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(a) No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other domestic animal shall cause any condition that may lead to permanent injury, death, or harm to such animal, including confining an animal in a motor vehicle under any conditions that may endanger the well being of the domestic animal.
(b) No person shall keep any animal in a place that is unsanitary, including any place where there is an accumulation of feces or other waste, or foul odor, or insect or rodent infestation.
(c) No person who owns or keeps an animal shall fail to provide the animal all of the following needs:
(1) Clean, potable drinking water at all times, and suitable food, of sufficient quality and quantity as to ensure normal growth and the maintenance of normal body weight;
(2) Food and water receptacles that are kept clean and disinfected, and located so as to avoid contamination by feces or other wastes;
(3) Regular exercise sufficient to maintain the animal's good health;
(4) Necessary veterinary care;
(5) Shelter from the elements, including heat, cold, wind, rain, snow or excessive direct sunlight. If the animal is housed outside, a structure for shelter and protection must be provided that is suitable for the species, age, condition, size, and type of that animal. The structure must be completely enclosed and insulated, having a single entrance/exit secured with a flap or door or similar device. The structure shall be moisture-resistant, wind-resistant, and of suitable size and type to allow the animal to stand, turn about freely, lie in a normal position, and regulate proper body temperature. The structure shall be made of a durable material with a solid, moisture-proof floor and a floor raised at least two (2) inches from the ground. Suitable drainage shall be provided so that water cannot be reasonably expected to gather and stand within ten (10) feet of the structure, and so the animal has access to a dry area at all times. Proper bedding of straw or similar material, that remains dry, must be utilized inside the structure. All structures required by this section shall be subject to all building and zoning regulations.
(d) No person who shelters an animal from the elements by means of an animal shelter, a cage, or a pen shall fail to conform it to the following requirements:
(1) The shelter, cage or pen shall be appropriate to the animal's size, weight, and other characteristics, with sufficient space to allow the animal to turn about freely and lie in a normal position;
(2) The shelter, case or pen shall provide sufficient shade to allow the animal to escape the direct rays of the sun at all times;
(3) The shelter, cage or pen shall be regularly cleaned and sanitized.
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of neglect of animals, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. No. 1572-14. Passed 12-8-14, eff. 12-10-14)
(a) No person shall tether an animal in any of the following circumstances:
(1) For more than six (6) hours total in a twenty-four (24) hour period and not more than two (2) consecutive hours with no less than a one (1) hour period between tetherings;
(2) Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;
(3) If a heat or cold advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or the National Weather Service;
(4) If a severe weather warning has been issued by a local or state authority or the National Weather Service;
(5) If the tether is less than twenty (20) feet in length;
(6) If the tether allows the animal to touch the fence or cross the property line or cross onto public property;
(7) If the tether is attached by means of a pinch-type, prong-type, or choke-type collar or if the collar is unsafe or is not properly fitted;
(8) If the tether may cause injury or entanglement;
(9) If the animal is not provided with its needs as identified in division (b) of Section 603.091;
(10) If the tether is made of a material that is unsuitable for the animal's size and weight or that causes any unnecessary discomfort to the animal;
(11) If no owner or occupant is present at the premises.
(b) As used in this section, "tether" means a rope, chain, cord, dog run or pulley, or similar restraint for holding an animal in place, allowing a radius in which it can move about.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on the first offense, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on the second offense, and a misdemeanor of the first degree on the third or any subsequent offense. Notwithstanding the foregoing penalties, if an animal becomes sick or injured as a result of a violation of this section, then whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. No. 12-12. Passed 5-21-12, eff. 5-25-12)
(a) No person, firm, or corporation shall dye or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry, including, but not limited to, chicks and ducklings. No person, firm, or corporation shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, raffle, or give away any rabbit or baby poultry which has been dyed or otherwise colored. No poultry younger than four (4) weeks of age may be sold, given away, or otherwise distributed to any person in lots of less than six (6). Stores, shops, vendors, and others offering young poultry for sale or other distribution shall provide and operate brooders or other heating devices that may be necessary to maintain poultry in good health, and shall keep adequate food and water available to the poultry at all times.
(RC 925.62)
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of unlawful poultry sale or keeping, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense and a misdemeanor of the third degree on each subsequent offense.
(Ord. No. 834-03. Passed 6-10-03, eff. 6-12-03)
(a) Prohibited. Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, no person shall own, keep or harbor any member of the large cat family, known as felidae, including, but not limited to, lions and all other cats listed as endangered or threatened species in 50 C.F.R. 17.11, in the City, unless such person has obtained a license under the provisions of Section 2.1(b) of 9 C.F.R. Part 2 and strictly follows and meets the applicable standards, rules and regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture as contained in 9 C.F.R. Part 3, Subpart F, and all other Federal, State and local laws applicable to the taking, transporting and keeping of members of the family felidae.
Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, no person shall own, keep or harbor any member of the large cat family, as aforesaid, on any lot or premises in a Residential District, as set forth in Chapter 337 of these Codified Ordinances, on a lot less than two hundred (200) feet by two hundred (200) feet, or keep or harbor any such cat in any dwelling unit as set forth in Section 325.20 of these Codified Ordinances, or take such a cat upon any public street, sidewalk or other public place, except to transport such a cat in a motorized vehicle in accordance with the transportation requirements contained in Federal, State and local law.
(b) Exceptions. The provisions of subsection (a) hereof do not apply to any circus, carnival, zoo or other event for entertainment, which is authorized by law by the proper and responsible City official, or to a research facility, as defined in 9 C.F.R. Part 1, provided that proper bond or insurance is posted to indemnify those who may be injured or killed by the keeping of such cats. The type and amount of such bond or insurance shall be determined by the Director of Law, except where otherwise provided by ordinance.
The provisions of this subsection do not apply to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
(c) Notice to Remove. Upon complaint of any person that another person owns or is keeping or harboring a large cat on premises in the City in violation of subsection (a) hereof, the Director of Public Safety shall forthwith cause the matter to be investigated. If, after investigation, the facts indicate that such person named in the complaint is in fact the owner of, or is keeping or harboring, any such large cat in the City in violation of subsection (a) hereof, the Director shall forthwith send written notice to such person, requiring such person to safely remove such cat from the City within five (5) days of the date of such notice. However, such notice is not required where such large cat has previously caused serious physical harm, as set forth in Section 601.01 of these Codified Ordinances, or death, to any person, or has escaped and is at large. In such case the Director shall cause such cat to be immediately seized and impounded, if seizure and impoundment are possible without risk of serious physical harm or death to any person.
(d) Seizing and Impounding. The Director of Public Safety shall forthwith cause to be seized and impounded any large cat when the person owning, keeping or harboring such cat has failed to comply with the notice sent pursuant to subsection (c) hereof. Upon such seizure and impoundment, such cat shall be delivered to a place of confinement which may be with any organization which is authorized by law to accept, own, keep or harbor such animals, including, but not limited to, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Chief of the Division of Wildlife of the State or any other governmental body or unit consenting to take such animal into custody.
If, during the course of seizing and impounding any such large cat, the cat poses a risk of serious physical harm or death to any person, a person authorized by the Director may render such cat immobile by means of tranquilizers or other safe drugs, or if that is not safely possible, then such cat may be killed.
(e) Costs. Any reasonable cost incurred by the Director of Public Safety in seizing, impounding and confining any large cat, pursuant to subsection (d) hereof, shall be charged against the owner, keeper or harborer of such cat and shall be collected by the Director of Law.
(f) Penalty. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree for the first offense, and for each subsequent offense is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day a person fails to abide by the notice sent pursuant to subsection (c) hereof after the expiration date stated therein.
(Ord. No. 1002-A-82. Passed 5-24-82, eff. 5-28-82)
(a) The owner or keeper of any member of a species of the animal kingdom that escapes from his or her custody or control and that is not indigenous to this State or presents a risk of serious physical harm to persons or property, or both, shall, within one (1) hour after he or she discovers or reasonably should have discovered the escape, report it to:
(1) A law enforcement officer of the Municipality and the sheriff of the county where the escape occurred; and
(2) The Clerk of the Municipal Legislative Authority where the escape occurred.
(b) If the office of the Clerk of the Legislative Authority is closed to the public at the time a report is required by division (a) of this section, then it is sufficient compliance with division (a)(2) of this section if the owner or keeper makes the report within one (1) hour after the office is next open to the public.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(RC 2927.21; Ord. No. 90-96. Passed 3-18-96, eff. 3-26-96)