A. An owner shall have dogs three months of age or over vaccinated against rabies and licensed. Upon moving to Pima County, an owner must comply with these vaccinating and licensing requirements within thirty days or arrival. The vaccination shall be in accordance with the current Arizona State Department of Health Service's Arizona Manual for Rabies Control and Bite Management. Exception: Animals with a current license from any Arizona jurisdiction are not required to be licensed in Pima County.
B. The licensing fees for dogs three months of age or over which are kept within the boundaries of the county for at least thirty consecutive days are as follows:
1. Regular, unaltered dog—sixty dollars.
2. Regular, altered dog—fifteen dollars.
3. Dogs declared dangerous or vicious—one hundred dollars.
4. Person aged sixty-five or older/disabled citizen owner, altered dog (limit four discounted dog licenses per household)—ten dollars.
5. Upon showing a veterinarian's certificate stating that a dog cannot be altered for health reasons — the regular, altered dog fee will apply.
6. A dog owner with a household income below the federal poverty level is eligible for an eight dollar dog licensing fee per altered dog (limit four discounted dog licenses per household).
7. A service animal, or a dog training to be a service animal, as defined by Arizona Revised Statute Section 11-1024 may be licensed under this section without payment of a fee. An applicant for a license fee waiver for a service animal must sign a written certification that the dog is a service animal, or is in training to be a service animal, as defined in A.R.S. Section 11-1024. The written certification must be in substantially the same language as in A.R.S. Section 11-1008(F)(2). A person who makes a false certification under this section is guilty of a petty offense and subject to a fine that does not exceed fifty dollars.
8. An active working dog belonging to a law enforcement agency, or an altered retired law enforcement working dog, may be licensed under this section without payment of a fee.
9. Processing/postage fee per license, one dollar.
C. Licenses shall be issued on a staggered basis. Licenses shall be valid for up to one year, and shall expire on the anniversary date of a current vaccination, as defined by the current Arizona Manual for Rabies Control and Bite Management, at the time of applying for the license.
D. A ten-dollar late penalty will be charged on payments made after thirty days from the expiration date of the license. If the license is obtained one year but no more than two years from the date on which the dog is required to be licensed, an additional penalty fee of twenty-two dollars shall be paid. If the license is obtained two or more years from the date on which the dog is required to be licensed, an additional penalty fee of thirty-six dollars shall be paid.
E. Owners of altered dogs wanting to pay lower license fees shall be required to present to the Pima Animal Care Center a certificate from a licensed veterinarian stating that a dog has been altered.
F. Duplicate licenses will be furnished upon request by the owners for a fee of ten dollars.
G. Licenses may be transferred from one owner to another upon change of ownership of a dog for a fee of ten dollars.
H. Effective July 1, 2015, fees authorized in subsections (B)(1) through (B)(7) of this section will increase on July 1 of each year by one dollar per year through July 1, 2019.
I. Any person who has paid the license fee provided in this section who subsequently presents to the Pima Animal Care Center a certificate from a veterinarian that a dog has been altered since licensing shall be entitled to a rebate equal to the difference between the unaltered and the altered dog license fees. Rebates shall only be provided to owners for a current license for an unaltered dog.
J. Penalty. The owner of any dog who fails to vaccinate and license or permit such dog pursuant to this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred fifty dollars nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars, four months in jail, two years' probation, or any combination thereof. No judge may grant probation in lieu of, or otherwise suspend, the imposition of the minimum fine prescribed herein; provided however that where a violation of this section is charged, the fine shall be reduced to seventy-five dollars upon a showing to the court of proof of vaccination and licensing or permitting, as is required for such dog, within fifteen days of issuance of the complaint.
K. A person operating a kennel shall obtain a kennel permit issued by the Pima Animal Care Center except if each individual dog is licensed. The animal fee for the kennel permit is four hundred dollars or seventy-five percent of the total cost of licensing all the animals individually, whichever is greater. A one hundred dollar late penalty will be charged on permits obtained more than thirty days after the expiration date of the previous permit. A two hundred dollar late penalty will be charged on permits obtained one year or more, but less than two years, after the expiration date of the previous permit. A four hundred dollar late penalty will be charged on permits obtained two or more years after the expiration date of the previous permit. A person who has licensed his/her animals under a kennel permit is subject to inspections by the county enforcement agent. Such inspections may be initiated by the enforcement agent at any time Monday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The county shall deny a kennel permit to or revoke an existing permit from any person who:
1. Denies entry to the property for such inspection; or
2. Pursuant to any state, county, municipal or federal law or regulation, criminal or civil, has been convicted of or found responsible for neglect or mistreatment of an animal or any other offense relating to animals; or
3. Has, within the past ten years, been convicted of a felony; or
4. Has ever forfeited a specific animal pursuant to Pima County Code Section 6.04.140 or any other state, county, municipal or federal proceeding or law; or
5. Has ever been denied, pursuant to any legal proceeding or law, all ownership, possession, or having control of animals in general.
L. All dogs which are not required to be licensed under subsection K of this section must be vaccinated against rabies pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes Sections 11-1001(13), 11-1001(14), and the current Arizona State Department of Health Service's Arizona Manual for Rabies Control and Bite Management.
M. Before a license or kennel permit is issued, the owner must present a rabies vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian stating the owner's name and address and giving each dog's description, date of vaccination, type, manufacturer, the serial number of the vaccine and the date revaccination is due.
N. The Pima Animal Care Center may apprehend and impound, or cause to be impounded, any dog, required to be licensed, which is found without a license tag for the current year.
O. As a condition for the issuance of a kennel permit, all dogs over the age of three months shall have a micro-chip implanted prior to the issuance of said permit. Each dog that reaches the age of three months during the permit period must be micro-chipped within thirty days of reaching said age. Upon receiving an application for the issuance of a kennel permit, the county enforcement agent may scan all dogs in the kennel to verify the implanted micro-chips and rabies vaccinations.
P. Canine-wild animal hybrids defined by Chapter 6.05 of this code, are not required to be licensed pursuant to this section.
(Ord. 2016-6, § 1 (part), 2016; Ord. 2015-22 § 1, 2015; Ord. 2011-69 § 1, 2011; Ord. 2009-27 § 1, 2009: Ord. 2008-62 § 1, 2008; Ord. 2007-17 § 1 (part), 2007; Ord. 2006-57 § 1 (part), 2006; Ord. 2006-10 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2005-45 § 1 (part), 2005; Ord. 2004-17 § 1 (part), 2004; Ord. 2002-80 § 1 (part), 2002; Ord. 1999-68 § 1 (part), 1999; Ord. 1998-33 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1997-18 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1993-76 § 1, 1993; Ord. 1989-174 § 1, 1989; Ord. 1989-159 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 1987-86 § 1, 1987; Ord. 1984-188 (part), 1984; prior code 15.04.070(A))