(a) Every person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any animal shall keep such animal exclusively upon the owner's real property. However, such animal may be off the owner's real property if it is under the physical control of a competent person and physically restrained by a chain, leash or harness, not to exceed eight feet in length and held in the hand of said person. For the purposes of this subsection only, a cat belonging to the species Felis catus or Felis domesticus which is actually kept as a pet shall not be subject to this restriction. Exceptions to this section:
(1) Service animals trained to provide assistance to persons impaired in sight, hearing, or mobility, do not have to be under physical restraint while off the owner's premises if the dog is under the impaired person's direct control and is obedient to that person's commands. The animal control officer may request proof of assistance animal registration to satisfy this exception.
(2) Inside the gated portion of any designated city dog park, which is designated leash optional.
(3) The animal control officer may place a special order of restraint on individual cats known to violate section 3-9 or section 3-13 of this chapter. Possible restrictions include, but are not limited to, indoor confinement, microchip identification, and the construction of retaining structures and/or cat enclosures.
(4) A working police dog in the course and scope of its duties.
(5) The release into flight of doves, homing pigeons, or other species of bird that is bred or trained to return to its loft, home or nesting place upon being released from a remote location. This exception shall only apply to outdoor events for which a permit has been issued by the city, and only upon a finding by the city manager, or his or her designee that said release will not constitute a danger to the public health or safety, and that said birds are kept in a manner consistent with the recommendations of the International Federation of Homing Pigeons, the American Racing Pigeon Union, the National Aviation Welfare Alliance, or similar organizations.
(b) If an animal is kept on the premises by a fence, the fence must be adequate to contain the animal. If it is an effective, working invisible fence, then there must be a visible, permanent sign on the premises stating that there is an invisible fence.
(c) Except as provided herein, it shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of a domesticated animal, wild animal, or livestock, to take the domesticated animal, wild animal, or livestock into picnic areas, pond areas, Riverside Cemetery, the children's play areas of any city park, or into any areas designated or permitted by the city as part of a community festival or event area. This restriction shall not apply to animals assisting persons impaired in sight, hearing or mobility.
(Ord. No. 3731, § 1, 4-28-09)