(A) Cruelty. It is unlawful for any person to overdrive, overload, overwork, torture, torment, mutilate or unlawfully kill an animal, or to cause or procure an animal to be so overdriven, overloaded, driven when overloaded, overworked, tortured, tormented, beaten, mutilated or killed, and whomever, having charge or custody of an animal as owner or otherwise, inflicts cruelty upon it, drives or works it when unfit for labor, abandons it, or knowingly and willfully authorizes or permits it to be subjected to torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind.
(B) Neglect. Animals under human custody or control shall be housed in healthy environments and shall be provided with proper food, water, shelter, medical care and ventilation. Any person owning or having care, custody or control of any animal shall provide that:
(1) The animal receives on a daily basis, food that is free from contamination and is of sufficient quantity and nutritious value to maintain the animal in good condition.
(2) Potable water is accessible to the animal at all times, either free flowing or in a clean receptacle. For purposes of this division, CLEAN means not unhealthy to an animal.
(3) Except for livestock, all animals shall have convenient access to natural or artificial shelter throughout the year. Any artificial shelter shall be structurally sound and maintained in good repair to protect the animal from injury and from the elements, and of sufficient size to permit the animal to enter, stand, turn around and lie down in a natural manner. Any shelter that does not protect the animal from temperature extremes or precipitation, or that does not provide adequate ventilation does not comply with this section. Any shelter, all bedding and any spaces accessible to the animal, shall be maintained in a manner that minimizes the risk of the animal contracting disease, being injured, or becoming infested with parasites.
(4) The animal shall receive care and medical attention for injuries, parasites and diseases sufficient to maintain the animal in good health and minimize suffering, or shall be humanely euthanized to prevent protracted suffering and pain to the animal.
(5) If the animal is on a tie out, consisting of a chain, leash, wire, cable or similar restraint, it shall be so located as to keep the animal exclusively on the secured premises. Tie outs shall be so located that the animal cannot become entangled with other objects. Collars used to attach an animal to a tie out shall not be of a choke-type. The tie out shall not weigh more than 1/8 of the animal’s total body weight, and shall not be shorter than 3 times the length of animal, measuring from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail.
(C) Abandonment. It is unlawful for a person to drop off or leave an animal on a street, road, highway, in a public place or on private property without food, water or shelter.
(D) Violations. Any violation of divisions (A), (B) or (C) shall be a class 1 misdemeanor.
(Ord, 1465, passed 12-4-2018)