(A) Enforcement of chapter generally; functions of Animal Control Officer.
(1) The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Police Department and the Animal Control Officer, who shall be supervised and assisted in the performance of his or her duties by the Police Department.
(2) The Animal Control Officer shall perform the professional services required in the care, treatment or destruction of animals being handled under this chapter.
(B) Right of entry to enforce chapter.
(1) For the purpose of discharging the duties imposed by this chapter and to enforce its provisions, the Animal Control Officer, or any police officer is empowered to enter upon any premises upon which any animal is kept in a reportedly cruel or inhumane manner and demand to examine such animal and to take possession of such animal, when in his or her opinion, it requires humane treatment, and to demand the exhibition by the owner of the animal license if applicable as required by this chapter.
(2) The Animal Control Officer or any member of the Police Department is hereby authorized and empowered to follow and enter upon any enclosure or lot within the corporate limits of the city in quest of any animal suspected of being affected by rabies, or to apprehend any animal which he or she has observed to be running at large in violation of this chapter.
(3) If an animal is in violation of a provision of this chapter and is found on the animal owner’s private property, the police officer, Animal Control Officer or other person hired by the city shall give or attempt to give notice to the animal’s owner of the violation before catching, retrieving or impounding the animal. If the owner of the animal is not available and it is not possible to give the animal’s owner notice, the police officer, Animal Control Officer or person hired by the city shall be entitled to enter the private property of the animal’s owner to catch or retrieve the animal and the animal shall be impounded pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and a uniform citation issued and delivered to the owner of the animal as soon thereafter as is possible and reasonable.
(C) Animal defecation in public places.
(1) It shall be illegal and punishable by fine for any owner of any animal, whether under the owner’s control or not, to allow such animal to defecate on or in any of the following public places:
(a) Any area within a public park or playground;
(b) Any public sidewalk;
(c) Within 20 feet of the Freedom Trail;
(d) All of Evergreen Cemetery; and
(e) Any boulevard other than the particular boulevard adjoining that animal owner’s personal and private property.
(2) Any person accompanied by an animal on public or private property other than his or her own property must carry with him or her a visible means of cleaning up fecal matter left by the animal. Service animals and animals in parades are exempt from the provisions of this section.
(D) Records of Animal Control Officer. It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of the licensing, impoundment and disposition of all animals coming into his or her custody. It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of all bite cases reported to him or her under this chapter and his or her investigation of the same.
(Prior Code, § 4-A-03) (Ord. 1126, passed 2–12-2013) Penalty, see § 90.99