(a) No owner/guardian, keeper or person in charge of any animals shall do or fail to do anything which is cruel or inhumane, including but not limited to:
(1) Fail to provide sufficient and wholesome food; potable water; shade and weatherproof enclosure of such size as will permit movement and simultaneously facilitate the preservation of body heat by the animals. It shall have sufficient quantity of suitable bedding material consisting of straw, cedar shavings, or the equivalent. The floor will be solid and raised off the ground. The entrance shall be covered with a flexible wind-proof material or a self-closing swinging door. A garage, shed or other structure, not designed and built specifically for an animal, should not be considered suitable housing, unless otherwise specifically found by the animal control officer. Furthermore, no person who owns any animals shall fail to provide such animal adequate opportunity for exercise; regular veterinary care and when needed, veterinary care for injury or illness, to treat injury or illness, unless the animal is instead humanely euthanized; or other care as is needed for the health or well-being of such kind of animal; or
(2) Abandon any animal in any place. For the purpose of this provision, “abandon” means for the owner/guardian or keeper or person in charge to leave any animal without demonstrated or apparent intent to recover or to resume custody; leave any animal for more than 12 hours without providing for adequate food, potable water and shelter for the duration of the absence; or turn out or release any animal for the purpose of causing it to be impounded; or
(3) Leave any animal unattended in a vehicle when such vehicle does not have adequate ventilation and temperature to prevent suffering, disability or death to such animal. For the purpose of this division, if attempts to locate the vehicle owner fail, any law enforcement officer or animal control officer may take action necessary to rescue a confined animal to remove the threat of further serious harm. The owner/guardian, keeper, or person in charge will be liable for all reasonable and necessary impound, board and medical fees. No officer or agent taking action shall be liable for damages necessary to rescue the confined animal.
(b) Any animal impounded for being kept in violation of this section may be humanely euthanized upon advice of a licensed veterinarian and by the Supervisor if he or she deems it necessary to relieve suffering. The cost for care and treatment of any animal impounded under this section shall be charged to the owner/guardian, keeper, or person in charge, whether or not they seek to regain custody of such animal.
(c) The owner/guardian, keeper, or person in charge of any animal who has been charged under this section who fails to appear in court on the scheduled date to enter a plea or fails to appear on any additional court dates, after entering a plea, without permission from the judge or authorized court employee, will have 14 days from that date to settle the matter with the court. Failure to comply will result in the animal being held at the shelter to become the property of the City, allowing it to be adopted or, if necessary, humanely euthanized.
(d) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. 45-06. Passed 11-20-06; Ord. 157-11. Passed 7-5-11.)