(a) No owner, harborer or keeper of a dog or bitch shall allow it to run or go at large at any time in the City. All dogs and bitches found running at large upon the streets and public grounds of the City (except for within a City designated dog park) are hereby declared to be public nuisances and may be summarily abated in accordance with this section.
(b) The Chief of Police shall, under his or her personal supervision, cause all dogs and bitches running at large in the City to be taken up and placed in the designated pound where livestock is authorized to be impounded, or in a pound to be provided for that purpose by the City to be known as the dog pound.
(c) The owner of any dog may claim the same and have it released within three days from the time that such dog was placed in the pound by paying to the Chief of Police the impounding fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) as sustenance for each day and fraction of a day the dog remains in such pound or under the care, supervision or control of the City or its agent. For the first such offense, a warning citation shall be issued to the owner of the dog. For any subsequent violation by the owner of any such dog, a formal citation requiring a court appearance and additional fees and costs shall issue. All impounded dogs shall be removed beyond the City limits by the Chief of Police or some person appointed by him or her and summarily disposed of or killed.
(Adopting Ordinance; Ord. 2001-6-3. Passed 6-13-01.)
(d) A police officer shall deliver to every person in violation of subsection (a) hereof a notice that such violation has occurred, specifying the nature of the violation and instructing the person to report to the City Clerk within twenty-four hours of receipt of such notice and pay the penalty provided in Section 610.99
(Ord. 79-7-1. Passed 7-5-79.)
(e) No dog impounded, detained or otherwise held by the City Police shall be released to any person claiming ownership of such dog until and unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated by the owner that the dog has its current rabies vaccination certificate. Otherwise, the dog will be held and disposed of as provided in division (c) of this section.
(Ord. 2001-6-3. Passed 6-13-01; Ord. 2016-11-3. Passed 11-9-16.)