(A)
To enforce this section, the Animal Control Officer or his or her designee may enter upon private property when there is reasonable cause to believe that an animal is on the premises and is not properly displaying identification tags, or that there is an animal on the premises which is not being kept, confined or restrained. An owner shall produce for inspection his or her information when requested to do so by such officer.
(B) Interference with enforcement. No person shall intentionally interfere with, hinder, or molest any Animal Control Officer or his or her designee in the performance of his or her duty in the enforcement of this section.
(C) Strays. No stray animal shall be permitted within the confines of the city. It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to immediately impound any stray animal that is not physically bearing an identifying tag as required in this section.
(D) Confinement. The owner shall confine within a building or secure enclosure any fierce, dangerous or vicious dog, cat or other animal except when muzzled and in the control of a competent person. Every dog or cat in heat shall be confined in a building, secure enclosure, veterinary hospital or boarding kennel, or shall be controlled on a leash while being exercised, provided it does not create a public nuisance.
(E) Quarantines and animal bites.
(1) Any animal that has bitten a person shall immediately be quarantined at the owner’s residence or impound facility for at least ten days and kept apart from other animals until it is determined whether such animal had or has a disease that might have been transmitted by such bite. Such quarantine shall be at the owner’s expense. Upon the expiration of ten days, if it is determined that the animal does not have a disease that might have been transmitted by such bite, the animal may be released by the Animal Control Officer or designee. Any animal which has been bitten by a rabid animal shall be euthanized or impounded and kept in the same manner for a period of six months; provided that if the animal which has been bitten by a rabid animal has been vaccinated at least three weeks before such bite and within one year of such bite and if it is again immediately vaccinated, then such animal shall be confined or impounded for a period of 40 days before it is released. The period of time an animal is impounded may be reduced at the city's discretion and based on a veterinarian’s referral.
(2) Any dog or other animal that bites a human being shall be quarantined in the manner provided by this section. The animal control officer or his designee may determine that an animal or dog which bites a human being is ferocious and of a vicious character, habit or disposition and the dog or animal is a public nuisance and request the owner to voluntarily dispose of said dog or animal. If the owner or person in whose custody the animal resides refuses to dispose of said dog or animal, the Animal Control Officer or his or her designee shall declare the keeping of the animal to be a public nuisance and shall provide written notice directly to the owner or person keeping the animal to abate the public nuisance, and if the person refuses to do so, they shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(F) Dog defecation.
(1) Any person owning or having charge or control of any dog not confined to that person's property shall immediately remove any feces deposited on public or private property. Any such person shall have in their possession a means to collect and dispose of all fecal matter in a proper manner. A violation of this division is a petty misdemeanor.
(2) A person owning or having charge of any animal shall keep their premises free from an unreasonable accumulation of fecal matter.
(Ord. 2014-11, passed 7-8-2014; Ord. 2021-06, passed 3-23-2021)