(A) Except as provided in this section, it is unlawful for any person to own, harbor or keep any dog, four months of age or older, within the City of Menifee for a period longer than 30 days, unless a currently valid license tag has been issued by the Director or any agency authorized by the City of Menifee such purpose and the tag is displayed upon the dog's collar pursuant to section 30951(b) of the California Food and Agriculture Code.
(B) It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor or keep any dog, four months of age or older, within the City of Menifee, for a period longer than 30 days, which has not been vaccinated against rabies. Every person in the City of Menifee who owns, harbors or keeps any dog over four months of age for a period longer than 30 days shall have such dog vaccinated against rabies as provided in this chapter, by a veterinarian of his or her choice and such vaccination shall be renewed in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the state of California.
(C) Each veterinarian after vaccinating any dog shall sign a certificate of vaccination in triplicate in the form required by the Director. The veterinarian shall keep one copy, shall give one copy to the owner of the vaccinated dog and shall send one copy to the animal services.
(D) The Director shall issue a license only upon presentation of a certificate of vaccination indicating therein that the date of expiration of the vaccination immunity is not earlier than the date of expiration of the license being issued or renewed, and upon payment of the applicable license fee specified in subsection F of this section; provided, however, that where the vaccinated dog is between the ages of four months and 12 months, the period of vaccination immunity required for licensing shall be as specified in Title 17, California Administrative Code, section 2606.4.
(E) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (B) and (D) of this section, in the event a dog has a short-term illness, is pregnant, or suffers from a long-term debilitating illness which in the opinion of a veterinarian contraindicates vaccination for rabies, such dog shall not be required to undergo vaccination during the period of such illness or pregnancy where a request for vaccination deferral has been approved by the Director. Such request shall specify the duration of the requested deferral, the reason for the requested deferral, and shall be signed by a veterinarian. The Director shall issue a license for such dog upon approval of the request for vaccination deferral and payment for the applicable license fee specified in subsection F of this section. The owner or person having custody of such dog shall confine and shall keep such dog confined, for the duration of the deferral. Within 14 days after the expiration of the deferral, the owner or person having custody of such dog shall present to the Director a certificate of vaccination in accordance with the provisions of subsection (D)of this section.
(F) Subject to the provisions of this section, licenses shall be issued upon payment of the following fees, as set by the City Council via resolution and which may be updated from time to time:
(1) License valid for one year from date of issuance, for each sterile dog, accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that said dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(2) License valid for one year from date of issuance, for each dog to which the provisions of subsections (F)(1) and (7) of this section are not applicable.
(3) License valid for two years from date of issuance, for each sterile dog, accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(4) License valid for two years from date of issuance, for each dog to which the provisions of subsections (F)(3) and (8) of this section are not applicable.
(5) License valid for three years from date of issuance, for each sterile dog, accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(6) License valid for three years from date of issuance, for each dog to which the provisions of subsections (F)(5) and (9) of this section are not applicable.
(7) License valid for one year from date of issuance, for each sterile dog, which is owned by a person 60 years of age or older, and is accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(8) License valid for two years from the date of issuance, for each sterile dog, which is owned by a person 60 years of age or older, and is accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(9) License valid for three years from the date of issuance, for each sterile dog, which is owned by a person 60 years of age or older, and is accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog is permanently unable to reproduce.
(10) Dangerous animal registration as required by the City of Menifee Municipal Code.
(G) No fee shall be required for a license for any assistance dog such as a guide dog, signal dog or service dog as defined in California Food and Agriculture Code, section 30850(a), if such dog is in the possession and under the control of, in the case of a guide dog, a blind person, or in the case of a signal dog, a deaf or hearing-impaired person, or in the case of a service dog, a disabled person, or where such dog is in the possession and under the control of a bona fide organization having as its primary purpose the furnishing and training of guide dogs for the blind, signal dogs for the deaf or hearing-impaired, or service dogs for the disabled. However this provision does not remove the owner's responsibility to vaccinate the dogs against rabies and attach a current license tag to the dog's collar. Whenever a person applies for an assistance dog identification tag, the person shall sign an affidavit as defined in California Food and Agriculture Code, section 30850(b).
(H) No fee shall be required for a license for any dog owned by a public entity.
(I) Each license specified in this section shall be valid for the period specified in this section and shall be renewed within 30 days after such period terminates, except that where the current vaccination for the dog which is the subject of the license shall expire prior to the expiration date of the license being applied for, the Director may upon request of the owner or custodian of such dog, backdate such license so that its expiration date occurs concurrent with or prior to the expiration date of the vaccination; provided, however, that where such backdating is performed, there shall be no reduction or discount of the license fee applicable to the license applied for, and such license shall be renewed within 30 days after the date of its expiration.
(J) If an application for a license is made more than 30 days after the date a dog license is required under this chapter, the applicant shall pay, in addition to the applicable license fee, a late fee as set by the City Council via resolution and which may updated from time to time.
(K) Whenever a dog validly licensed under this chapter shall have died more than three months before the expiration date of the license, the owner of such dog may return the license tag to the Director, accompanied by a statement signed by a veterinarian or a declaration signed under penalty of perjury by the owner, indicating that such dog is dead and specifying the date of death. In such event, the license shall be canceled and a pro-rata credit of the license fee by full calendar quarters of the original license period remaining after the death of the dog may be applied during said remaining period to the license fee for another dog acquired by the same owner.
(L) Upon transfer of ownership of any dog validly licensed under this chapter, the new owner shall notify the Director of such transfer within 30 days of such transfer, on a form prescribed by the Director, accompanied by a transfer fee as set by the City Council via resolution and which may updated from time to time.
(M) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (A) of this section, where a person moves into the City of Menifee from another community who owns a dog which is currently vaccinated against rabies and for which dog a license was issued by such other community, such license shall be deemed valid for a period of one year from the date such person moves into the City of Menifee or on the date of expiration of the license issued by such other community, whichever is earlier. If an application for a license from the Director is made more than 30 days after such license is required, the applicant shall pay, in addition to the applicable license fee, a late fee as set by the City Council via resolution and which may updated from time to time.
(N) If a valid license tag is lost or destroyed, a duplicate thereof may be procured from the Director upon submission to the Director of a statement signed by the owner of the dog containing the date and circumstances of such loss or destruction and the payment of a fee as set by the City Council via resolution and which may updated from time to time.
(O) Upon request of the Director, any owner of a dog for which a license is required under the provisions of this chapter shall present to the Director a currently valid certificate of rabies vaccination or license tag.
(P) It is unlawful for any person to make use of a stolen, counterfeit or unauthorized license, tag, certificate or any other document or thing for the purpose of evading the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 2018-252, passed 12-5-2018)