A. Animal Licenses: It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any unlicensed dog or cat over six (6) months of age within the City limits.
1. The owner or responsible party shall apply for a license at City Hall and provide the owner's name and address, the name, breed, color, age, sex of the dog or cat, and proof of whether or not the dog or cat has been neutered or spayed.
2. A veterinarian's certificate documenting the current rabies immunization of said dog or cat is required to be presented at the time of application, along with the required licensing fee.
3. A numbered receipt and numbered metallic tag shall be issued to the owner as proof of licensing. The license tag shall be securely fastened to the dog's or cat's collar or harness and worn by the dog or cat at all times.
4. All licenses are nontransferable from animal to animal and it shall be unlawful for any person to use any dog or cat license issued for another dog or cat.
5. All license fees are nonrefundable.
B. Number Of Dogs And/Or Cats Allowed:
1. It shall be unlawful to keep more than three (3) dogs, or more than three (3) cats or a combination thereof, six (6) months of age or older (example 2 dogs and 1 cat or 1 dog and 2 cats) and more than one litter at any one time, litters not to exceed the age of three (3) months. (Excluding multi-family dwellings which are regulated in a separate section of this chapter.)
a. Anyone having more than three (3) adult dogs or three (3) adult cats or a combination thereof on or before December 31, 2017, may keep the same dogs and cats they have until the dogs and cats they own or possess at that time have died or are otherwise no longer in their possession. Any such person may not obtain additional dogs or cats until their total number of dogs or cats owned or possessed by that person does not exceed three (3) dogs or three (3) cats or a combination thereof. Owners of these dogs or cats are required to license them individually.
C. Commercial Kennel Licenses:
1. Commercial Kennel Licenses: It shall be unlawful to keep three (3) or more dogs, six (6) months or older, three (3) or more cats, six (6) months or older, or any combination thereof, per household for boarding, breeding, training or selling, etc., without a commercial kennel license. No commercial kennel license shall be permitted or granted for a multiple-family dwelling unit.
2. Conditional Use Permit Procedures: Individuals wishing to obtain a commercial kennel license must follow the conditional use permit procedures contained in title 9 of this Code.
3. Additional Requirements: In addition to the procedures contained in title 9 of this Code, the following is also required:
a. Complete the application for a kennel license on the current City of Mountain Home application for City license form.
b. A current veterinarian certificate documenting rabies immunization of said dogs and/or cats over six (6) months of age is required to be presented at the time of application, along with the required licensing fees.
c. A numbered receipt and numbered metallic tag shall be issued to the owner for each animal over six (6) months of age as proof of licensing. The license tag shall be securely fastened to the dog's or cat's collar or harness and worn by the dog or cat at all times.
4. Non-Transferable: All kennel licenses and license fees are non-transferable from animal to animal and owner to owner.
5. Non-Refundable: All kennel license fees are non-refundable.
D. Fees And Penalties:
1. The annual license fee shall be ten dollars ($10.00) for each neutered or spayed dog over six (6) months of age and twenty dollars ($20.00) for each unneutered or unspayed dog over six (6) months of age.
2. The annual license fee shall be five dollars ($5.00) for each neutered or spayed cat over six (6) months of age and ten dollars ($10.00) for each unneutered or unspayed cat over six (6) months of age.
3. In the event that a duplicate license tag is needed or required, a replacement fee of five dollars ($5.00) per tag shall be assessed.
4. If there is a change of ownership of a dog or cat during the license year, a transfer fee of five dollars ($5.00) per dog or cat shall be assessed. This provision also applies to lifetime licenses.
5. The commercial kennel license fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).
6. Individual lifetime licenses are available for one hundred dollars ($100.00) per neutered and spayed dog or cat and shall never expire so long as the owner provides proof of current rabies vaccinations as required in this chapter and contact information annually. Dogs or cats not neutered or spayed are not eligible to receive a lifetime license. Failure to comply with the requirements will result in the revocation of the license. This license is transferable with the transfer or change of ownership of the dog or cat, but non-transferable from one dog to another dog or from one cat to another cat.
E. Licensing Period: All licenses shall be issued for one year commencing January 1 and expiring December 31. Applications for licenses may be made not more than thirty (30) days prior to the start of the licensing year.
F. Exceptions:
1. The licensing and vaccination requirements of this chapter shall not apply to any dog or cat belonging to a nonresident of the City or kept within City limits for less than ninety (90) days. All nonresident dogs and cats must be kept on a leash, or confined within a building, vehicle, fenced yard or secure enclosure during the duration of the stay in the City.
2. The licensing and vaccination requirement of this chapter shall apply to any service animal that has been properly trained and is acting in that capacity, however, all such animals shall be licensed without a fee upon a proper showing that such animal is a service animal.
G. Violations: Violations of this section shall be an infraction, however, individuals charged with a third and/or subsequent violation(s) shall be charged with a misdemeanor. Violation of subsection 6-6-4B of this section shall be a misdemeanor. (Ord. 1665, 9-25-2017)