A. License Required:
1. All dogs must be licensed each year, except as otherwise provided herein, to a person of the age of eighteen (18) years or older.
2. Any person owning, possessing or harboring any dog shall obtain a license for such animal within thirty (30) days after it reaches the age of four (4) months; if it is over four (4) months, within fifteen (15) days of the date of acquisition of the animal.
B. Application For License: License applications must be submitted annually to the animal control service, utilizing a standard form which requests name, address and telephone number of the applicant, breed, sex, color and age of the animal and rabies information. The application shall be accompanied by the prescribed license fee and by a current rabies vaccination certificate, as well as proof of spay/neuter. Rabies vaccinations shall be given by a licensed veterinarian.
C. Fee For License:
1. License fees shall be in such amounts as established in section 1-12-4 of this code.
2. The license shall be effective from the date of purchase through December 31. After February 28, a late fee shall be imposed. Licenses for the following year may be purchased after November 30.
3. No person or persons at any one residence within the city shall at any one time own, harbor, maintain or license more than two (2) dogs, except as otherwise provided herein.
D. License Tag:
1. Upon payment of the license fee, the animal control service shall issue to the owner a certificate and a tag for each animal licensed. The tag shall have stamped thereon the license number corresponding with the tag number on the certificate. The owner shall attach the tag to the collar or harness of the animal and see that the collar and tag are constantly worn. Failure to attach the tag as provided shall be a violation of this chapter except that animals which are kept for show purposes are exempt from wearing the collar and tag while being shown.
2. Tags are not transferable from one animal to another. No refunds shall be made on any license fee for any reason whatsoever. Replacements for lost or destroyed tags shall be issued upon payment of one dollar ($1.00) to the animal control service.
3. Any person removing or causing to be removed the collar, harness or tag from any licensed animal without the consent of the owner or keeper thereof, except a licensed veterinarian or animal control officer who removes such for medical or proper reasons connected with his or her position, shall be in violation of this chapter.
E. Exemptions:
1. The provisions of subsections A and B of this section shall not apply to:
a. Licensed dogs, whose owners are nonresidents temporarily (up to 30 days) within the city. Licensed dogs whose owners remain within the city longer than thirty (30) days must be licensed locally upon payment of a one dollar ($1.00) fee and proof of current rabies vaccination.
b. Individual dogs that were issued a kennel license prior to January 1, 2010, for the life of the dogs registered under the kennel permit.
2. The fee provisions of subsection C of this section shall not apply to:
a. Seeing eye dogs properly trained to assist blind persons if such dogs are actually being used by blind persons to assist them in moving from place to place.
b. Hearing dogs properly trained to assist deaf persons if such dogs are actually used by deaf persons to aid them in responding to sounds.
c. Dogs especially trained to assist officials of government agencies in the performance of their duties and which are owned by such agencies.
3. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as to exempt any dog from having a current rabies vaccination. (Ord. 750, 1-5-2010)
F. Revocation Of License: If the owner of any dog is found to be in violation of this chapter on three (3) or more different occasions during a twelve (12) month period, the police chief may seek a court order, revoking for a period of one year any license such person may possess and providing for the animal control service to pick up and impound any animal kept by the person under such order. Any dog impounded pursuant to such an order shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this chapter except that the person under the order of revocation shall not be allowed to redeem the animal under any circumstances. (Ord. 815, 9-25-2012)
G. Cat Regulations:
1. Any person owning, possessing or harboring any cat that is allowed to be free roaming, shall obtain an identification tag or microchip within thirty (30) days of the date of acquisition of the animal. The owner shall attach the identification to the collar or harness of the animal and see that the collar and tag are continuously worn. Free roaming cats without identification will be presumed to be "feral" as defined in this chapter.
2. Rabies vaccinations are required for all cats more than four (4) months of age. Vaccinations must be given by a veterinarian with an approved rabies serum.
3. No person owning or otherwise having a cat over six (6) months of age shall cause, permit or allow such cat to be in or upon a public street, road, alley or other public or private place unless such cat is spayed or neutered.
4. No person or persons at any one residence within the city shall at any one time, own, harbor, or maintain more than three (3) cats.
H. Exotic Pets: Exotic pet owners shall be held to the same provisions as set forth in this chapter for domesticated animals, and/or livestock. Adequate food, water, shelter and care appropriate to each individual species must be provided at all times. Species subject to rabies must receive rabies vaccinations from a veterinarian with a serum approved for that species of animal. Adequate measures must be taken to prevent escape of any animal that may be considered a threat to public health or safety, to include, but not be limited to, snakes and reptiles. Exotic pets, if allowed to be free roaming at any time, must wear identification, or otherwise be microchipped. These animals are subject to the same fee schedule for impounds, shelter fees, and carcass disposal as set forth in section 1-12-4 of this code. (Ord. 750, 1-5-2010)