CHAPTER 7
ANIMAL CONTROL
SECTION:
3-7-1: Definitions
3-7-2: License And Registration Requirements
3-7-3: Collar And Tags
3-7-4: Limitation On Number Of Dogs And Cats
3-7-5: Running At Large
3-7-6: Impounding Dogs, Cats, And Other Animals At Large
3-7-7: Muzzling Requirements
3-7-8: Suspicion Of Rabies, Notice
3-7-9: Prohibited Acts And Conditions
3-7-10: Animals Prohibited In City
3-7-11: Law Enforcement Dogs And Animals
3-7-12: Penalties
3-7-13: Potentially Dangerous And Dangerous Dogs
3-7-1: DEFINITIONS:
Terms used in this chapter have the following meanings:
AT LARGE:
Off the premises of the owner or caretaker, and not under the control of the owner or caretaker by leash which a person has physical control over.
CHICKEN:
A female chicken or hen.
COOP:
A structure for housing chickens made of wood or other similar materials that provides shelter from the elements.
FEED:
Making food and water available for consumption outdoors, either on the ground or at a height of less than five feet (5'). For purposes of this chapter, a person does not feed wildlife by maintaining live vegetation, such as fruit trees, gardens, or flower beds.
OWNER:
Any person or persons, firm, association or corporation owning, keeping or harboring a dog or a cat.
PERSONS:
The resident, property owner, custodian or keeper of any chicken.
PREMISES:
Any lot or group of contiguous lots, parcels or tracts of land located within the City of Moorhead.
PROPER ENCLOSURES:
Shall have sidewalls with a minimum height of five feet (5') and be constructed of 11-gauge or heavier wire. Openings in the wire shall not exceed two inches (2"). Support posts shall be one and one-fourth inch (11/4") or larger steel pipe buried in the ground eighteen inches (18") or more. When a concrete floor is not provided, the sidewalls shall be buried a minimum of eighteen inches (18") in the ground.
RUN:
An enclosed outside yard for keeping chickens.
WILDLIFE:
Undomesticated animals living in the wild. This definition includes feral cats and dogs. (Ord. 2005-1, 2-22-2005; amd. Ord. 2005-27, 10-17-2005; Ord. 2008-23, 11-24-2008; Ord. 2020-15, 1-11-2021; Ord. 2023-05, 4-10-2023)
 
3-7-2: LICENSE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:
   A.   License And Registration: All dogs and cats over six (6) months of age kept, harbored, owned, or in any way possessed by any person within the city shall be annually licensed and registered by no later than February 15 of each year.
   B.   Fees: Dog and cat licenses shall be issued by the city clerk, the police department, or an entity authorized by the city council to issue dog or cat licenses, upon payment of a license fee as established by the city's fee schedule annually for each dog and cat, except that the license fee for a neutered, spayed or desexed dog or cat shall be as established by the city's fee schedule annually.
   C.   Application: The owner shall state at the time application is made for such license, upon printed forms provided for such purposes, their name and address and the breed, color and sex of the animal, date of rabies inoculation of the animal and whether or not the animal is neutered, spayed or desexed.
   D.   Rabies Inoculation Required: All dogs or cats which are licensed by the city of Moorhead shall be inoculated against rabies. The police department may request that an owner provide proof that an animal has been inoculated for rabies. In the event that an owner is unable to provide proof of inoculation the animal's license shall be canceled.
   E.   License Evidence: No license for a neutered, spayed or desexed dog or cat shall be issued unless satisfactory evidence of neutering, spaying or desexing is confirmed by a qualified veterinarian verbally or in writing.
   F.   Exemptions: The licensing provisions of this section shall not apply where the owners are nonresidents temporarily within the city, nor where dogs or cats are brought into the city for the purpose of participation in any dog or cat show, nor to dogs properly trained to assist blind or deaf persons when such dogs are actually being used by blind or deaf persons for the purpose of aiding them in going from place to place nor to dogs being used in law enforcement except any of the above animals shall be required to have their rabies inoculation.
   G.   Term Of License: The license herein provided for shall be in force from the date thereof until January 1 thereafter.
   H.   Presumption Of Ownership Of Dogs Or Cats: Licensing and registration of a dog or cat with the City shall establish a presumption that, at the time the dog or cat is licensed and registered, the owner of the dog or cat is the person receiving the license and listed on the registration. (Ord. 2008-23, 11-24-2008)
3-7-3: COLLAR AND TAGS:
Upon payment of the license fee, the City Clerk or designee shall issue to the owner a license certificate and a metallic tag for each dog and cat so licensed. The shape and color of the tag shall be changed every year and shall have stamped thereon the certificate number. Each owner shall provide each dog and cat with a collar to which the license tag must be affixed and shall see that the collar and tag are constantly worn. In case a tag is lost or destroyed, a duplicate will be issued by the City Clerk upon presentation of a receipt showing the payment of the license fee for the current year and the payment of a fee as established by the City's fee schedule for such duplicate. Tags shall not be transferable from one animal to another and no refunds shall be made on any license fee because of the death of the animal or the owner leaving the City before expiration of the license period. The metal rabies inoculation tag shall also be kept affixed to the animal's collar at all times. (Ord. 2005-1, 2-22-2005; amd. Ord. 2007-30, 1-7-2008, eff. retroactive to 1-1-2008)
3-7-4: LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF DOGS AND CATS:
It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, own, or in any way possess four (4) or more dogs and/or four (4) or more cats over six (6) months of age upon or about the premises of any dwelling, or dwelling unit within the corporate limits of the City. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the number of dogs and/or cats kept, harbored, owned or possessed at the premises of any dwelling or dwelling unit within the corporate limits of the City shall not exceed a total of four (4) animals (i.e., 2 dogs and 2 cats; 1 dog and 3 cats). Provided, a person may request a permit from the Police Department to keep, or harbor up to two (2) dogs or two (2) cats, but not both, as part of a qualified home used by organizations for rescue or sheltering of abandoned or lost animals. (For purposes of this section, a "qualified home" shall mean a home which has received written approval to house abandoned or lost animals by an organization involved in the rescue or sheltering of abandoned or lost animals, and which organization has been in existence and operating for at least 1 year.) The permit shall allow up to two (2) such animals in addition to other dogs or cats already kept at the dwelling pursuant to the first sentence of this section. The permit shall be for a period of a year, and may be renewed annually provided there have been no violations of the provisions of this chapter resulting in an administrative penalty or criminal violation being imposed on the permit holder. The fee for the permit shall be as established by the City's fee schedule. (Ord. 2019-03, 1-28-2019)
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