Animals must be kept safe during transport.
A. Pickup Trucks: Animals that are transported in the bed of a pickup truck must be protected from extreme temperatures and provided with a nonmetal surface to sit or stand on.
1. Crate: If an animal is put in a crate or other enclosure, the crate or enclosure must be securely fastened to the bed or sides of the truck so that the crate or enclosure cannot slide, turn over or fall out.
2. Protection From Weather: No animal shall be left in the bed of a truck whether in a crate or not when the weather is such that the animal will be exposed to extreme heat, cold or rain.
B. Cars, Vans And RVs: Animals riding inside vehicles that are not in crates or other enclosures must not be allowed access to a window opened wide enough for the animal to jump or fall. Animals riding in open topped or open sided vehicles must be secured in a humane manner to ensure the animal cannot jump or fall.
C. Transporting More Than One Animal: In addition to all other regulations in this section, animals should never be overcrowded when being transported. If the animals are crated or kept in any enclosure, they may be allowed to share a crate but each animal should be able to stand up, move around, lie down and stretch out naturally. If crates or enclosures are stacked, they must be attached securely to prevent the crates or enclosures from falling or turning over. If crates or other enclosures are stacked, the crates or enclosures must have solid bottoms to prevent urine or feces from passing between crates and enclosures. (Ord. 2017-10, 12-12-2017)
D. Unattended Animals: No person shall intentionally, knowingly or recklessly leave an animal unattended in a closed vehicle for any length of time without providing adequate ventilation to prevent the temperature in the vehicle from rising high enough such that any reasonable person would know that the animal would suffer from heat exposure. An animal left in a closed vehicle without the interior of the vehicle being air conditioned when the interior temperature of the vehicle is over eighty degrees (80°), shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this chapter. If an animal protection officer determines that an animal in a vehicle is in immediate danger, the animal protection officer or police officer may enter the vehicle by whatever means necessary, without being liable to the owner of the vehicle for any damage, and seize the animal. The animal's owner shall be responsible for all expenses related to the removal of the animal, emergency veterinary treatment and impoundment. If the animal protection officer or police officer cannot determine who confined the animal, the registered owner of the vehicle will be cited.
E. Driving Recklessly Or While Intoxicated: No person shall transport an animal in a motor vehicle or a towed vehicle while operating the motor vehicle in a reckless manner or while under the influence of an intoxication liquor or drugs.
F. Violation: An animal transported in violation of this section may be impounded pursuant to section 5-3-9 of this chapter. (Ord. 2018-18, 11-13-2018)