All dogs and cats four months of age or older kept, harbored, or maintained within the city limits must be microchipped with current owner information. A person commits an offense if the person owns, harbors, or maintains an animal that is not microchipped as required by this section. An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of up to $500. The municipal court may waive the fine for a person's first offense upon receipt of verifiable evidence providing the subject animal has been microchipped as required by this section no more than 30 days from the issuance of the citation or filing of the complaint, as applicable, provided that the municipal court may extend that period upon a showing that the person has scheduled an appointment to have the animal microchipped. Each day during which a violation of this section continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ordinance 2025.06.02 adopted 6/18/2025)
(a) 
Sterilization required.
Except as expressly provided otherwise in this section, all dogs and cats kept in the city limits must be sterilized. All sterilization procedures shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian. The owner of such animal must retain documentation of the sterilization of the animal.
(b) 
Intact per permit required.
An animal that is the subject of a valid intact pet permit is not required to be sterilized. A separate intact pet permit is required for each intact dog or cat six months of age or older.
(c) 
Application.
An application for an intact pet permit must:
(1) 
Be made on the form prescribed by the designated city representative and include, at a minimum, the following information:
(A) 
The name, telephone number, and physical address of the applicant;
(B) 
The description of the animal sought to be included under the intact pet permit and the species, breed, gender, and age of the animal; and
(C) 
A statement affirming that the applicant is familiar with the provisions of this chapter and agrees to maintain all animals in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
(2) 
Be accompanied by photographic evidence, in digital or printed form, showing the enclosure or enclosures where the intact animal is to be kept;
(3) 
Be accompanied by the required fees; and
(4) 
Contain such additional information and documentation as the designated city representative deems necessary to determine whether an intact pet permit should be issued.
(d) 
Consideration of application.
An intact pet permit may only be issued for a dog or a cat:
(1) 
That is currently in compliance with the microchipping requirements of this article; and
(2) 
That is currently in compliance with the vaccination requirements of state law and this chapter.
(e) 
Issuance and maintenance of intact pet permit.
An intact pet permit is issued for an individual animal to an individual person. An intact pet permit is not transferable to another animal or to another person. To maintain an intact pet permit, the permit holder must keep the city apprised of current contact information for the permit holder and identifying and registration information for each animal subject to an intact pet permit. In particular, a permit holder must notify the animal control authority of any change of address or telephone number no later than 30 days after the new address or phone number is effective. In addition, within 30 days of obtaining an intact animal not subject to an intact pet permit, the permit holder must provide the city authority with the species, breed, gender and age of such animal. An intact pet permit expires one, two, or three years after the date of issuance, as provided in this section, and may be renewed by applying in the same manner as applying for a new intact pet permit in accordance with this section.
(f) 
Revocation or denial of intact pet permit.
(1) 
The designated city representative shall deny or revoke an intact pet permit if the designated city representative determines that the applicant or permit holder:
(A) 
Failed to submit a complete application for an intact pet permit;
(B) 
Failed to submit any information or supporting documentation required under this section;
(C) 
Provided false or inaccurate information on or in connection with an application for an intact pet permit;
(D) 
Failed to submit any fee required by this section;
(E) 
Has previously had an intact pet permit revoked;
(F) 
Resides at the same physical address as another individual whose intact pet permit has been revoked;
(G) 
Failed to vaccinate any animal in accordance with the requirements of state law or this chapter;
(H) 
Failed, within 30 days of when requested by the animal control authority to do so, to provide a current statement affirming that the applicant is familiar with the provisions of this chapter and agrees to maintain all animals in accordance with the applicable legal requirements; or
(I) 
Failed to comply with any provision of this article.
(2) 
Revocation or denial of an intact pet permit will not result in the refund of any permit or application fees.
(g) 
Exemptions.
The following animals are exempt from the requirements of this section:
(1) 
An animal under six months of age;
(2) 
An animal for which a licensed veterinarian provides a letter of exemption certifying that the animal should not be sterilized for health reasons or is permanently infertile if the letter of exemption includes, at the minimum, all of the following:
(A) 
Name of the dog/cat;
(B) 
Breed of the dog/cat;
(C) 
The full name and address of the animal's owner;
(D) 
The microchip information linking the animal to the owner; and
(E) 
A statement that the letter of exemption expires one year from the date of issuance or a statement that the condition for which the exemption is granted is permanent and that the letter of exemption will remain valid for the life of the animal.
(3) 
An animal transferred to another animal shelter or a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides a written agreement to the city that the animal will be sterilized before being placed into a new home;
(4) 
An animal that is verified as formally trained for use by or under the authority of a government agenda in law enforcement or rescue work;
(5) 
An animal that is verified as formally trained for use as a certified service animal;
(6) 
An animal that is subject of a valid breeding permit; and
(7) 
An animal owned by a state-licensed breeder.
(h) 
Evidence of intact pet permit.
The owner of an animal that is the subject of an intact pet permit must retain documentation of the intact pet permit in a condition so that all dates and identifying information are easily legible by law enforcement or animal control officers.
(i) 
Fees.
Fees for an intact pet permit shall be established by the city council and paid directly to the city, which shall maintain a database for all issued intact pet permits. Fees paid in association with an intact pet permit are non-refundable and non-transferable. Intact pet permits may be purchased on a basis of one, two, or three years. The intact pet permit shall state the date of expiration which is to coincide with the number of years purchased at time of payment.
(j) 
Offenses.
(1) 
A person commits an offense if the person owns, harbors, or maintains any intact dog or cat six months of age or older unless the animal is subject to a valid pet permit issued in accordance with this section.
(2) 
A person commits an offense if the person advertises for sale within the city an intact dog or cat six months of age or older and fails to include in such advertisement the identification number on the animal's valid intact pet permit.
(3) 
An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of up to $500.00. The municipal court may waive the fine for a person's first offense upon receipt of verifiable evidence proving the subject animal has been sterilized by a licensed veterinarian no more than 30 days from the issuance of the citation or filing of the complaint, as applicable, provided that the municipal court may extend that period upon a showing that the person has scheduled an appointment to have the animal sterilized. Upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense, the municipal court may revoke the intact pet permit. Revocation of an intact pet permit by the municipal court is final and will not result in the refund or any permit or application fees. Each day during which a violation of this section continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ordinance 2025.06.02 adopted 6/18/2025)
(a) 
Breeding permit required.
A separate breeding permit is required for each dog or cat that a person keeps intact for breeding purposes.
(b) 
Application.
An application for a breeding permit must:
(1) 
Be made on the form prescribed by the designated city representative and include, at a minimum, the following information:
(A) 
The name, telephone number, and physical address of the applicant;
(B) 
The description of the animal sought to be included under the breeding permit, including but not limited to a photograph of the animal, and the species, breed, gender, and age of the animal; and
(C) 
A statement affirming that the applicant is familiar with the provisions of this chapter and agrees to maintain all animals in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
(2) 
State the location where the animal is harbored, accompanied by photographic evidence, in digital or printed form, showing the enclosure or enclosures where the animal is to be kept;
(3) 
Be accompanied by the required fee(s);
(4) 
Be accompanied by proof that the animal has been approved to breed by a licensed veterinarian as required in this section; and
(5) 
Be accompanied by such additional information and documentation as the designated city representative deems necessary for the enforcement and administration of this section.
(c) 
Consideration of application.
A breeding permit may only be issued for a dog or a cat:
(1) 
That is currently in compliance with the microchipping requirements of this article;
(2) 
That is currently in compliance with the vaccination requirements of state law and this chapter;
(3) 
That not more than 90 days before the date of the breeding permit application, has been approved to breed by a licensed veterinarian; and
(4) 
Whose owner is a member of a purebred dog or cat club, approved by the designated city representative, that maintains and enforces a code of ethics for breeding that includes restrictions on breeding dogs and cats with genetic defects and life threatening health problems common to the breed.
(d) 
Issuance and maintenance of breeding permit.
A breeding permit is issued for an individual animal to an individual person. A breeding permit is not transferable to another animal or to another person. To maintain a breeding permit, the permit holder must keep the city apprised of current contact information for the permit holder and identifying and registration information for each animal subject to a breeding permit. In particular, a permit holder must notify the city of any change of address or telephone number no later than 30 days after the new address or phone number is effective. In addition, within 30 days of obtaining an intact animal not subject to a breeding permit, the permit holder must provide the animal control authority with the species, breed, gender and age of such animal. A breeding permit expires one, two, or three years after the date of issuance, as provided in this section, and may be renewed by applying in the same manner as applying for a new breeding permit in accordance with this section.
(e) 
Revocation or denial of breeding permit.
(1) 
The designated city representative shall deny or revoke a breeding permit if the designated city representative determines that the applicant or permit holder:
(A) 
Failed to submit a complete application for a breeding permit;
(B) 
Failed to submit any information or supporting documentation required under this section;
(C) 
Provided false or inaccurate information on or in connection with an application for a breeding permit;
(D) 
Failed to submit any fee required by this section;
(E) 
Has previously had a breeding permit revoked;
(F) 
Resides at the same physical address as another individual whose breeding permit has been revoked;
(G) 
Failed to vaccinate any animal in accordance with the requirements of state law or this chapter;
(H) 
Failed, within 30 days of when requested by the designated city representative to do so, to provide a current statement affirming that the applicant is familiar with the provisions of this chapter and agrees to maintain all animals in accordance with the applicable legal requirements; or
(I) 
Failed to comply with any provision of this article.
(2) 
Revocation or denial of a breeding permit will not result in the refund of any permit or application fees.
(f) 
Exemptions.
A state-licensed breeder and any animals owned by that state-licensed breeder are exempt from the requirements of this section; provided, however, that the person must provide such proof as the animal services manager may reasonably require of the person's currently valid status as a state-licensed breeder.
(g) 
Evidence of breeding permit.
The owner of an animal that is the subject of a breeding permit must retain documentation of the breeding permit in a condition so that all dates and identifying information are easily legible by law enforcement or animal control officers.
(h) 
Fees.
Fees for a breeding permit shall be established by resolution of the city council and paid directly to the city, which shall maintain a database for all issued breeding permits. Fees paid in association with a breeding permit are non-refundable and non-transferable. Breeding permits may be purchased on a basis of one, two, or three years. The breeding permit shall state the date of expiration which is to coincide with the number of years purchased at time of payment.
(i) 
Offenses.
(1) 
A breeding permit holder commits an offense if the breeding permit holder allows a female dog or cat subject to breeding permit to have more than two litters during any one-year term of the breeding permit. For a breeding permit that is valid for a period of two or three years, each full year shall constitute a one-year term, with the first term beginning on the date of issuance.
(2) 
A person commits an offense if the person breeds or allows the breeding of a dog or cat without a valid breeding permit for the animal.
(3) 
An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of up to $500.00. The municipal court may waive the fine for a person's first offense upon receipt of verifiable evidence proving the subject animal has been sterilized by a licensed veterinarian no more than 30 days from the issuance of the citation or filing of the complaint, as applicable, provided that the municipal court may extend that period upon a showing that the person has scheduled an appointment to have the animal sterilized. Upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense, the municipal court may revoke the breeding permit. Revocation of a breeding permit by the municipal court is final and will not result in the refund or any permit or application fees.
(Ordinance 2025.06.02 adopted 6/18/2025)