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It shall be illegal for any person to own, possess, harbor, or offer for sale, any non-domestic animal within the city. Any owner of a non-domestic animal at the time of adoption of this code shall have 30 days in which to remove the animal from the city after which time the city may impound the animal as provided for in this section. An exception shall be made to this prohibition for animals specifically trained for and actually providing assistance to the handicapped or disabled, and for those animals brought into the city as part of an operating zoo, veterinarian clinic, scientific research laboratory, or a licensed show or exhibition.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24) Penalty, see § 91.99
Farm animals shall only be kept in an agricultural district of the city, or on a residential lot of at least ten acres in size provided that no animal shelter shall be within 300 feet of an adjoining piece of property. An exception shall be made to this section for those animals brought into the city as part of an operating zoo, veterinarian clinic, scientific research laboratory, or a licensed show or exhibition.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24)
(A) Running at large. Any unlicensed animal running at large is hereby declared a public nuisance. Any Animal Control Officer or police officer may impound any dog or other animal found unlicensed or any animal found running at large and shall give notice of the impounding to the owner of the dog or other animal, if known. In case the owner is unknown, the officer shall post notice at the city office that if the dog or other animal is not claimed within the time specified in division (C) of this section, it will be sold or otherwise disposed of. Except as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful to kill, destroy, or otherwise cause injury to any animal, including dogs running at large.
(B) Biting animals. Any animal that has not been inoculated by a live modified rabies vaccine and which has bitten any person, wherein the skin has been punctured or the services of a doctor are required, shall be confined in the city pound for a period of not less than ten days, at the expense of the owner. The animal may be released at the end of the time if healthy and free from symptoms of rabies, and by the payment of all costs by the owner. However, if the owner of the animal shall elect immediately upon receipt of notice of need for the confinement by the officer to voluntarily and immediately confine the animal for the required period of time in a veterinary hospital of the owner's choosing, not outside of the county in which this city is located, and provide immediate proof of confinement in the manner as may be required, the owner may do so. If, however, the animal has been inoculated with a live modified rabies vaccine and the owner has proof of the vaccination by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian, the owner may confine the dog or other animal to the owner's property.
(C) Reclaiming. All animals conveyed to the pound shall be kept, with humane treatment and sufficient food and water for their comfort, at least five regular business days, unless the animal is a dangerous animal as defined under § 91.11 in which case it shall be kept for seven regular business days or the times specified in § 91.11, and except if the animal is a cruelly-treated animal in which case it shall be kept for ten regular business days, unless sooner reclaimed by their owners or keepers as provided by this section. In case the owner or keeper shall desire to reclaim the animal from the pound, the following shall be required, unless otherwise provided for in this code or established from time to time by resolution of the City Council:
(1) Payment of the release fee and receipt of a release permit as established by Council resolution as may be amended from time to time.
(2) Payment of maintenance costs, as provided by the pound, per day or any part of day while the animal is in the pound; and
(3) If a dog is unlicensed, payment of a regular license fee as established by Council resolution as may be amended from time to time, and valid certificate of vaccination for rabies and distemper shots is required.
(D) Unclaimed animals. At the expiration of the times established in division (C) of this section, if the animal has not been reclaimed in accordance with the provisions of this section, the officer appointed to enforce this section may let any person claim the animal by complying with all provisions in this section, or the officer may sell the animal to the University of Minnesota, or cause the animal to be destroyed in a proper and humane manner and shall properly dispose of the remains thereof. Any money collected under this section shall be payable to the City Clerk/Treasurer/Administrator.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24) Penalty, see § 91.99
(A) Definition of kennel. The keeping of three or more dogs or three or more cats on the same premises, whether owned by the same person or not and for whatever purpose kept, shall constitute a "kennel"; except that a fresh litter of pups may be kept for a period of three months before that keeping shall be deemed to be a "kennel."
(B) Kennel as a nuisance. Because the keeping of three or more dogs or three or more cats on the same premises is subject to great abuse, causing discomfort to persons in the area by way of smell, noise, hazard, and general aesthetic depreciation, the keeping of three or more dogs or three or more cats on the premises is hereby declared to be a nuisance and no person shall keep or maintain a kennel within the city.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24) Penalty, see § 91.99
(A) Habitual barking. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor a dog which habitually barks or cries. Habitual barking shall be defined as barking for repeated intervals of at least five minutes with less than one minute of interruption. The barking must also be audible off of the owner's or caretaker's premises.
(B) Damage to property. It shall be unlawful for any person's dog or other animal to damage any lawn, garden, or other property, whether or not the owner has knowledge of the damage.
(C) Cleaning up litter. The owner of any animal or person having the custody or control of any animal shall be responsible for cleaning up any feces of the animal and disposing of the feces in a sanitary manner whether on their own property, on the property of others or on public property.
(D) Other. Any animals kept contrary to this section are subject to impoundment as provided in § 91.05.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24) Penalty, see § 91.99
Any police officer or Animal Control Officer may enter upon private property and seize any animal provided that the following exist:
(A) There is an identified complainant other than the police officer or Animal Control Officer making a contemporaneous complaint about the animal;
(C) The officer can demonstrate that there has been at least one previous complaint of a barking dog; inhumane treatment of the animal; or that the animal was at large at this address on a prior date;
(D) The officer has made a reasonable attempt to contact the owner of the dog and the property to be entered and those attempts have either failed or have been ignored;
(E) The seizure will not involve the forced entry into a private residence. Use of a pass key obtained from a property manager, landlord, innkeeper, or other authorized person to have that key shall not be considered unauthorized entry; and
(F) Written notice of the seizure is left in a conspicuous place if personal contact with the owner of the dog is not possible.
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24)
If, in the reasonable belief of any person or the Animal Control Officer or police officer, an animal presents an immediate danger to the health and safety of any person, or the animal is threatening imminent harm to any person, or the animal is in the process of attacking any person, the person or officer may destroy the animal in a proper and humane manner. Otherwise, the person or officer may apprehend the animal and deliver it to the pound for confinement under § 91.05. If the animal is destroyed, the owner or keeper of the animal destroyed shall be liable to the city for the cost of maintaining and disposing of the animal, plus the costs of any veterinarian examination. If the animal is found not to be a danger to the health and safety of the city, it may be released to the owner or keeper in accordance with § 91.05(C).
(Ord. 91, passed 3-11-24)
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