It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog or cat four
months old or older in the City unless the dog or cat is licensed,
as required by the provisions of this article.
State law references: Unlicensed dogs prohibited,
Code of Va., § 3.2-6524.
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[Amended 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-20]
A. The Director of Finance shall keep all money collected for dog and cat license taxes pursuant to §
98-17 in a separate account from all other funds collected by him. The City shall use the dog and cat license funds for the following purposes:
(1) The salary and expenses of one or more Animal Control Officers and
necessary staff;
(2) The care and maintenance of a pound;
(3) The maintenance of a rabies control program;
(4) Efforts to promote sterilization of dogs and cats.
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State law references: Disposition of funds, Code
of Va., § 3.2-6534; Supplemental funds, Code of Va., § 3.2-6535.
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[Amended 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-20]
Each veterinarian who vaccinates a dog against rabies or directs
a veterinary technician in his employ to vaccinate a dog against rabies
shall provide the owner a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate.
The veterinarian shall forward within 45 days a copy of the rabies
vaccination certificate or the information contained in such certificate
to the Director of Finance of the locality in which the vaccination
occurs.
The rabies vaccination certificate shall include at a minimum
the signature of the veterinarian, the animal owner's name and
address, the species of the animal, the sex, the age, the color, the
primary breed, the secondary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed
or neutered, the vaccination number, and expiration date. The rabies
vaccination certificate shall indicate the locality in which the animal
resides.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of each vaccinated
animal that is not already licensed to apply for a license for the
vaccinated dog. If the Director of Finance determines, from review
of the rabies vaccination information provided by veterinarians, that
the owner of an unlicensed dog has failed to apply for a license within
90 days of the date of vaccination, the Director of Finance shall
transmit an application to the owner and request the owner to submit
a completed application and pay the appropriate fee. Upon receipt
of the completed application and payment of the license fee, the Director
of Finance or other agent charged with the duty of issuing the dog
licenses shall issue a license receipt and a permanent tag.
The Director of Finance shall remit any rabies vaccination certificate
received for any animal owned by an individual residing in another
locality to the local Treasurer or Director of Finance for the appropriate
locality.
Any veterinarian that willfully fails to provide the Director
of Finance with a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate or the
information contained in such certificate shall be subject to a civil
penalty of $10 per certificate. Monies raised pursuant to this subsection
shall be placed in the City's general fund for the purpose of
animal control activities, including but not limited to spay or neuter
programs.
State law reference: Similar provision, Code of
Va., § 3.2-6529.
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[Amended 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-20]
No license tag shall be issued for any dog or cat unless there
is presented to the Director of Finance or his designee satisfactory
evidence that such dog or cat has been inoculated or vaccinated against
rabies by a currently licensed veterinarian or currently licensed
veterinary technician who was under the immediate and direct supervision
of a licensed veterinarian on the premises.
State law reference: Rabies inoculation of dogs
and domesticated cats, Code of Va., § 3.2-6521.
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Dog and cat license receipts shall be carefully preserved by
licensees and exhibited promptly upon request for inspection by an
Animal Control Officer or Police Officer. The Animal Control Officer
or Police Officer may check such receipts door-to-door at any time
during the license year. Dog license tags shall be securely fastened
to a substantial collar by the owner or custodian and worn by such
dog. It shall be unlawful for the owner to permit any licensed dog
four months old or older to run or roam at large at any time without
a license tag. The owner of the dog may remove the collar and license
tag required by this section when (i) the dog is engaged in lawful
hunting, (ii) the dog is competing in a dog show, (iii) the dog has
a skin condition which would be exacerbated by the wearing of a collar,
(iv) the dog is confined; or (v) the dog is under the immediate control
of its owner.
State law reference: Similar provision, Code of
Va., § 3.2-6531.
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[Amended 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-20]
If a dog or cat license tag is lost, destroyed or stolen, the
owner or custodian shall at once apply to the Director of Finance,
or his designee, for a duplicate license tag, presenting the original
license receipt. Upon affidavit of the owner before the Director of
Finance, or his designee, that the original license tag has been lost,
destroyed, or stolen, the Director of Finance shall issue a duplicate
license tag which shall be immediately affixed to the collar of the
dog by its owner. The Director of Finance, or his designee, shall
endorse the number of the duplicate license tag and the date of issuance
on the face of the original license receipt. The fee for a duplicate
tag for any dog or cat shall be $1.
State law reference: Similar provisions, Code of
Va., § 3.2-6532.
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[Amended 9-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-25]
It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog or cat four
months old or older in the City, unless such dog or cat is licensed
under the provisions of this Section. The owner of any such dog or
cat shall obtain a current license for the dog or cat and pay the
license tax imposed herein. The license shall be valid for a period
of one, two or three years, depending on the license tax paid, provided
that the period covered by the license does not exceed the period
of time covered by the certificate of rabies vaccination. Any license
tax paid shall be nonrefundable.
The license tax upon all dog kennels and all dogs and cats over
the age of four months which are owned, possessed or kept in the City
shall be as follows: [Amended 12-13-2011 by Ord. No. 11-24]
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1 Year
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2 Years
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3 Years
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Unneutered or unspayed dog or cat
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$10.00
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$20.00
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$30.00
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Neutered or spayed dog or cat
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$2.00
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$4.00
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$6.00
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Kennel for up to 10 dogs
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$50.00
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$100.00
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$150.00
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Two or more blocks of kennels, each consisting of 10 dogs or
less
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$100.00
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$200.00
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$300.00
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Duplicate for lost, destroyed or stolen tag
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$1.00
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$1.00
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$1.00
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State law references: Amount of license tax, Code
of Va., § 3.2-6528; Duplicate license tags, Code of Va.,
§ 3.2-6532.
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[Amended 9-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-25]
A. The license tax as prescribed in this chapter is due not later than
30 days after a dog or cat has reached the age of four months, or
not later than 30 days after an owner acquires a dog or cat four months
of age or older, and each year thereafter.
B. Any kennel license tax prescribed pursuant to this chapter shall
be due annually or tri-annually on January 1 and not later than January
31 of the applicable year. Whether the license tax is due annually
or tri-annually shall depend on whether a person is buying a one-
or three-year license. If any person shall fail to remit to the Director
of Finance the applicable license tax for a dog, cat, or kennel when
due, a penalty of 25% shall be added to such tax.
[Amended 6-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-20]
C. No license tax shall be levied 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.
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As used in this section, "hearing dog" means a dog trained to
alert its owner by touch to sounds of danger and sounds to which the
owner should respond and "service dog" means a dog trained to accompany
its owner for the purpose of carrying items, retrieving objects, pulling
a wheelchair or other such activities of service or support.
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State law references: Amount of license tax, Code
of Va., § 3.2-6528; When license tax payable, Code of Va.,
§ 3.2-6530.
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Any dog or cat not wearing a collar bearing a valid license
tag shall prima facie be deemed to be unlicensed, and in any proceedings
under this chapter the burden of proof of the fact that such dog or
cat has been licensed, or is otherwise not required to bear a tag
at the time, shall be on the owner of the dog or cat.
State law reference: Effect of dog or cat not wearing
a license tag as evidence, Code of Va., § 3.2-6533.
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