a. Any owner, keeper or harborer of any animal, regardless of its age, licensed or unlicensed, shall confine such animal as defined hereinabove.
1. When dogs or puppies are kept on tethers, the tether must be attached to the front of the dog’s shelter structure or to a post in front of the shelter structure.
2. Tethers must be at least three times the length of the dog, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, and have swivels on both ends.
3. The tether must allow the dog convenient access to the shelter structure and to food and water containers.
4. The tether must be of the type and strength used for the size of the dog involved, no chain or tether shall weigh more than 1/8 of the dog or puppy’s body weight. It must be attached to the dog by a well fitted collar or harness that will not cause trauma or injury to the dog. Collars made from the following materials are prohibited: metal, wire, flat chains, chains with sharp edges, or chains with rusty or non-uniform links. Choker collars or prong collars shall not be used when the animal is tethered.
5. The tether must be attached so that the dog cannot become entangled with other objects or come into physical contact with other dogs.
(a) Any tethering system employed shall not allow the dog or puppy to leave the owner’s property or allow the animal to be within 6 feet of an adjoining property line.
b. Any unspayed female animals in heat shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that the animal cannot come into contact with another animal except for a planned breeding.
c. Any Peace Officer may destroy any unconfined animal. However, a Peace Officer shall be under a duty to make a fair and reasonable effort to determine whether any unconfined animal is dangerous, and whether destroying said animal is necessary for the protection of any person or property. If it is a hound or other hunting dog which has become lost temporarily from a pack or wandered from immediate control of its owner or handler, and if the Peace Officer is reasonably sure that the animal is a hound or hunting dog, then he shall not destroy the dog, unless it is found in the act of pursuing, worrying or wounding livestock, or wounding, killing poultry or attacking human beings.
(Ord. BG2006-5, 3/7/2006; Ord. BG2021-14, 5/4/2021)