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All owners and persons in charge of any animal shall comply with the following standards of care. Failure to comply with any standards shall be a violation of this section and constitute a municipal infraction:
(A) Provide adequate food, shelter and water for that animal. No person keeping an animal shall abandon any such animal.
(B) Provide adequate food, at intervals appropriate for the species, a quantity of wholesome food ingredients, suitable for the physical condition and age of the animal, served in a clean receptacle or container, sufficient to maintain an adequate level of nutrition for such animal.
(C) Provide reasonable access to a supply of clean, fresh, potable water, provided in a sanitary manner. If potable water is not accessible to the animal at all times, it shall be provided daily, for such duration and of sufficient quantity as appropriate for the species.
(D) Provide adequate shelter for such animal when it is kept outdoors, tangle-free, which shall mean a structurally sound, weather-proof, properly ventilated shelter, which provides access to shade from direct sunlight and regress from exposure to weather conditions. The shelter should be appropriate for the particular species and breed.
(E) Provide adequate shelter for such animal when it is kept indoors, which means a properly ventilated and illuminated facility, sufficiently regulated by heating or cooling to protect the animal from extremes of temperature, and to provide for its health and comfort. It should be appropriate for the particular species and breed.
(F) Provide adequate sanitation that includes periodic cleaning or sanitizing of housing facilities and any area where the animal is confined or restrained, to remove excreta and other waste materials and dirt, so as to minimize vermin infestation, odors and disease hazards.
(G) Provide adequate space, which means primary enclosures and housing facilities shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide sufficient space to allow each animal to make normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement to maintain physical condition.
(H) Provide adequate veterinary care, which means that a sick, diseased, or injured animal shall be provided with a proper program of care by a veterinarian, or humanely euthanized. All animals shall be provided with proper immunizations and preventive health care including parasite control.
(Ord. 2280, passed 1-4-2017)
(A) No owner or person in charge shall confine any animal in a motor vehicle in such a manner that places it in a life or health threatening situation by exposure to a prolonged period of extreme heat or cold, without proper ventilation or other protection from such heat or cold. In order to protect the health and safety of an animal, an animal control officer, law enforcement officer, or fire or rescue squad who has probable cause to believe that this section is being violated shall have authority to enter such motor vehicle by any reasonable means under the circumstances after making a reasonable effort to locate the owner or other person responsible. An animal control officer, law enforcement officer, or fire or rescue squad, who removes an animal from a vehicle or enclosed space in accordance with this subsection is not liable for any resulting property damage.
(B) The person rescuing the animal shall notify the animal control officer, who may take the animal to a veterinarian for treatment or to the ARL for housing, if necessary. The cost of such treatment or housing shall be paid by the animal owner.
(Ord. 2280, passed 1-4-2017)
(A) No owner or responsible person shall allow an animal to be tethered and with a rope, chain, or similar device that is less than ten feet or more than 50 feet in length. TETHERING means fastening an animal to a fixed object so as to limit its range of movement using a rope, chain, or similar device.
(B) No person shall allow an animal to be tethered and unattended between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. An animal is unattended if the animal is more than 50 feet from the person and the animal is not in the person’s line of sight.
(C) No person shall allow an animal to be tethered using a collar made of metal or chain, excluding the buckle, or using a collar, even if made of cloth, designed to continue to tighten, such as a slip lead or noose, when pulled tightly.
(D) No person shall allow an animal to have access to a public sidewalk or street while tethered.
(E) No person shall allow an animal to be tethered to a utility pole, parking meter, building, structure, fence, sign, tree, bush, bench, newspaper or advertising rack or other object on public property.
(F) No person shall allow an animal to be tethered in an unsafe location. An unsafe location includes, but is not limited to, near a fence whereby the animal could asphyxiate itself if it jumped over the fence or on a deck whereby the animal could asphyxiate itself if it jumped off of the deck.
(G) No person shall allow an animal to be tethered in a manner that allows it to become entangled with another tethered animal.
(Ord. 2426, passed 3-20-2023)
IMPOUNDMENT
It shall be the duty of the Police Department or any entity under contract with the city to cause to be collected and impounded any licensed or unlicensed dog, cat or pig which is not currently licensed and vaccinated found to be at large in the city at any time, unless the responsible party for the animal can be served a municipal infraction and the officer believes the impoundment is not warranted. When such dog or pig has been apprehended and impounded, written notice shall be given to the owner of such within two working days, if such owner’s name and address appear on the dog’s collar or can be otherwise found. Cats will only be impounded in cases of animal welfare, which may include cats that are sick, injured or pose a health and safety risk to the public. Unidentified or unclaimed cats will be transferred to a shelter, rescue or humanely euthanized within 72 hours of impound. For the purpose of this section, notice is delivered when the city mails the notice, which may be by regular mail.
(2011 Code, § 13.0321) (Ord. 2205, passed 1-28-2013; Ord. 2426, passed 3-20-2023; Ord. 2459, passed 12-2-2024)
All dogs found without a license, collar engraving, microchip or similar owner identification shall be kept for not less than three days after being impounded unless redeemed sooner by the owner in accordance with this chapter. Dogs with identification shall be kept for not less than seven days after being impounded unless redeemed sooner by the owner. On expiration of the impoundment period, a dog shall be deemed abandoned and may be transferred to a shelter facility. Dogs that are deemed unadoptable due to behavior issues, as determined by standardized behavioral assessment processes, or due to health issues, as determined by a licensed veterinarian or medical professional, may be humanely euthanized or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the law.
(2011 Code, § 13.0323) (Ord. 2459, passed 12-2-2024)
The owner of an impounded licensed dog or cat may claim and redeem such dog or cat upon payment of the impounding fee, plus the fee for costs of food and care. If the dog or cat does not have a current rabies vaccination, the owner is required to obtain such vaccination before the animal leaves the animal control facility.
(2011 Code, § 13.0324) (Ord. 2426, passed 3-20-2023)
(A) The owner of an impounded unlicensed dog or cat may claim and redeem such dog or cat upon payment of an impounding fee, plus the fee for costs of food and care and purchase of proper license for such animal.
(B) If the dog or cat does not have a current rabies vaccination, the owner is required to obtain such vaccination before the animal leaves the animal control facility. Other vaccinations may be required in accordance with the law.
(2011 Code, § 13.0325) (Ord. 2426, passed 3-20-2023; Ord. 2459, passed 12-2-2024)
At the expiration of the period of impoundment provided in this subchapter, an unredeemed dog or cat may, at the discretion of the Chief of Police or the Chief’s designee or any animal control facility under contract with the city as provided herein, be humanely destroyed or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the law.
(2011 Code, § 13.0326) (Ord. 2426, passed 3-20-2023)
VICIOUS, DANGEROUS AND PROBLEMATIC DOGS
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