(A) Humane care. All owners shall provide their animals with sufficient food and water, proper shelter, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering and with humane care and treatment. No person shall poison or ill-treat an animal, nor may an animal be abandoned.
(B) At large. Owners shall not permit their dogs to run at large. A dog shall be deemed to be at large if off the premises of its owner and not under the immediate control of a responsible person.
(C) School grounds or recreational areas. Owners shall not permit their dogs on any school ground when school is in session, or on any public recreation area when an organized activity is being conducted, unless the dog is controlled by a leash or similar device to prevent the dog from biting any person or animal.
(D) Dogs or cats in heat. Every female dog or cat in heat shall be confined in a closed building so that the animal can not come in contact with animal, except for planned breeding.
(E) Nuisance. Every owner of a dog or cat shall exercise proper care and control of his or her animal to prevent the animal from becoming a public nuisance. The term NUISANCE shall include but is not limited to the following: excessive or untimely barking, molesting passers-by, chasing vehicles, attacking other domestic animals, depositing excretory matter on property other than that of the owner and damaging property.
(F) Vicious dogs. Owners shall not permit a dog which has the property to bite or attack human beings to run loose on or within the owner’s premises in a manner so as to endanger the safety of any person lawfully entering the premises.
(G) Dog bites. Any person who knows or has reason to believe that a dog has bitten any person shall be responsible for the reporting of the fact to the Town Marshal immediately. The owner of a dog which has bitten a person shall confine his or her dog at his or her own expense for a period of 14 days in a manner directed by the police officer or County Health Officer. However, if the Health Officer has reason to believe that the dog is rabid, he or she may order the dog confirmed for additional period as he or she may deem necessary to determine whether the dog is in fact, rabid. No person shall cause to be killed any dog suspected of being rabid.
(Prior Code, § 91.17) (Ord. 10-2003, passed 10-14-2003) Penalty, see § 91.99