[Amended 12-11-2000; 2-12-2001; 2-26-2002; 11-22-2005; 2-22-2016]
A. Running at large.
(1) Except for any police canine, while performing a law
enforcement function, it shall be unlawful for a dog to run at large
on any public property or on private land without the landowner's
permission. A dog shall not be deemed to be at large if:
(a) It
is accompanied by its owner or a member of the owner's household or
designated handler and is under the control or command of such a person
and is not threatening or disturbing any other persons or animals;
or
(b) On a Village pathway or sidewalk, except in Village parks as described under §
204-3, if attached to a leash of sufficient length to restrain the dog. The leash must be of such a length to restrict the dog from contacting other people or animals.
(2) No owner of or person harboring or keeping a fierce
or vicious dog or female dog in season shall permit the same to run
at large at any time within the Village.
B. Dog residue. It shall be unlawful for any owner of
a dog to fail to immediately remove the solid waste matter of the
dog from any public or private property except that property owned
by the dog owner.
C. Frequent and habitual howling. It shall be unlawful
for any person to own, keep, have in his or her possession or harbor
any dog which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking or
otherwise shall cause serious annoyance or disturbance to persons
or to the neighborhood. No persons shall be convicted under the provisions
of this subsection except upon the evidence of two persons from separate
households.
D. Fierce or vicious animal.
(1) Any
humane officer or law enforcement officer having reasonable grounds
to believe that any animal, except for any police canine while performing
a law enforcement function, has caused injury to persons or animals
within the Village may take such animal into custody pursuant to §
173.13, Wis. Stats., where such humane officer or law enforcement
officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the animal poses a
significant threat to public health, safety, or welfare.
(a) If
a humane officer or law enforcement officer takes custody of an animal
with the knowledge of the owner, the humane officer or law enforcement
officer shall explain the procedure by which the owner can recover
the animal, including the procedure under § 173.22, Wis. Stats.,
and the procedure to be followed if the animal is not returned to
the owner.
(b) If
a humane officer or law enforcement officer takes custody of an animal
without the knowledge of the owner, the humane officer or law enforcement
officer shall promptly notify the owner, in writing, if he or she
can be identified and located with reasonable effort. The notice shall
explain the procedure by which the owner can recover the animal, including
the procedure under § 173.22, Wis. Stats., and the procedure
to be followed if the animal is not returned to the owner. The notice
shall also inform the owner that the owner must notify any person
with a lien on the animal that the animal has been taken into custody.
(c) If
the owner informs the humane officer or law enforcement officer in
writing that he or she will not claim the animal, it may be treated
as an unclaimed animal under § 173.23(1m), Wis. Stats.
It shall be the duty of the Humane Officer to
apprehend any dog running at large on any public land or on private
land other than that of its owner and to confine such dog when apprehended.
[Amended 12-11-2000]
Any owner of a dog so confined by the Humane
Officer may reclaim the dog upon payment of all costs and charges
incurred in impounding and keeping such dog. It is hereby made the
duty of the Humane Officer to keep all said dogs so apprehended for
a period of seven days to afford the owner of the dog an opportunity
to reclaim it.
[Amended 7-26-2005]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this article or any rule or regulation made under this article shall be subject to a penalty as provided in §
1-16 of this Code.