[Adopted 12-15-1958]
[Amended 11-1-1965; 7-10-1975; 8-29-1977; 10-11-1979; 3-9-1982; 11-1-1989; 8-13-1998; 9-14-2023]
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog four
months old or over in Northumberland County, Virginia, unless such
dog is licensed as provided by the provisions of this article.
B.
Effective September 14, 2023, dog licenses shall be
valid for the lifetime of the licensed dog, as long as the dog's rabies
vaccination is kept current. Upon expiration of a rabies vaccination,
a dog license is no longer valid. The lifetime license will once again
be valid upon renewal of the dog's rabies vaccination.
C.
Kennel licenses shall be valid for one calendar year,
namely, from January 1 to December 31, inclusive.
[Amended 9-14-2023]
License tags on dogs shall be due and payable
as follows:
A.
Effective September 14, 2023, a license tax is hereby
imposed on dogs required to be licensed under this article, in the
following amounts:
B.
The kennel license shall be in lieu of the tax on
individual dogs therein.
C.
No license tax shall be levied under this section
on any dog that is trained and serves as a guide dog for a blind person,
that is trained and serves as a hearing dog for a deaf or hearing-impaired
person, or that is trained and serves as a service dog for a mobility-impaired
person or person who has a physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental
or mental disability or mental illness.
D.
Refunds
for portions of the license tax shall not be permitted.
Payment of the license tax subsequent to a summons
to appear before a trial justice or other court for failure to do
so within the time required shall not operate to relieve such owner
from the penalties provided.
Any dog not wearing a collar bearing a license
tag of the proper calendar year shall prima facie be deemed to be
unlicensed, and in any proceeding under this article, the burden of
proof of the fact that such dog has been licensed, or is otherwise
not required to bear a tag at the time, shall be upon the owner of
the dog.
[Amended 8-13-1998]
Any person may obtain a dog license by making
oral or written applications to the Treasurer of Northumberland County,
accompanied by the amount of the license tax. Upon receipt of proper
application and the proper amount of license tax, the Treasurer, or
other officer charged with the duty of issuing dog licenses, shall
issue a license receipt for the amount, on which he or she shall record
the name and address of the owner or custodian, the date of payment,
the year for which issued and the serial number of the tag, and deliver
the metal license tag or plates.
[Amended 8-13-1998; 9-14-2023]
This article is pursuant to § 3.2-6521-6536
of the Code of Virginia and its amendments thereto.
[Amended 8-13-1998; 3-14-2002]
A civil penalty of $25 for the first violation,
$75 for the second violation and $150 for the third or subsequent
violation shall be imposed upon any person who shall make a false
statement in order to secure a dog license to which he or she is not
entitled. A civil penalty in the amount of the license tax for the
first violation and in the amount of the license tax plus $10 for
a second or subsequent violation shall be imposed upon any person
who fails to pay the license tax prior to February 1 of any year or
is otherwise provided in this article on any dog owned by him or her,
and said person shall be required to obtain the proper license forthwith;
and unless the penalty and license tax is immediately paid, a court
of competent jurisdiction may order the dog killed by the Animal Warden
or some other officer; but the killing of such dog shall not relieve
its owner of payment of the penalty and license tax already due. A
civil penalty of $150 shall be imposed for any other violation of
this article for which a specific penalty is not provided.
[Added 8-14-1975; amended 8-13-1998]
A.
The Board of Supervisors shall cause to be constructed
and maintained a pound or enclosure of a type approved by the County
Health Department, and shall require dogs running at large without
tags as herein provided to be confined therein by the Animal Warden.
B.
As provided in the Code of Virginia § 3.1-796.96,
the court may turn over a dog for disposition to the Animal Control
Officer.
[Amended 9-11-2003]
C.
As provided in the Code of Virginia § 3.1-796-94,
the owner must claim any dog picked up by the Animal Control Officer
for running at large after notice is given from said Officer. A reclaiming
fee will be assessed in the amount of $25 for the first incident,
$50 for the second incident and $100 for each incident thereafter.
[Added 9-11-2003]
D.
As provided in the Code of Virginia § 3.1-796.94,
after notice to the owner any dog not picked up from the pound within
24 hours will be charged a boarding fee of $15 per day.
[Added 9-11-2003]
