A. Pursuant to Section 9 of the Animal Control Act, it is unlawful for any dog to run at large. Every owner of an animal shall contain such animal to the confines of the owner's real property or keep the animal under restraint or voice command at all times when it is off the premises of the owner's real property. No animal shall run at large. Any animal found running at large in the county may be apprehended and impounded at the Lee County Animal Control Facility.
B. The provisions of subsection (A) shall not apply to;
1. Dogs being used in hunting, field trials and under the control of the owner or handler; and
2. Dog shows while on public lands set aside for those purposes;
3. Dog parks;
4. Blood hounds or other dogs used for tracking in conjunction with police activities;
5. Dogs of the Canine Corps of any police force, the state police, any federal law enforcement agency, or the Armed Forces while being used to conduct official business or being used for official purposes.
6. Livestock Guardian dog or Working dog that is off property for the purpose of herding animals back to their designated property.
C. To prevent a dog from running at large, all dogs must be under the control of a competent person who is physically able to control the dog.
D. Possession Of Running At Large Animals:
1. Owner Consent Required: It shall be unlawful for any person, without the knowledge and consent of the owner, to harbor, keep, care for, feed or allow to remain on their property any running at large animal for more than twenty-four (24) hours or immediately, on the next business day, whichever comes first, without first reporting such possession to Lee County Animal Control and providing his or her name, address, a description of the animal, and a statement of the circumstances under which possession of the animal was obtained.
2. Surrender Required: It shall be unlawful for any person who obtains possession of a running at large animal to refuse to surrender such animal to a Lee County Animal Control officer when requested to do so.
3. It shall be required for any person who finds an animal running at large and who takes possession of said animal to notify Lee County Animal Control within twenty-four (24) hours if no owner can be ascertained.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to transport an animal found running at large in another county or state to retain possession of said animal for a period of more than twenty-four (24) hours or immediately, on the next business day, whichever comes first, within Lee County without contacting both Lee County Animal Control and the agency who has jurisdiction where the animal was found.
5. Each day an individual fails to comply with this section will constitute a separate offense.
E. Penalty: Failure to follow any part of this section will result in a fine no less than one hundred dollars ($100.00), to increase in increments of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each subsequent offense. (Ord. 07-22-001, 7-21-2022)