A. Annual License Required: The owner of all dogs and cats six (6) months of age or older, shall annually obtain a license as hereinafter provided. It shall be unlawful for any owner to have a dog or cat within the city without obtaining a license as required herein.
B. Applications: The owner of a dog or cat, for which a license is required, shall on or before April 30 of each year apply to the city clerk or designee for a license for each dog or cat owned. Applications may be made at any time immediately following the possession of the dog or cat, or at such time said dog or cat has reached the age of six (6) months. Applications for licenses shall state the breed, sex, age, color, markings, and name, if any, of the dog or cat, and the name, address, and telephone number of the owner. A certificate from a licensed veterinarian must accompany all applications claiming an animal has been spayed or neutered.
C. License Fee: The amount of the annual license fee for dogs and cats shall be established by resolution approved by the city council, subject to the following provisions:
1. The owner of a certified service animal who applies for a dog or cat license may qualify for a waiver of the annual license fee.
2. If the owner of a dog or cat acquires the animal less than six (6) months prior to the expiration date of the license for that period, the license fee shall be reduced fifty percent (50%) and the full regular license fee as herein provided shall henceforth be in effect the following calendar year.
D. Delinquency; Late Fee Penalty: All license fees for dogs and cats become delinquent on May 1 of the year in which they are due and payable, and a late fee penalty shall be added to each unpaid license on and after said date. The late fee penalty schedule shall be established by resolution approved by the city council.
E. Issuance Of License; Evidence Of Vaccination; Dangerous Dog Insurance:
1. The city clerk or designee shall issue dog and cat licenses when properly applied for and shall require evidence of rabies vaccination as herein provided. The rabies vaccination required shall be an injection of antirabies vaccine approved by the state department of agriculture and land stewardship, and the frequency of revaccination necessary for approved vaccinations shall be established by that state department. The vaccine shall be administered by a licensed veterinarian and shall be given as approved by the state department of agriculture and land stewardship. The veterinarian shall issue a tag with the certificate of vaccination, and the tag shall at all times be attached to the collar of the dog or cat. (Ord. 957, 1-19-2012)
2. The owner of a "dangerous dog" as defined in section 5-7A-1 of this chapter shall, at the time of procuring a license under this subsection, provide to the city clerk an insurance policy or a certificate of insurance in compliance with the requirements of subsection 5-7A-6A of this chapter. (Ord. 961, 3-15-2012)
F. Submission Of Rabies Vaccination Certificates By Veterinarians: Each veterinarian within the city limits shall forward to the city clerk or designee by the tenth day of each month a copy of each certificate of rabies vaccination issued by the veterinarian during the preceding month. Each certificate of vaccination shall be typed or printed so as to be clearly legible.
G. Transfer Or Chance Of Ownership: When the permanent ownership of a dog or cat is transferred and the animal remains within the city limits, the new owner shall be required to apply for a new license as herein provided. The new owner shall have thirty (30) calendar days in which to obtain the new license.
H. Duration Of License: All licenses shall expire on April 30 of the year following the date of issuance.
I. Exceptions To License Requirements: The requirements for licensing dogs and cats shall not apply in the following circumstances:
1. The animal is in transit through the city only.
2. The first thirty (30) calendar days of residency in the city by the owner, or the first thirty (30) calendar days the owner has owned the animal.
3. The animal has been temporarily housed in a veterinary hospital, an animal grooming shop, an established licensed kennel, or an accredited institution for research.
J. License Tag; Use Of Tag: The city clerk or designee shall, upon receipt of application, payment of license fee, proof of rabies vaccination and other necessary required evidence, deliver or mail to the applicant a license which shall be in the form of a metal, permanent tag. The license tag shall be attached by the owner to the dog's or cat's collar and shall be kept on the dog or cat for which the license was issued at all times.
K. Tag Not Transferable: A license tag issued for one animal shall not be transferable to another animal. A license issued by another city partnering with this city in a consolidated animal licensing agreement shall be honored when a resident moves from that city to this city with the same dog or cat.
L. Duplicate Tag: Upon the filing of a written statement that the license tag has been lost or destroyed, the owner may obtain another tag upon payment of the required license replacement fee, which shall be established by resolution approved by the city council. (Ord. 957, 1-19-2012)