It is unlawful to permit any dangerous or vicious animal of any kind to run at large in the village. A "dangerous or vicious animal" means an animal meeting any one of the following criteria:
(A) Any animal which bites, inflicts injury on, kills or otherwise attacks a human being or domestic animal without provocation on any public or private property; or
(B) Any animal, because of temperament or training, has a known propensity to attack, bite or physically injure human beings or domestic animals; or
(C) Any animal which on more than one occasion, without provocation, chases or approaches any person in an apparent attitude of attack, on any public property or in any place outside or over the boundaries of its owner's property; or
(D) Any dog that is used by a commercial venture to guard public or private property, except those owned by a governmental or law enforcement unit; or
(E) Any animal which has been found to be vicious or dangerous under state law.
Any animal owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog or other animal fighting or any animal trained for dog or other animal fighting is prohibited in the village of Midlothian.
Every vicious or dangerous animal shall be confined by its owner indoors or in an enclosed and locked pen or structure upon the premises of the owner. The pen or structure must have minimum dimensions of five feet by ten feet (5' x 10') and must have secure sides and a secure top attached to the sides. If no bottom is secured to the sides, the sides must be embedded into the ground no less than two feet (2'). A permit must be obtained prior to the construction of any pen. The enclosure must be humane and provide some protection from the elements for the animal. Whenever off the premises of its owner, said animal shall be securely muzzled and restrained with a chain having a minimum tensile strength of three hundred (300) pounds and not more than three feet (3') in length, or caged. The muzzle must be made in a manner that will not cause injury to the animal or impair its vision or breathing but must prevent it from biting any person or animal. Every person harboring a vicious or dangerous animal is charged with an affirmative duty to confine the animal in such a way that children do not have access to such animal. Any animal that has attacked or bitten another animal or human being two (2) times shall be deemed hazardous to the residents of the village and ordered permanently removed from the village. (Ord. 1563, 1-22-2003)