It shall be unlawful for any person to inhumanely or cruelly beat, injure or otherwise abuse any animal.
A. Cruel Treatment: No person or owner may beat, cruelly treat, torment, starve, overwork or otherwise abuse any animal. No owner may abandon any animal where it may become a public charge or may suffer injury, hunger or exposure.
B. Confinement Of Animals In Motor Vehicles: No owner or person 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, a law enforcement officer/community service officer 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 person in apparent control of the vehicle.
C. Teasing, Striking Or Tampering With Police Dogs Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to wilfully and maliciously taunt, torment, tease, beat, strike, or administer or subject any desensitizing drug, chemical or substance to any dog used by a law enforcement officer in the performance of his functions or duties, or when placed in a kennel off duty, or to interfere or meddle with any such dog used by a law enforcement department or agency or any handler thereof in the performance of the functions or duties of said department or agency.
D. Injury Or Killing Police Dogs Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to wilfully or maliciously torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison or kill any dog used by a law enforcement department or agency in the performance of the functions or duties of such department or when placed in a kennel off duty. However, a police officer or veterinarian may perform euthanasia in emergency situations when delay would cause the dog undue suffering and pain. (Ord. G-589, 5-13-1997)