a leash no longer than six (6) feet, with the leash being held by the owner or other responsible person who has the capability and strength to control the dog.
4. 
Owner's Property: An animal on its owner’s private property that is not under the owner’s control and unrestrained, under conditions where the animal can leave the premises on its own volition, shall also be deemed running at large.
SPAYED FEMALE DOG
A female dog certified by a licensed veterinarian to have been spayed.
[Ord. No. 191 §II, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 1523-2023, 4-3-2023]
A. 
The provisions of this Chapter shall be enforced by the Chief of Police of Kearney, Missouri, or such members of the Police Department of Kearney, Missouri, as shall be available, or other authorized City official.
B. 
For the purpose of discharging the duties imposed by this Chapter and to enforce its provisions, the Chief of Police of Kearney, Missouri, or any Police Officer, or any other authorized City official, is empowered to enter upon any premises upon which a dog is kept or harbored and to demand the exhibition by the owner of such dog of the license for such dog. It is further provided that any such City official acting in their official capacity may enter the premises where any animal is kept in a reportedly cruel or inhumane manner and demand to examine such animal and to take possession of same when in his/her opinion it requires humane treatment.
[Ord. No. 191 §III, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 413-84, 4-16-1984; Ord. No. 1523-2023, 4-3-2023; Ord. No. 1564-2024, 3-4-2024; Ord. No. 1589-2024, 10-21-2024]
A. 
Every person or persons who shall keep or harbor one (1) or more dogs within the City of Kearney, Missouri, shall pay an annual license fee in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) for each dog.
B. 
The City Clerk shall not issue the license herein required unless there is presented to him/her a signed certificate of a qualified veterinarian admitted to practice in the State of Missouri showing that the dog for which the license is to be issued has been inoculated or vaccinated against hydrophobia or rabies.
C. 
No fee shall be required for a dog (but not more than one (1)) owned by a blind person or persons sixty-five (65) years or older. Proof of blindness or age may be made in the form of an affidavit to be signed by the person applying for such license. Such affidavit if based on blindness shall recite that the applicant does not have vision greater than what is known as light perception as such term is used within the meaning of those persons qualified to obtain a blind pension as outlined in the State of Missouri Statutes. All other provisions of this Chapter shall remain in full force and effect as to such persons. In the event of a transfer in ownership to a person who is not blind or sixty-five (65) years or older, immediate application for a license is required.
D. 
Kennels.
1. 
Kennel owners or breeders, in compliance with the City' s Zoning Ordinance, shall obtain and maintain an occupational license, or business license, per Municipal Code Chapter 605.
E. 
It shall be the duty of each person purchasing such license to cause a tag to be put upon the neck of the dog for which license is purchased, said tag to bear a number corresponding to the number of the license issued.
[Ord. No. 1589-2024, 10-21-2024]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, controlling, harboring, possessing, or having the management or care, in whole or in part, of any dog, to permit such dog to run at large. For the purpose of this Article, for every dog when on any street, alley or any other public place in the City or when on private property within the City, which is either not attached to a leash, the other end of which is securely held, so as to prevent its straying from the premises, or not securely confined as to prevent its straying from the premises, or in a manner that allows the dog to come within ten (10) feet of adjacent walkways, sidewalks, or streets restricting the safe unhindered passage of person utilizing said walkways, sidewalks or streets, shall be deemed running at large.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, controlling, harboring, possessing, or having the management or care, in whole or in part, of any cat, to permit such cat to run at large. For the purpose of this Article, cats which cause injury to person or damage to property shall be deemed not under control.
C. 
It shall be unlawful for any owner of any kitten/cat over the age of four (4) months to permit such kitten/cat to go or remain outdoors, unless such kitten/cat has been sterilized.
[Ord. No. 191 §IV, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 350, 3-19-1979; Ord. No. 587-92 §1, 10-19-1992; Ord. No. 1523-2023, 4-3-2023; Ord. No. 1564-2024, 3-4-2024]
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police or any person authorized by him/her, or any other authorized City official, to capture all dogs running at large within the City limits upon which the license fee shall have not been paid. If the same are not claimed within five (5) days from date of said capture, the required license not paid, then the Chief of Police or other authorized officer is directed to destroy or release for adoption such unclaimed or unlicensed dog.
B. 
Dogs not licensed pursuant to this Chapter or found not under restraint or abandoned may be seized and impounded by any Police Officer or authorized agent of the City and the owner of any dog captured and restrained by any Police Officer or authorized agent shall pay twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the cost of such capture and forty dollars ($40.00) a day for each day, or partial day thereof, of restraint.
C. 
Due to weather conditions, dogs may be impounded in an animal shelter so designated by the City in accordance with an animal housing agreement. The owner of the dog shall be responsible for the expenses of impoundment and/or treatment, per said agreement.
[Ord. No. 191 §V, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 1178-2011 §1, 10-17-2011]
A. 
The owner, keeper or person harboring such female dogs shall confine the same in heat within a building in such manner that the dog will not be accessible to other dogs except for planned breeding and will not attract male dogs. If any such female dog is found running at large, the Chief of Police or other authorized Police personnel, or any other authorized City official, may capture, restrain and impound the same under the same penalties and the same charges heretofore designated for dogs without license.
[Ord. No. 1523-2023, 4-3-2023]
B. 
The owner of a dog shall provide it with humane shelter from heat, cold, wind and snow and shall give it food, water adequate to keep the animal in good health and comfort. Doghouses and kennels must be soundly constructed, dry and provided in cold weather with clean bedding. All dogs must be given opportunity for vigorous daily exercise and must be provided by the owners with veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering. No owner shall permit a dog to habitually bark, howl, or in other ways to be a public nuisance. The word "dog", as used in this Section, shall be held and construed to mean all animals of the canine species, both male and female.
C. 
No person shall kill a rabid animal, whether dog or otherwise, exposed to rabies nor remove such an animal from the City limits without permission from the Chief of Police or authorized Police personnel except when it is necessary to kill such animal to prevent it from escaping or from biting any other animal or person. The body of any animal dead of rabies or been exposed to rabies prior to death shall be surrendered by the owner upon demand of the Chief of Police or authorized Police personnel to the City of Kearney.
[Ord. No. 191 §VI, 10-9-1967]
Hospitals, clinics and other facilities operated by a licensed veterinarian for the care and treatment of animals within the City limits of the City of Kearney are exempt from all provisions of this Chapter except those Sections referring to the care of dog, female dogs in heat, and those in connection with the care and treatment of dogs suspected of rabies or having died from rabies. The licensing provisions of the Chapter shall not apply to non-residents of the City unless they keep a dog within the City for more than thirty (30) days.
[Ord. No. 191 §VII, 10-9-1967; Ord. No. 1589-2024, 10-21-2024]
Except for kennel owners or breeders, no owner or family shall own, keep or harbor more than a maximum total of four (4) dogs or cats, or in any combination thereof, over the age of four (4) months, except as otherwise regulated by this Code or when such owner or occupier of land resides on a tract of ground that is at least ten (10) acres or larger. The owning, harboring, or keeping of more than four (4) dogs and cats total over six (6) months of age upon any property in the City shall be deemed a nuisance. Upon adequately showing that the premises are so situated which would not constitute a nuisance to the neighborhood, the owner or keeper may request a permit through Animal Control to keep or harbor a combination of more than four (4) dogs and cats total upon adequately showing that the premises are so situated which would not constitute a nuisance to the neighborhood.
[Ord. No. 1589-2024, 10-21-2024]
No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog or cat over four (4) months of age within the City limits unless such animal has been vaccinated against rabies within the last twelve (12) months, and has been issued a receipt and tag from a licensed veterinarian as herein provided, which tag the dog or cat shall wear at all times.
[Ord. No. 191 §VIII, 10-9-1967]
Any person, group of persons or corporation violating any Section of this Chapter shall be deemed guilty of an ordinance violation and shall be punished by a fine of not less than one dollar ($1.00) and not more than ninety dollars ($90.00). If such violation be continuing, each day's violation shall be a separate ordinance violation.