A person will be in violation of this chapter if he or she:
(A) Owns any animal and who permits the animal to run at large, except, however, that a dog engaged in hunting need not be leashed when under the reasonable control of its owner;
(B) Owns any dog of any age, licensed or unlicensed, wearing a collar or not wearing a collar, except a leader dog for a handicapped person accompanied by its owner, and who permits the dog to be within the confines of any public park when the park, by appropriate designation at its entrance, prohibits dogs;
(C) Owns any dog at any time, licensed or unlicensed, which destroys property, real or personal, or trespasses in a damaging way on property of persons other than the owner;
(D) Owns any dog, cat, livestock, poultry, or other animal at any time, licensed or unlicensed, which attacks or bites a person;
(E) Owns any dog which shows vicious habits, including, but not limited to, charging, snarling, growling, and the like, or which molests passers-by when the persons are lawfully on a public highway, right-of-way, or adjacent property;
(F) Owns, keeps, houses, tethers, or otherwise possesses or maintains any animal in such a way or manner or in the location whereby noises emanating from the animal, including, but not limited to, loud and frequent barking, howling, or yelping, shall cause a disturbance or otherwise disrupt the peace, quiet, and tranquility of persons within the limits of the township, is a nuisance in the neighborhood in which the animal is kept, possessed or harbored. This section shall not apply to kennels lawfully operating within the township, except upon the evidence of mistreatment of animals situated therein;
(G) Owns any livestock or poultry which is kept, possesses, or harbored within the boundaries of any nonagricultural area within the township;
(H) Owns any dog or other animal which is not confined upon the premises of the owner between sunset and sunrise of the following day, except when the dog or other animal is otherwise under the reasonable control of the owner;
(I) Removes a collar or tag from any dog or any other animal without the permission of its owner, or decoys or entices any dog or other animal out of an enclosure or off the property of its owner, or seizes, molests, or teases any dog or other animal held or led by any person or while on the property of its owner;
(J) Intentionally and maliciously kills, injures, or maims any animal, livestock, or poultry owned by another person. In no event shall the provisions of this division (J) exonerate a person from compliance with the criminal laws of this state, including, by way of example, the safe discharge of firearms;
(K) Owns, keeps, houses, or otherwise possesses wild or undomesticated animals in residential districts. The animals to include, but not limited to: opossum, raccoon, bears, deer, moose, elk, snakes, wolves, wild cats such as lions, tigers, and leopards, and other wild game. However, this does not apply to those establishments exempted by Chapter 150; and/or
(L) Permanently or temporarily keeps more than 2 dogs 6 months or older on premises located within a residential district, unless exempted by Chapter 150.
(Ord. 29.04, passed 11-13-2001) Penalty, see § 92.99
Cross-reference:
For additional prohibitions concerning animals, see § 150.153