(A) License. It shall be unlawful for any dog, cat or ferret owner, possessor or harborer who resides in the town to fail to provide his or her dog, cat or ferret over four months of age with a current license tag. The owner, possessor or harborer of any above-described animal must have his or her animal vaccinated and must have a current rabies vaccination tag showing that the animals have been vaccinated. No license will be issued unless proof of inoculation is shown. Any dog, cat or ferret owner, possessor or harborer who moves into the town for the purpose of establishing residency, or who becomes a resident as a result of annexation, shall have 30 days in which to obtain a license from the county.
(B) License fee.
(1) Licenses shall be renewed annually from the date of issuance, except for sterile dogs or cats, which may have a three-year renewal term. The failure of any owner to renew a license by the thirtieth calendar day after the license is due for renewal shall result in an additional $10 late renewal fee. The license fee for all dogs, guard dogs, cats and ferrets shall be paid in accordance with the county regulations and fee schedule.
(2) Any owner of an animal who can furnish a statement from a licensed veterinarian that the animal, due to health reasons, could not withstand spay/neuter surgery, shall be charged at the sterile rate.
(3) Any owner of one or more purebred dogs or cats who can furnish proof of participation in at least three nationally recognized conformation or obedience shows within the past 12 months shall be charged at the sterile rate. The exemption rate only applies to the dogs or cats in the owner's household of the same breed that were shown. Proof of participation must go beyond records showing that a filing fee was paid, and the owner must validate the actual showing of the animal.
(4) Any animal owner 62 years of age or older who owns a sterilized animal may receive his or her license free of charge.
(5) Any disabled owner of a dog which is used for seeing or hearing purposes and is spayed or neutered shall obtain a license free of charge.
(6) Any governmental agency that owns, for a governmental purpose, an animal subject to licensing shall obtain its license free of charge.
(C) Guard dog license. It shall be unlawful for any dog owner, possessor or harborer to bring a dog into the town to function as a guard dog without first obtaining a town guard dog license. The license will supercede the normal dog license required by division (A) above.
(D) Rabies inoculation. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, possesses or harbors a dog, cat or ferret not to have the animal inoculated against rabies.
(E) Rabies tag. It shall be unlawful for the owner, possessor or harborer of any dog or cat in the town not to have the dog or cat wear the rabies vaccination tag issued to them by the veterinarian administering the rabies vaccine. It shall be unlawful for the owner, possessor or harborer of any ferret in the town not to have in the owner's possession the rabies vaccination tag issued to that person by the veterinarian administering the rabies vaccination. Dogs and cats not wearing these tags, and for which the owner cannot promptly display a valid rabies tag, may be impounded pursuant to § 90.070.
(F) Reclaim. If the Bureau has lawfully acquired custody or control of an animal and the Bureau has probable cause to believe that the animal does not have the lawfully required inoculation against rabies, then the Bureau shall have the authority to inoculate the animal against rabies. The owner, possessor or harborer of the animal shall not have the right to reclaim the animal until the owner, possessor or harborer has paid the town for the cost of the rabies inoculation.
(1995 Code, § 10-55) (Ord. 2005-02, passed - -2005) Penalty, see § 10.99
Statutory reference:
Municipal authority to levy an annual license tax on the privilege of keeping domestic animals, see G.S. § 160A-212