(Title and Section amended by Ord. No. 157,093, Eff. 11/6/82.)
Purpose of Section – The need for technical skill, training and experience, and other fundamental qualities and qualifications in persons engaged in the business of providing sentry dog services, of training sentry dogs, and of handling sentry dogs having been established and demonstrated, and in order to safeguard the health and safety or the general public, of persons who acquire such dogs and of the dogs themselves, it is the purpose of the City of Los Angeles, in enacting this ordinance, to make appropriate provision for the licensing and regulation of sentry dog businesses, trainers, handlers, and owners.
A. Definitions.
(1) “Sentry Dog” means any dog trained to guard, protect, patrol or defend any premises, area or yard, or any dog trained as a sentry or to protect, defend or guard any person or property or any dog which is schutzhund or any similar classification.
(2) “Trainer” means any person who engages in the practice of training a sentry dog in or for placement in the City of Los Angeles.
(3) “Handler” means any person who has custody of sentry dogs for transportation, placement, drop-off, or pickup to or at a location within the City of Los Angeles as part of a sentry dog service.
(4) “Sentry Dog Service” means engaging in the business of providing sentry dogs in the City of Los Angeles.
(5) “Person” means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate, or other legal entity.
(6) “Owner” means any person who has purchased or obtained legal custody of a sentry dog.
(7) “Licensee” means any person licensed pursuant to the provisions of this section.
B. Licensing.
(1) No person shall engage in the business of providing sentry dog service in the City of Los Angeles, or engage in the practice of training sentry dogs or hold himself or herself out as being able to do so, or act as a handler, unless licensed pursuant to this section.
(2) No person shall own or have the care or custody of a sentry dog unless the person has secured a sentry dog license, tag, and identification number from the Department of Animal Services. The fee for each sentry dog license shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) per year (Fee Amended by Ord. No. 170,171, Eff. 1/20/95.). The payment of the fee for the sentry dog license shall be in lieu of the dog license tax imposed by Section 53.15 of this article.
(3) The General Manager of the Department of Animal Services shall establish such standards as he or she deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of this section in determining the fitness of applicants for sentry dog trainer or handler, and for the sentry dogs themselves, and shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the licensing and tagging of each dog as are deemed necessary. Each applicant for sentry dog trainer or handler shall satisfy the General Manager that he or she is qualified by training or experience to train or handle sentry dogs, to provide humane care and treatment of all dogs under his or her jurisdiction, and that he or she has adequate facilities for such training or handling. In formulating such standards, the General Manager shall seek the assistance of a committee of not less than three persons knowledgeable in the field of sentry dog training. Such standards shall include veterinary and health care standards to be observed by trainers and handlers. The General Manager shall appoint the members of the committee for three year terms. The initial appointments to the committee shall consist of one member for a one year term, one member for a two year term, and all other members for a three year term. The members of the committee may be replaced by the General Manager, without cause, prior to the expiration of their terms.
C. Rules and Regulations. Pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Los Angeles Municipal Code the General Manager may make such rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to:
(1) Establish the procedures and responsibilities of the committee;
(2) Establish and administer an examination of applicants for a license to train or handle sentry dogs. Any person possessing a license to train sentry dogs may also handle sentry dogs without the necessity of a handler’s license;
(3) Issue annual licenses for sentry dog services, trainers, and handlers;
(4) Regulate the annual renewal of licenses including the necessity of reexamination of trainers and handlers.
D. Application For Licenses.
(1) An application for a license to operate, maintain, and conduct a sentry dog service in the City shall be filed together with an application fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) (Fee Amended by Ord. No. 170,171, Eff. 1/20/95.) with the Department of Animal Services. An annual fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) (Fee Amended by Ord. No. 170,171, Eff. 1/20/95.) shall be required for the renewal of a business license. The application shall state the name, address and type of organization of the sentry dog service, its method of operation, the names, addresses and physical description of its officers, proprietors, and employees, and such other identification and information including, but not limited to, fingerprints and recent photographs of the applicant, its officers, proprietors, and employees as may be deemed necessary by the General Manager of the Department of Animal Services.
(2) The application for a license to conduct a sentry dog service in the City, and each annual renewal request, must be accompanied by a surety bond underwritten by a corporate surety admitted to do business in California, in a form approved by the City Attorney, in the sum of $15,000.00 blanket coverage for each and all employees, officers, and proprietors of the sentry dog service. The bond shall be conditioned upon the faithful and honest conduct of the business of sentry dog service by the licensee and also conditioned upon faithful compliance with all of the ordinances of the City and the laws of the State of California, in force, or which may thereafter be adopted. The licensee and sureties named in the bond, and their successors and assigns, shall be jointly and severally liable to the City and to any person, firm or corporation for damages suffered by reason of the wrongful acts of the licensee, its officers, employees, or proprietors in breach of the condition of the bond. The bond shall not be void upon any one or more recoveries thereunder, but may be sued and recovered upon from time to time by any person, firm or corporation aggrieved or damaged, to the extent thereof. The bond shall be renewed to its original amount on each anniversary. Notice of any proposed cancellation of the bond shall be sent by registered mail to the Insurance and Bonds Section of the Office of the City Attorney and to the Department of Animal Services not less than 30 days in advance of the cancellation date.
(3) A sentry dog service shall furnish evidence of the following insurance with the Department of Animal Services upon request: workers’ compensation, general liability, and automobile liability.
(4) Each applicant for a sentry dog trainer license shall be a natural person and have at least 2000 hours of actual commercial experience as a trainer and have trained seven (7) dogs; or an equivalent amount of experience, as determined by the committee or General Manager. Each applicant for a sentry dog trainer license shall pay at the time of filing the application the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) (Fee Amended by Ord. No. 170,171, Eff. 1/20/95.) to the Department of Animal Services. An annual fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) (Fee Amended by Ord. No. 170,171, Eff. 1/20/95.) shall be required for the renewal of a license.
(5) Each applicant for a sentry dog handler license shall be a natural person and shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) at the time of filing the application. An annual fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be required for the renewal of a license.
E. Necessity of License. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any business or occupation licensed under this section within the City of Los Angeles unless such person holds a valid and unimpaired license pursuant to the provisions of this section. Violation of any provision of this section is a misdemeanor.
F. Denial of License. The General Manager may refuse to issue a license to a sentry dog service, trainer, or handler on the grounds that the applicant, or an officer or managing employee of the applicant, has committed or sustained one of the following within the last five (5) years:
(1) Conviction of a crime. A conviction within the meaning of this section means a plea or verdict of guilty or a plea of nolo contendre. Any action which the General Manager is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed or on appeal and is final, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, irrespective of a subsequent order under the provisions of Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code; or
(2) Any act involving dishonesty, fraud, or deceit with the intent to benefit oneself or another, or injure another; or
(3) Any act involving violence with the intent to benefit oneself or another, or injure another; or
(4) Any act involving cruelty to an animal; or
(5) Any act which if done by a licensee would be grounds for suspension or revocation of the license.
The General Manager may deny a license pursuant to this subsection only if the crime or act is related to the qualifications, functions or duties of a sentry dog service, trainer or handler. The General Manager may also refuse to issue a license under this section if the General Manager determines that the applicant has made any false statements or given any false information in connection with any application required under this section.
G. Grounds for Suspension or Revocation of License. The General Manager may suspend or revoke a license issued under this section if the General Manager determines that the licensee has:
(1) Made any false statement or given any false information in connection with an application for a license, renewal of a license, or reinstatement of a license;
(2) Violated any provision of this Article;
(3) Violated any rule or regulation of the General Manager adopted pursuant to the authority contained in this section;
(4) Committed any act which would be grounds for denial of a license;
(5) A sentry dog service has employed or permitted a person to act as a sentry dog trainer or handler within the City of Los Angeles, as defined in this section, who is not in possession of a valid license issued pursuant to this section.
H. Revocation or Suspension of License. Any license issued under this section may be revoked or suspended under the procedure contained in Section 22.02 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.
I. Qualification of a Dog. No person shall sell, give away or let for hire any sentry dog unless the following requirements have been met:
(1) The dog has been immunized against distemper and rabies;
(2) A certificate of rabies vaccination is current and valid, issued by a licensed veterinarian.
J. Identification Tag. Every trainer, handler, or owner of a sentry dog shall see to it that such sentry dog wears a clearly visible tag issued by the Department of Animal Services. Such tag shall have stamped or printed thereon the words “Sentry Dog, City of Los Angeles, Department of Animal Services, Fiscal Year...., if found, call 485-5763.” Such tag shall be suspended not less than three quarters of an inch and not more than two inches from the collar worn by the dog. Said collar shall be composed of leather affixed with suitable metal buckle or metal training collar (choke chain) to prevent loss of identification tag. Lost or stolen tags shall be reported to the Department and shall be immediately replaced by the Department at a reasonable replacement cost.
K. Report of Transfer, Loss or Theft Required.
(1) Any person who sells, leases, rents, gives away or otherwise transfers ownership or possession of any sentry dog shall, within ten days of the transfer, file a report with the General Manager on a form prescribed by him or her, containing the name and address of the person to whom such dog was transferred, a description and registration or identification number of the dog, and any other information the General Manager deems appropriate.
(2) Any person whose sentry dog is lost, stolen, or whose dog dies or is seriously injured shall, within three days of the loss, theft, injury or death, file a report with the General Manager, on a form prescribed by him or her containing a description and registration or identification number of the dog and any other information the General Manager deems appropriate.
(3) Any humane society, animal shelter, boarding kennel, pet shop, veterinarian or other person who receives a stray sentry dog, tagged or otherwise identified as sentry dog, other than a bona fide sale or other transfer as described under subdivisions in this section shall immediately notify the General Manager of the receipt, giving all particulars. Any dogs received by any humane society, animal shelter, boarding kennel, pet shop, veterinarian or other person under such circumstances shall be returned to the sentry dog owner or returned to the Department of Animal Services for legal disposition.
L. Inspection of Premises. Premises used for training or sale of sentry dogs and records thereof shall be open for inspection at reasonable hours by any employee of the Department charged by the General Manager with the duty of making inspections for the purpose of inspecting said premises or records to insure compliance with the requirements of this section and the rules and regulations adopted by the General Manager.