A. Running At Large Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to allow a canine which he/she owns, keeps, or harbors, to be at large upon the roads, streets or alleys of the city or in any public place of the city or upon any premises other than his/her own. This provision applies regardless of whether the canine is licensed or not. Any canine found in the city, either without a license or running at large in violation of the provisions of this chapter, is declared to be a nuisance and shall be impounded as herein provided. While felines are not prohibited from running at large, any feline with or without tags that is captured while running at large shall be subject to the same boarding fees and fines as captured canines.
B. Canines Unattended In Vehicles: No person shall leave a canine or other animal in any unattended motor vehicle without adequate ventilation, sanitary conditions, or in such a manner as to subject the animal to extreme temperatures which adversely affect the animal’s health and safety.
C. Public Buildings: It is unlawful for any person to permit, allow, keep or carry any animal in, upon or within a public transportation facility, or any other public building or facility, particularly a building or facility in which food or drink is prepared or stored, except as provided in this section.
1. Exceptions:
a. A blind or partially blind person, a person with impaired hearing, or any severely disabled person who requires a guide canine shall not be denied the use of any common carrier or public transportation facility or admittance to any other public building or place within the city by reason of his being accompanied by a seeing eye or guide canine specially trained for such purposes. It is the intent of this chapter to permit and authorize a blind person, partially blind person or disabled person who requires a guide canine to have a seeing eye or guide canine with him in such place and while using such facilities without being required to pay any additional charges for the canine, but such blind person shall be liable for any damage or disturbances caused by such canine.
b. The provisions of this section shall not apply to K-9 or other animals owned by any police department or any law enforcement officer which are used in the performance of law enforcement work.
D. Disturbances: It shall be unlawful for any owner of any animal, including, but not limited to, canines, felines, chickens, turkeys or ducks, to allow or permit such animal to become a nuisance by disturbing the peace and comfort of any reasonable person or to interfere with the reasonable and comfortable enjoyment of life or property by said animal’s excessive, continuous, frequent or habitual barking, whining, meowing, clucking, or making loud or unusual noises, or by running through or across cultivated gardens or lawns not the property of the owner. Any animal, which has persistently created the noises referred to in this subsection, as demonstrated by two (2) or more convictions of the owner thereof for violating this subsection, is declared to be a public nuisance and may be impounded.
E. Violations, Penalties: A first offense violation of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of seventy-five ($75.00) dollars. A second offense violation of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of one hundred fifty ($150.00) dollars. Third and subsequent offenses of this section shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of three hundred ($300.00) dollars. (Ord. 558, 12-14-2009; amd. Ord. 622, 12-12-2023)