It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any conduct defined in this chapter as cruelty to animals. Such prohibition shall include, but not be limited to, the following.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to overload or override an animal, or to expose any animal, excluding animals used in law enforcement, to any other unreasonable danger to its health or life.
(B) (1) It shall be unlawful to willfully or maliciously strike, beat, abuse or intentionally run down with a vehicle any animal, or otherwise engage in any act to cause or inflict unnecessary pain, injury, suffering or death to such animal; except that reasonable force may be used to drive away any vicious or trespassing animal.
(2) This does not apply to on-duty law enforcement officers duly engaged in the lawful performance of duty while protecting persons from potential immediate harm.
(C) (1) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a licensed veterinarian for humanitarian purposes, to administer poison to any animal, or knowingly expose any animal to any poisonous substance, or ground glass, or leave any such substance in any place with the intent to injure any animal.
(2) The provisions of this division (C) are not applicable to exterminators or property owners using poisons or traps as part of a pest control program, or the use of commercial insecticides and rodent baits used to control insects and wild rodents, or to employees of the animal control shelter in the discharge of their duties related to euthanasia.
(D) (1) It shall be unlawful to set any trap which is likely to be injurious to domestic animals.
(2) Traps obtained from the Police Department or designated provider are deemed not to be in violation of this section.
(3) Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent property owners from setting humane traps to capture and dispose of lawn and garden pests, rats, mice, gophers, moles, voles or other animals which constitute a nuisance or are deleterious to their enjoyment of life or property.
(Ord. 602, passed 4-2-2008; Ord. 651, passed 6-3-2015) Penalty, see § 90.99