(A) No person, being the owner or having charge of any animal or fowl excepting homing pigeons bearing official bands, shall fail to prevent such animal or fowl from running at large on any property not his or her own.
(B) The owner, keeper, harborer, or person having charge of any dog shall not permit such dog to enter upon any private property more than 10 feet from the street curb without the permission of the property owner. All dogs must be securely leashed or under "direct control" at all times, otherwise the dog shall be subject to impoundment and the owner, keeper, harborer, or handler subject to penalty.
(C) DIRECT CONTROL, for the purpose of this section, shall mean that the dog is located at all times within 10 feet of the owner, keeper, harborer or person having charge of the animal and will respond instantly to the minimum obedience commands of "come" or "sit" or "stay". It shall be prima facie evidence that a dog is not under the required control if such dog menaces, chases, injures, or kills any person or domestic animal or damages or commits any nuisance upon property other than that of its owner, keeper or harborer.
(1) "Come", the command, shall mean that the dog shall leave the position at which he is located and return to the handler when such command is given by said handler.
(2) "Sit", the command, shall mean that the dog shall cease movement in any forward, backward, or sideways direction and shall assume a sitting position when such command is given by the handler.
(3) "Stay", the command, shall mean that the dog shall cease movement in any forward, backward, or sideways direction and shall remain in the spot in which such command was heeded until it is released by the handler.
(D) Penalty. Whoever violates this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, and $300 for a third and each subsequent offense.
(Ord. 346, passed 11-19-1973; Am. Ord. 02-2009, passed 4-20-2009)
Statutory reference:
Power of municipality to regulate animals running at large, see R.C. §§ 715.23 and 955.221