(A) Every dog and every cat shall be licensed. Fees for dog licenses shall be due and payable between January 1 and April 30 of each year. Licenses become delinquent after April 30 of each year and the delinquent license fee shall be $1 in addition to the regular fee, except in those cases where, by reason of residence or age, the dog was not subject to licensing during the January 1 to April 30 period. No person shall have, harbor, keep or possess any unlicensed dog or cat in violation of this chapter.
(B) Licenses shall be purchased from the city. A person must present evidence of a current rabies vaccination signed and administered by a licensed veterinarian which shows the date of the vaccination, type of vaccination and the date of the next, subsequent revaccination.
(C) Licenses are not transferable between animal owners or animals.
(D) Annual license fees shall be as follows:
(1) Neutered/spayed dog or cat (altered): $6;
(2) Non-altered dog or cat: $12;
(3) Dog declared dangerous: $150; and
(4) Dog declared vicious: $350.
(E) Residents age 60 or older and residents who are recipients of social security disability insurance benefits may license their neutered dogs or cats for an annual fee of $1.
(F) Altered dogs, duly and properly trained to aid or assist any person who is blind, deaf or physically handicapped, may be licensed for $1 annually when the dog is owned or maintained by a person actually training the dog to be used to aid or assist persons who are blind, deaf or physically handicapped, or is owned by a blind, deaf or physically handicapped person. The burden of proving that a dog is being trained to assist a person who is blind, deaf or physically handicapped is on the person seeking to license the dog. The city may require documentation of the person’s affiliation with an organization established for the purpose of training dogs to provide aid or assistance to blind, deaf or physically handicapped persons or whatever evidence the humane society deems satisfactory to establish the validity of such claim.
(G) The owner of a dog that has been declared a dangerous dog may qualify to license said dog for the normal licensing fee upon proof that the owner and said dog have attended and successfully completed a dog obedience class or similar program approved by the city.
(H) Upon proof of loss, a duplicate license tag may be obtained upon payment of a $2 replacement fee.
(I) A person owning or possessing any dog or cat who moves into the city shall obtain a license for said animal within 30 days of the date the person takes up residency in the city.
(J) Notwithstanding the licensing requirements of this chapter, the following animals shall not be required to be licensed while in the city:
(1) Animals whose owner or custodian is a non-resident of the city and who are visiting within the city temporarily. TEMPORARILY means for a period of time 30 days or less within any consecutive 12-month period; and
(2) Animals brought into the city for participation in a show, exhibition, demonstration or exhibit and which remain in the city for a period of 30 consecutive days or less.
(K) The executive director of the County Humane Society or an animal control officer of the humane society may revoke a person’s privilege to license and keep a dog or cat within the city. Such revocation shall be for a period as determined by the executive director or animal control officer. Revocation of the privilege to license and keep a dog or cat within the city may be initiated if the owner or custodian of the dog or cat has committed any violations of the provisions of this chapter, except that violations for failing to license a cat, non-dangerous dog or non-vicious dog shall not be included as violations leading to revocation within any consecutive 12-month period. A violation shall be shown by a conviction upon a citation or a finding by the Police Chief or by a non-appealed notice of violation.
(L) An owner or custodian whose privilege has been revoked shall, within ten days after notice of the revocation, remove from his or her residence all dogs and cats which the person owns, keeps, harbors or maintains. If the license is revoked, the owner or custodian shall surrender the animal to the humane society or permanently remove the animal from the (city/county) within five calendar days after either the time for appeal has expired or the decision of the Police Chief has been served on the owner or custodian. If the animal is found in the city after the five-day period, it shall be immediately impounded. Failure to remove a dog or surrender it to the humane society may be prosecuted as a municipal infraction violation or simple misdemeanor. An owner whose license has been revoked shall inform the humane society, in writing, upon the animal’s removal from the (city/county), the name, address and telephone number of the animal’s new owner; the location where the animal will be kept; and the name and description of the animal. In addition, the owner shall notify the new owner in writing of any details concerning any and all complaints concerning the animal, and any terms, conditions or restrictions imposed by the humane society as to the animal. The owner shall provide the humane society with a copy of the notification provided to the new owner as well as an acknowledgment by the new owner of the receipt thereof.
(M) Upon revocation of a person’s privilege to license and keep dogs or cats, no part of the licensee fee shall be refunded.
(N) During the period of revocation, any dog or cat which the person owns, keeps, harbors or maintains at his or her residence may be immediately confiscated upon its discovery and disposed of by the humane society absent clear and convincing proof that the animal or animals belong to a person visiting the resident.
(O) The humane society or animal control officer shall provide the owner or custodian of the animal or animals, as shown on the records at the humane society, so confiscated with notice of the confiscation. If the animal or animals are unlicensed or no record exists as to the owner or custodian of an animal, notice of confiscation shall be directed to the address of the residence.
(P) Any person whose privilege to license and keep animals has been revoked, but who owns, keeps, harbors or maintains a dog or cat during the period of the revocation shall have an additional period of up to one year added to the original period of revocation for each violation of the revocation.
(Q) The notice of initial revocation, any notice of the extension of the revocation period and any notice of confiscation of any animal may be appealed to the Animal Hearing Commission pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 19.00 of this chapter. Any notice sent pursuant to this section shall contain a brief explanation of the violation, the sanction imposed and appeal rights of the person accused. If the accused can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he or she has played no role in the care, supervision, possession or control of the animal, the animal shall be returned.
(R) When permanent ownership of an animal is transferred, the new owner shall, within 14 days from the date ownership is assumed, obtain a license if the animal is required to be licensed pursuant to this chapter.
(S) An application to license a dangerous or vicious dog must include presentation by the applicant of a certificate of insurance issuance by an insurance company licensed to do business in this state which provides personal liability insurance coverage for the death or injury of any person, or damage to property of others, and for acts of negligence of the owner or owner’s agents in the keeping of said dangerous or vicious animal. The minimum amount of coverage shall be $50,000 for an animal declared dangerous and $100,000 for an animal declared vicious. The certificate of insurance shall also require notice to the city, in conformity with general city standards for certificates of insurance, if the underlying policy of insurance is cancelled for any reason. In lieu of such a certificate, a copy of a current homeowner’s policy designating these requirements shall be sufficient proof of insurance for purposes of this section. If said certificate is not immediately available, a binder that indicates the proper coverage may be accepted for up to 30 days subsequent to the determination that an animal is dangerous or vicious; however, if after 30 days a certificate of insurance or a policy has not been submitted, the animal shall be deemed unlicensed and be disposed of at the discretion of animal control officers. The prescribed insurance coverage, whether it be certificate, policy or binder, must be obtained within ten days of the declaration of the animal as dangerous or vicious, with retention of the animal by animal control officers until compliance with this section is assured.