Cruelty to animals is defined as the following:
A. 
Intentionally killing, injuring, maiming, torturing or mutilating any animal;
B. 
Abandoning or leaving any animal in any place without making provisions for its proper care;
C. 
Having physical custody of any animal and failing to provide such food, potable water, protection from the elements, opportunity for exercise and other care as is needed for the health or well-being of such kind of animal; or intentionally using a wire, pole, stick, rope or any other object to cause an equine to lose its balance or fall, for the purpose of sport or entertainment.
D. 
No animal will be attached to a motorized vehicle while in operation.
E. 
Cruelty shall include continuous picketing, tethering or chaining as the only means of confinement.
(Ord. 1281, § 1, 11-4-2014; Ord. 1335, § 2, 11-5-2019)
The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
A. 
Normal or accepted veterinary practices;
B. 
Bona fide experiments carried on by commonly recognized research facilities;
C. 
Killing, attempting to kill, trapping, catching or taking of any animal in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 32 or Chapter 47 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated;
D. 
Rodeo practices accepted by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys' Association (PRCA);
E. 
The humane killing of an animal which is diseased or disabled beyond recovery for any useful purpose, or the humane killing of animals for population control, by the owner thereof or the agent of such owner residing outside of a city, or by a licensed veterinarian at the request of the owner thereof, or by any officer or agent of an incorporated humane society, the operator of an animal shelter or pound, a local or state health officer or a licensed veterinarian three business days following the receipt of any such animal at such society, shelter or pound;
F. 
With respect to farm animals, normal or accepted practices of animal husbandry;
G. 
The killing of any animal by any person at any time which may be found outside of the owned or rented property of the owner or custodian of such animal and which is found injuring or posing a threat to any person, farm animal or property;
H. 
An animal control officer trained by a licensed veterinarian in the use of a Tranquilizer gun, using such gun with the appropriate dosage for the size of the animal, when such animal is vicious or could not be captured after reasonable attempts using other methods;
I. 
Laying an equine down for medical or identification purposes.
(Ord. 1281, § 1, 11-4-2014)
A. 
The director of community development, the code enforcement officer, public health officer, law enforcement officer, licensed veterinarian, animal shelter or other appropriate facility may take into custody any animal, upon either private or public property, which clearly shows evidence of cruelty to animals, as defined in K.S.A. 21-4310 and amendments thereto. Such officer, agent or veterinarian may inspect, care for, or treat such animal or place such animal in the care of incorporated licensed veterinarian for treatment, boarding or other care or, if an officer of such veterinarian determines that the animal appears to be diseased or disabled beyond recovery for any useful purpose, for humane killing. If the animal is placed in the care of an animal shelter, the animal shelter shall notify the owner or custodian, if known or reasonably ascertainable.
B. 
If the owner or custodian is charged with a violation of K.S.A. 21-4310, and amendments thereto, the city of Valley Center may petition the district court to be allowed to place the animal for adoption or euthanize the animal at any time after twenty-one (21) days after the owner or custodian is notified or, if the owner or custodian is not known or reasonably ascertainable after twenty-one (21) days once the animal is taken into custody.
C. 
The owner or custodian of the animal can file a renewable cash or performance bond with the county clerk of the county where the animal is being held, in an amount equal to not less than the cost of care and treatment of the animal for thirty (30) days. Upon receiving such petition, the court shall determine whether the animal may be placed for adoption or euthanized. The city of Valley Center where the animal was taken into custody shall review the cost of care and treatment being charged by the animal shelter maintaining the animal.
D. 
The owner or custodian of an animal placed for adoption or killed pursuant to subsection A of this section shall not be entitled to recover damages for the placement or killing of such animal unless the owner proves that such placement or killing was unwarranted.
E. 
Expenses incurred for the care, treatment or boarding of any animal, taken into custody pursuant to subsection A of this section, pending prosecution of the owner or custodian of such animal for the crime of cruelty to animals, as defined in K.S.A. 21-4310 and amendments thereto, shall be assessed to the owner or custodian as a cost of the case if the owner or custodian is adjudicated guilty of such crime.
F. 
Upon the filing of a sworn complaint by any public health officer, law enforcement officer, licensed veterinarian or officer, animal shelter or other appropriate facility alleging the commission of cruelty to animals, as defined in K.S.A. 21-4310 and amendments thereto, the city of Valley Center shall determine the validity of the complaint and shall forthwith file charges for the crime if the complaint appears to be valid.
G. 
If a person is adjudicated guilty of the crime of cruelty to animals, as defined in K.S.A. 21-4310 and amendments thereto, and the court having jurisdiction is satisfied that an animal owned or possessed by such person would be in the future subjected to such crime, such animal shall not be returned to or remain with such person. Such animal may be turned over to a duly incorporated licensed veterinarian for sale or other disposition.
(Ord. 1281, § 1, 11-4-2014)
A. 
It is unlawful to continuously picket a dog for more than one continuous hour.
B. 
It is unlawful to repicket a dog, for any length of time, where said dog was previously picketed within the same twenty-four-hour period and where said dog has not been provided with a hiatus from picketing for a period of three continuous hours prior to the repicketing.
C. 
It is unlawful to picket a dog for a total time period in excess of three hours in any twenty-four-hour period.
D. 
It is unlawful to picket a dog in such a manner or in a location that allows the dog to risk injury, strangulation or entanglement on fences, trees or other man-made or natural obstacle.
E. 
It is unlawful to attach chains or other tether restraining implements directly to a dog without the proper use of a collar, harness or other device designed for that purpose and made from a material that prevents injury to the animal.
F. 
It is unlawful to picket a dog on a chain, leash, rope, or tether less than ten (10) feet in length.
G. 
It is unlawful to picket a dog using a chain, leash, rope, collaring device, tether, or any assembly or attachment weighing more than one-eighth of the animal's body weight or where the weight of said chain, leash, rope, collaring device, tether, assembly, or attachment inhibits the free movement of the animal within the area picketed.
H. 
Violation of this chapter is a class C violation.
(Ord. 1335, § 3, 11-5-2019)