No person shall own, keep or harbor a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog, except in compliance with all provisions of this subchapter, including:
(A) Dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs. Dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs shall be subject to the following regulations.
(1) Such dog shall be kept, secured and restrained while on the real property of the person owning, keeping or harboring it only in the following ways:
(a) In a building with doors, windows and other exits securely fastened shut under the supervision and control of a responsible adult person capable of such supervision and control;
(b) Securely kept in a locked enclosure which has secure sides, top and bottom and is constructed out of materials and in a manner which will preclude escape by the dog and prevent entry by small children; and
(c) While outside a building or enclosure described above, securely leashed with a leash no longer than four feet in length in the hands of and under the control of a responsible competent person capable of such control and muzzled by a muzzling device sufficient to prevent such dog from biting persons or other animals.
(2) No person owning, keeping or harboring such a dog shall remove such a dog from the real property of such person, except to bring such dog to a veterinarian or to the County Animal Shelter, or to remove such dog permanently from the territorial jurisdiction of this subchapter. In the event of such removal, such dog shall be securely restrained or enclosed as set forth above for dogs being maintained outside buildings.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person shall keep or harbor within the territorial jurisdiction of this subchapter a dangerous dog that has killed a person, except as follows:
(a) In the care and custody of a veterinarian for the purposes of treatment or quarantine or pending appeal as herein provided of the determination that the dog is vicious, in which case the dog shall be kept and secured by the veterinarian as provided herein for a dangerous dog;
(b) In the custody of the County Animal Shelter pending disposition in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter or lawful instructions of the person owning or previously keeping or harboring such animal; or
(c) Pending appeal as herein provided of the determination that the dog is dangerous, in which case the dog shall be kept and secured by the County Animal Shelter as provided herein.
(B) Vicious dogs. No person shall keep or harbor a vicious dog within the territorial jurisdiction of this subchapter, except as follows:
(1) In the care and custody of a veterinarian for the purposes of treatment or quarantine or pending appeal as herein provided of the determination that the dog is vicious, in which case the dog shall be kept and secured by the veterinarian as provided herein for a dangerous dog;
(2) In the custody of the County Animal Shelter pending disposition in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter or lawful instructions of the person owning or previously keeping or harboring such animal; and
(3) Pending appeal as herein provided of the determination that the dog is vicious, in which case the dog shall be kept and secured by the County Animal Shelter as provided herein for a dangerous dog.
(C) Signage.
(1) Any owner of a dangerous, potentially dangerous or vicious dog shall erect a weather-proof sign (two feet by 20 inches) on the enclosure housing said dog which shall read:
BEWARE OF DOG THIS DOG IS DANGEROUS STAY AWAY! (252) xxx-xxxx
(2) All letters must be at least three inches vertically and clearly visible from all four sides of the property. In addition, if the owner has a phone, the owner’s phone number must be placed on the sign.
(Ord. 2013-24, passed 9-15-2013) Penalty, see § 90.99