(A) Application. No person shall keep any dog or cat above the age of four months without applying for a license on a form provided by the Animal Control Officer. Such application shall contain a statement of the name, breed, color, and sex of each dog or cat, the owner of said dog or cat, the address at which such dog or cat shall be kept, and a certification by a licensed veterinarian that the said dog or cat has been vaccinated for rabies within the past 12 months.
(B) Fee for license; term of license. The fee for each dog and cat license shall be $3. The license shall expire on December 31 in each year following the issuance of said license.
(C) Record of licenses. The City Clerk shall keep a complete registry of all licensed dogs or cats.
(D) Transfer of license. Whenever the ownership of a dog or cat shall change, the new owner shall purchase a new license. A dog or cat owner may transfer a license to a replacement animal during the current license year for a fee of $3, provided that proof of a current rabies vaccination is shown and the replacement animal's breed and sex are provided.
(E) License tags.
(1) Description. The shape of dog or cat license tags shall be changed each year; each tag shall have stamped thereon the year for which the license fee is paid and a number.
(2) Collar or harness required. Every dog or cat kept within the city shall be provided by its owner or keeper with a collar or harness made of leather, metal, or other substantial material to which a license tag and rabies vaccination tag shall be securely fastened and worn at all times.
(3) Replacement of tags. Upon satisfactory proof that a license tag has been lost or is worn or damaged beyond further use, or if a license is transferred to a replacement dog or cat by the same owner, the City Clerk shall, upon payment of $.50 fee, issue to the licensee a new tag with a new and different number.
(4) Removal of tags. It shall be unlawful for any person, other than the owner, to remove a license tag from a dog or cat.
(F) Guard dogs. Any person who keeps a professionally trained dog for law enforcement or guard duties shall provide proof of training at the time of application for a license, and a special identifying tag shall be issued to all such dogs. The owner of such dog shall post a sign visible to the public of the presence of such an animal, if such animal is housed, kept, or sheltered outside or roams within the confines of its licensee's residence.
(G) Vicious dogs. Any owner of a dog that has been found to be vicious shall procure from the city a special tag identifying the animal as vicious.
(`79 Code, § 90.005) (Ord. 96-003, passed 5-22-96) Penalty, see § 90.99