(A) It has been determined that it is a nuisance in the village to allow cats to run at large and enter upon real property and dwellings within said village belonging or titled to persons other than the owner or keeper of the cat.
(B) No person, being the owner or having charge of a domestic cat or cats, shall permit such cat or cats to run at large upon the premises of other persons or upon public premises within the village.
(C) All persons who own a cat, keep a cat as a domestic pet, or permit a cat to reside at their residence, shall obtain and place upon the cat an identifying metallic or plastic tag or label containing the name, address and phone number of the owner or keeper of the particular cat.
(D) Law Enforcement Officials of the village shall have the right to seize any cat found in the village that does not have an identifying tag to the animal.
(E) No person shall trap a cat except under this section.
(1) Landowners and tenants of premises in the village may apply to the village for permission to trap cats on their property where such animals have become a nuisance by trespassing on their property. The village is authorized to supply live traps for such purposes.
(2) No person shall attempt to trap a cat except through use of a trap provided by or approved by the village. Upon capturing a cat in a live trap, and such cat is identified with a tag or other device as set forth above, or if the cat can be otherwise identified, then the person trapping said cat shall deliver such cat to the village as instructed.
(3) All cats seized under division (C) or (D) of this section shall be held by the village at a central location for a period of not less than 72 hours.
(4) Upon a cat being delivered to or seized by the village that has a registration tag or device upon the animal, the village shall attempt reasonable notification of the identified owner, who shall be allowed to retrieve the cat under the provisions of this division (E).
(5) Upon a cat being delivered to or seized by the village that does not have a registration tag or device as established by the village, the village shall hold for a period of 72 hours and within that period turn the cat over to any person contacting the village claiming ownership of the animal subject to the provisions of division (E) of this section.
(F) The village may collect a fee up to $50 from any person retrieving a cat that was delivered to the village or seized by the village and held under division (D) of this section.
(G) After holding any cat for a period of 72 hours, the village shall have the right to deliver the animal to the Auglaize County Animal Shelter, or other such institution for the collection of stray animals.
(H) The Council of the Village may issue any other appropriate regulations for the control of cats within the municipal limits.
(I) Whoever violates this section shall be guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 248.10, passed 5-11-10)