(A) Running at large prohibited. A person, who owns, harbors, or keeps a dog or cat which runs at large shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor. Dogs or cats on a leash and accompanied by a responsible person or accompanied by and under the control and direction of a responsible person, so as to be effectively restrained by command as by leash, shall be permitted in streets or on public land unless the city has posted an area with signs reading “Dogs or Cats Prohibited”.
(B) Pet license.
(1) For each dog and cat (“pet”) kept, harbored, or maintained by their owners in the city, all dogs over the age of six months shall be, and all cats, at the option of their owners, may be, licensed and registered with the city. Licenses shall be issued by the City Clerk upon payment of the pet license fee as established by the fee schedule ordinance adopted pursuant to § 36.01 of this code, as that ordinance may be amended from time to time (the “license fee”). At the time application is made for the license and upon forms provided, the owner shall state his or her name and address and the name, breed, color, and sex of the pet to be licensed. No license shall be granted for a pet that has not been vaccinated against distemper and rabies, as evidenced by a certificate by a veterinarian qualified to practice in the state in which the animal is vaccinated.
(2) It shall be the duty of each owner of a pet subject to this section to pay the license fee to the City Clerk.
(3) Upon payment of the license fee, the Clerk shall issue to the owner for each pet licensed a license certificate and metallic tag. The tag shall have stamped on it the year for which it is issued and the number corresponding with the number on the certificate. Every owner shall provide each pet with a collar to which the license tag must be affixed, and shall see that the collar and tag are constantly worn. In case a pet tag is lost or destroyed, a duplicate shall be issued by the City Clerk. A charge shall be made for each duplicate tag in an amount established in the fee schedule ordinance adopted pursuant to § 36.01, as it may be amended from time to time. Pet tags shall not be transferable from one pet to another, and no refunds shall be made on any pet license fee or tag because of death of a pet or the owner’s leaving the city before the expiration of the license period.
(4) The licensing provisions of this division (B) shall not apply to pets whose owners are nonresidents temporarily within the city, nor to pets brought into the city for the purpose of participating in any pet show.
2015 S-1 IX - 25
Jackson - General Regulations
(5) If a dog is a service animal capable of being properly identified as from a recognized school for seeing eye, hearing ear, service or guide animals, and the owner is a blind or deaf person, or a person with physical or sensory disabilities, then no license shall be required.
(6) The funds received by the City Clerk from all pet licenses and metallic tags fees shall first be used to defray any costs incidental to the enforcement of this chapter; including, but not restricted to, the costs of licenses, metallic tags, and impounding and maintenance of the pets.
(C) Cats.
(1) Cats shall be included as controlled by this division insofar as running-at-large, pickup, impounding, and proof of anti-rabies vaccine is concerned.
(2) No person shall keep or maintain more than 5 cats on the same premises except a fresh litter of kittens may be kept for a period of 2 months before the keeping is deemed unlawful.
(3) All other provisions of this section shall also apply to cats unless otherwise provided.
(D) Vaccination.
(1) All dogs and cats kept harbored, maintained, or transported within the city shall be vaccinated at least once every 3 years by a licensed veterinarian for:
(a) Rabies - with a live modified vaccine; and
(b) Distemper.
(2) A certificate of vaccination must be kept on which is stated the date of vaccination, owner’s name and address, the animal’s name (if applicable), sex, description and weight, the type of vaccine, and the veterinarian’s signature. Upon demand made by the City Clerk, the Animal Control Officer or a police officer, the owner shall present for examination the required certificate(s) of vaccination for the animal(s). In cases where certificates are not presented, the owner or keeper of the animal(s) shall have seven days in which to present the certificate(s) to the City Clerk or officer. Failure to do so shall be deemed a violation of this section.
(Am. Ord. 1, 6th Series, 4-3-2012) Penalty, see § 93.99