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Any person owning, possessing or harboring any dog, cat or ferret within the city shall obtain a license for such animal within thirty (30) days after the animal reaches the age of four (4) months, or, in the case of a dog, cat or ferret over four (4) months of age, within thirty (30) days of the acquisition of ownership or possession of the animal by said person. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
License applications must be submitted to the city, utilizing a standard form which requests name, address and telephone number of the applicant; breed, sex, color and age of the animal; previous license information, rabies and sterilization information, and the number, location or other identification applicable to a tattoo or implanted microchip of the animal. The application shall be accompanied by the prescribed license fee. A licensed veterinarian shall give rabies vaccinations with a vaccine approved by the current compendium of animal rabies control. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
Without limiting any other requirements of this title, those wishing to keep ferrets must adhere to the following requirements:
A. Number Permitted: No more than two (2) adult ferrets may be kept in a household at any time, and no more than two (2) litters of kits may be kept in a household at any time.
B. Housing; Confinement: Ferrets shall be kept primarily as indoor pets, and shall be housed in a cage or kennel of sufficient size and construction to allow proper space and safekeeping of the ferret. When a ferret is outside, it shall be kept on a harness with a leash not over six feet (6') in length specifically designed for ferrets.
C. Prohibited Persons: A ferret license shall not be granted to any person with an animal control violation within the three (3) years preceding the license application.
D. Sterilization; Descenting: The city division encourages owners to sterilize and descent their ferrets. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
The license shall be issued for one year and be effective from the date of purchase, through the end of the same month of the expiration year as the month in which the license is purchased, or at the end of the rabies vaccination period current for the animal at the time the license is obtained, whichever date occurs first. Renewals must be obtained prior to the expiration of the immediately preceding license. Applications for renewals made after the expiration of the immediately preceding license must be accompanied by a late fee as set forth in title 3, chapter 3.35 of this code. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
If the owner of any dog, cat or ferret is found to be in violation of this title on three (3) or more different occasions, within a twelve (12) month period, the director may seek a court order pursuant to chapter 8.10 of this title, revoking for a period of one year any and all licenses such person may possess, and providing for the division to pick up and impound any animal kept by the person under such order. Any animal impounded pursuant to such an order shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this title for impounded animals, except that the person under the order of revocation shall not be allowed to redeem such animal, unless successfully making reapplication of the license with the division. Persons seeking reapplication of said animals must comply with conditions as set forth by the director that may include, but not limited to, sterilization of the animals, enclosure requirements and confinement conditions. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
A. Tag Required: Upon payment of the license fee, the director shall issue to the owner a receipt and a tag for each pet licensed. The tag shall have stamped thereon the license number, corresponding with the tag number on the receipt. The owner shall attach the tag to the collar or harness of the animal and see that the animal constantly wears the collar and tag. Failure to attach the tag as provided shall be a violation of this title, except that dogs or cats which are kept for show purpose are exempt from wearing the collar and tag while participating in an animal exhibition.
B. Nontransferable; Refunds; Replacement: Tags are not transferable from one animal to another unless authorized by the director. No refunds shall be made on any dog, cat or ferret license fee for any reason whatsoever. Replacement for lost or destroyed tags shall be allowed upon payment to the city of the replacement tag fee set forth in title 3, chapter 3.35 of this code.
C. Removal Violation: Any person who removes, or causes the removal, of the collar, harness or tag from any licensed dog, cat or ferret without the consent of the owner or keeper thereof, except a licensed veterinarian or animal control officer who removes such for medical or other reasons, shall violate this title.
D. Microchip: Owners may have an identifying microchip implanted in their animals. If owners take such action, they shall be exempt from the requirement that such animals wear identifying tags at all times while on the owner's premises; provided, that the microchip information has been registered with the director. Owners shall assume the risk of the loss or destruction of an unrestrained animal whose microchip either cannot be located after a reasonable search thereof or owner information cannot be found after a reasonable records search.
E. Responsibility Of Microchip Vendor: It is the responsibility of any vendor of microchips to provide information to the director as to the identification of the owner of an animal that has been microchipped by said vendor. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)
1. The dog, cat or ferret is properly licensed in another jurisdiction and the owner thereof is within the city temporarily, for a period not to exceed thirty (30) consecutive days. If the owner shall be within the city temporarily, but for a period longer than thirty (30) consecutive days, he/she may transfer the dog, cat or ferret to the local license required by this chapter by payment of the fee set forth in title 3, chapter 3.35 of this code, and upon presentment of proof of a current rabies vaccination for the animal.
2. Individual dogs or ferrets housed within a properly permitted facility or other such establishment when such animals are held for resale.
1. Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform the tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability.
2. Dogs trained to assist officials of government agencies in the performance of their duties and which are owned by such agencies.
C. Vaccinations Not Exempted: Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to exempt any dog, cat or ferret located within the city from having a current rabies vaccination. (Ord. 2012-16, 6-21-2012)