(A) Every owner of a cat or dog which is four months of age and is kept in the city shall register the animal with the city every three years.
(B) In order to register a cat or dog, the owner, or his designee, shall:
(1) Provide a current rabies vaccination certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian that contains identifying information regarding the animal including, but not limited to, breed, sex, and sterilization information;
(2) Present a valid picture identification card issued to him or her by a state; and
(3) Pay a registration fee, if any, as established by the city council and maintained in the Master Fee Schedule.
(C) Upon registration, the city shall execute and furnish to the owner of the cat or dog as evidence thereof, a certificate of registration and/or tag that contains a serial number to correspond with the registration certificate number. The owner shall place the registration tag on the animal's collar or harness while the animal is outside the owner's residence. If the tag is lost or destroyed, the owner shall obtain a duplicate upon payment of a fee established by the city council and included in the Master Fee Schedule. The city shall retain a paper or digital copy of the registration certificate and registration application, including the required rabies vaccination information securely with the city secretary's office. The city secretary shall maintain the confidentiality of these rabies vaccination certificates and any record compiled with the same information in compliance with the Texas Health and Safety Code, § 826.0211 and the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 552.
(D) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly possess a dog or cat that has not been registered as prescribed by this section.
(E) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly use a certificate of registration or tag of any dog or cat other than the one for which it was issued.
(F) It shall be unlawful for a person to alter or obliterate any information contained in a certificate of registration or on a registration tag.
(G) It shall be unlawful for a person who owns or harbors a dog or cat to fail or refuse to present proof to an animal services officer, police officer, or city code officer, upon request, that such animal is currently registered as required by this section.
(H) (1) The city shall waive the prescribed registration fees for owners under the following conditions:
(a) The registration of an animal trained to assist the hearing impaired, visually impaired, or physically impaired;
(b) The registration of a dog employed as a police canine by a law enforcement agency; or
(c) The registration of a spayed or neutered animal by a resident 65 years of age or older.
(2) The eligibility for a waiver of the registration fee does not relieve the owner of his or her responsibility to register a dog or cat as prescribed by this section.
(I) For purposes of this section, TEMPORARILY means a period of time not to exceed 14 days. This section does not apply to:
(1) Non-residents of the city who stay within the city limits temporarily; or
(2) Residents who may harbor an animal temporarily.
(J) The city may provide citizens registration options through outside vendors, including online pet registration services. There may be additional fees beyond those prescribed in this section to access said services and are the responsibility of the user. The city may also provide incentives for utilizing these services that may alter the time periods, fees, etc. as prescribed by this section.