(A) If the Police Chief determines that the circumstances require special preventive measures, then the Town Police Department shall have the authority to require appropriate, specific preventive measures which might include, but are not limited to, the following: necessary repairs for any fence or enclosure, measures to ensure that a gate will remain closed, a “fence” or “secure dog fence”, as described below, or any other similar device such as electronic electric fence that would provide greater assurance for the confinement of the dog, all of which are subject to being specifically approved for their adequacy by the Town Police Department.
(B) A fence shall be at least a minimum of four feet high and constitute a secure-enough enclosure sufficient to contain the dog at all times. The minimum size of the enclosure may be at least 120 square feet. If the dog is over 15 inches at the shoulder or deemed capable of climbing a standard four-foot fence, then the Police Chief may require a six-foot fence or may require up to a 160-square-foot enclosure. The location of the enclosure shall be at the approval of the Police Chief.
(C) A SECURE DOG FENCE means a fence, as immediately described above, that may also be enclosed on all six sides including the top. The bottom may be concrete unless the sides of the fence are buried one foot deep in a hard packed soil. Any reference to “fence” or “secure dog fence” shall be defined as stated in division (B) above.
(D) The Town Police Department shall also have the authority to require the owner to tattoo the dog at the owner’s expense if that is necessary for identification, investigative or enforcement purposes.
(E) The Town Police Department shall have the authority to require the owner to procure liability insurance in the amount of at least $100,000 at the owner’s expense, or to have the dog tattooed or to display a sign on the premises warning of the dog on the premises.
(F) The Department shall have the authority to require the owner to show signed written statements about maintaining the liability insurance, the designated enclosure for the dogs and the duty to notify the Town Police Department if the dog escapes, and to require the owner to give the Town Police Department the authority to seize and impound the dog if the owner fails to comply with the provisions.
(G) The Police Chief shall have the authority to waive any or all of these requirements if the Chief determines that a bite is inconsequential or that there is no necessity for action.
(Ord. 17-3, passed 8-8-2017) Penalty, see § 10.99