(a) Theft, Poison, Abandonment.
(1) Dogs to be personal property. All dogs are hereby declared to be personal property and subjects of theft. Except as provided in certain sections of the West Virginia State Code, Chapter 20, known as “The Game Law”, it shall be unlawful for any person, except a police officer, State dog warden or accredited veterinarian to kill, injure, or to attempt to kill or injure any dog.
(2) Poison illegal. It shall be unlawful for a person to place any poison or harmful substance of any description in any place, on his own premises or elsewhere, where it may be easily found and eaten by dogs.
(3) Abandonment illegal. It shall be unlawful for a person to abandon or attempt to abandon any dog with the City of Charles Town. Anyone convicted of abandoning or attempting to abandon any dog within the City of Charles Town will pay a fine of three hundred dollars ($300.00) to five hundred dollars ($500.00), plus costs.
(b) Dogs Used For Law Enforcement.
(1) Illegal to taunt law enforcement dogs. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully and maliciously taunt, torment, tease, beat, kick or strike any dog used by any municipal or State police department or agency in the performance of the functions or duties of such department or agency or to interfere with or meddle with any such dog used by the department or agency or any member thereof in the performance of the functions or duties of the department or agency or of such officer or member.
(2) Illegal to torture certain dogs. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison or kill any dog used by any municipal or State police department or agency or to interfere with or meddle with any such dog used by the department or agency or any member thereof in the performance of any of the functions or duties of the department of agency or of such officer or member. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a summary offense.
(3) Quarantine of certain dogs not required. Quarantine of dogs as required by law shall not apply to dogs owned by any municipal or State police department or agency when such dogs are under the direct supervision and care of a police officer and subject to routine veterinary care.
(Ord. 98-019. Passed 9-21-98.)