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(a) Ownership of live livestock, poultry, wild animals, or exotic animals is prohibited within the municipality. Ownership of bees and pigeons is permitted, but only subject to regulations promulgated by the Director of Public Safety for the keeping of those animals, which regulations no person shall violate.
(b) Whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(c) Division (a) of this section does not apply to any of the following: any licensed animal shelter, zoo, circus, menagerie, humane agency, a licensed veterinary hospital or clinic, a licensed or accredited research or medical facility, a licensed or accredited educational institution, including museums, a facility licensed as an exhibitor or breeder by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act, a person licensed as a wildlife rehabilitator pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code Section 1501:31-25-03, a person temporarily transporting an animal through the City if the transit time is not more than 24 hours and the animal is at all times maintained within a confinement sufficient to prevent escape, or a person who obtains a permit and/or license from the Director of Public Safety, subject to compliance with the agreement and/or regulations set forth by the Director.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)
(a) No owner, keeper or harborer of a dog more than three months of age, shall fail to file an application for registration or pay a registration fee to the County Auditor as required by R.C. § 955.01.
(b) Guide, leader, hearing, or support dogs shall have access to free permanent registration per R.C. § 955.011. Law enforcement canines shall be registered pursuant to R.C. § 955.012.
(c) Division (a) of this section shall not apply to dogs kept by an institution or organization for teaching and research purposes under R.C. § 955.16, nor shall it apply to nonprofit animal shelters that keep or harbor a dog more than three months of age under R.C. § 955.01.
(d) No owner of a dog, except a dog constantly confined to a registered kennel, shall fail to require the dog to wear, at all times, a valid tag issued in connection with a certificate of registration. A dog's failure at any time to wear a valid tag shall be prima-facie evidence of a lack of registration and shall subject that dog to impoundment. The owner will be able to rebut that presumption by proof of registration.
(e) Whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)
(a) No owner/guardian of any animal, including, but not limited to, dogs and cats, shall permit such an animal to run at large within the City at any time. Any animal shall be deemed running at large when such an animal is not inside a resident structure, secure fence or pen; on a leash and held by a person capable of controlling such animal; or tethered in such a manner as to prevent its getting on the public right-of-way or another's property. This provision shall not apply to dogs being obedience trained by a certified trainer.
(b) The owner, keeper or harborer of a domestic animal who permit it to run at large in violation of this section shall, in addition to the penalty provided in division (g) of this section, the owner of the animal will be liable for all damage or destruction to the owner or occupant of the damaged property for the full value of the damage or destruction.
(c) Any land which is enclosed with invisible fencing must have its boundary no less than six feet from public property. (The public is encouraged, but not required to post signs regarding invisible fencing.)
(d) No person who is the owner or in charge of any dog shall permit such dog to be tethered in a front or side yard.
(e) This section shall not apply to persons operating under the guidelines of a program approved by the Director of Public Safety for providing for the trapping, spaying, or neutering, and releasing of cats and dogs with the purpose of reducing the unwanted stray-animal population in the City.
(f) This section shall not apply to a police dog that is being used to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance or their official duties or during the police dog's normal course of duty.
(g) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense. Whoever violates this section in a second or subsequent offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19; Ord. 2022-23. Passed 8-15-22.)
(a) No person shall keep or harbor a domestic animal within the municipality which by frequent and habitual barking, howling or yelping, creates unreasonably loud and disturbing noises of such a character, intensity, and duration as to disturb the peace, quiet and good order of the municipality. Any person who shall allow any dog habitually to remain, be lodged or fed within any dwelling, building, yard or enclosure, which he occupies or owns, shall be considered as harboring such dog.
(b) No person shall use a device designed to correct dog barking for the purpose of correcting the barking of a dog the person does not own.
(c) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense. Whoever violates this section in a second or subsequent offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)
(a) No person shall keep or harbor any domestic animal in the municipality so as to create noxious, or offensive odors, or unsanitary conditions which are a menace to the health, comfort or safety of the public.
(b) No owner of any domestic animal shall permit such animal to dig or defecate upon, or otherwise damage or destroy any public or private property that is not the property of the domestic animal's owner, without immediately removing all feces deposited, and disposing of it in a safe and sanitary manner. The owner of a guide, leader or support dog shall be exempt from preventing such animal from defecating or digging on public or private property, as well as any other exceptions applicable under federal regulations.
(c) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense. Whoever violates this section in a second or subsequent offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)
(a) No person shall feed any feral cat in the City.
(b) No person shall feed any deer in the City.
(c) No person shall feed any wild animal, bird, or other wildlife in the front or side yard.
(d) No person shall feed any wild animal, bird, or other wildlife other than in suitable containers for food elevated at least 48 inches above the ground level and of such design and construction as to minimize the potential for food or seed from spilling or dropping to the ground.
(e) After such feeding, such food shall not be allowed to remain where it is accessible to rodents, insects, or other animals.
(f) Such feeding shall be allowed so long as it does not create a nuisance or interfere with another's property. Such nuisance activity shall include but not be limited to excessive animal noise; excessive animal droppings; attraction of animals in a way that burdens neighboring properties; and garbage or debris left where it may attract or provide a nesting area for wildlife.
(g) Upon complaint being made, an animal control officer or police officer is hereby authorized and directed to investigate whether a nuisance exists. If the feeding activity is at such a level to constitute a nuisance, the animal control officer or police officer shall require the owner of the property in violation of this section to abate the nuisance condition within ten days after being notified thereof.
(h) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person operating under the guidelines of a program approved by the Director of Public Safety providing for the trapping, spaying, or neutering, and releasing of cats and dogs with the purpose of reducing the unwanted stray-animal population in the City.
(i) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. After the notification in division (g) of this section and the expiration of ten days, each day such nuisance continues shall be a separate offense.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19; Ord. 2020-25. Passed 11-9-20.)
(a) The owner or keeper of a dangerous or vicious dog or of any member of a species of the animal kingdom that escapes from his custody or control and that is not indigenous to this state or presents a risk of serious physical harm to persons or property, or both, shall, within one hour after he discovers or reasonably should have discovered the escape, report it to:
(1) A law enforcement officer of the municipality and the County Sheriff; and
(2) The Clerk of Council.
(b) If the office of the Clerk of Council is closed to the public at the time a report is required by division (a) of this section, then it is sufficient compliance with division (a)(2) of this section if the owner or keeper makes the report within one hour after the office is next open to the public.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. 2019-3. Passed 2-11-19.)
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