A. Injury To Property: It shall be unlawful for any person owning or possessing a dog/cat to permit such dog/cat to go upon any sidewalk, parkway, boulevard or private lands or premises without the permission of the owner of such premises and break, bruise, tear up, crush or injure any lawn, flowerbed, plant, shrub, tree or garden in any manner whatsoever or to defecate or urinate thereon. This subsection shall not apply to a person who is visually or physically handicapped.
B. Feces Accumulations: No person shall allow dog/cat feces to accumulate in any yard, pen or premises in or upon which a dog/cat shall be confined or kept so that it becomes offensive to those residing in the vicinity or health hazard to the residing dog/cat.
C. Unlawful Removal Of Muzzles: It shall be unlawful for any person to remove a muzzle, collar, identification tag, leash, or other restraint from a dog/cat without the consent of the owner of the dog/cat.
D. Dog/Cat Excrement: It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog/cat to allow the dog/cat to defecate or urinate upon any public sidewalk, thoroughfare, public place, or private property other than the premises owned and occupied by the owner of the dog/cat; provided, however, no such violation shall occur if such owner immediately thereafter removes said defecation from such public sidewalk, thoroughfare, public place, or private property after same is deposited thereon.
E. Confining Dogs/Cats In Heat: The owner of every female dog/cat in heat shall confine the dog/cat in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that the female dog/cat cannot come into contact with another animal except for planned breeding.
F. Interfering With Officer: No person shall resist or molest the police officer or animal control officer while engaged in the enforcement of any of the provisions of this chapter.
G. Noisy Dogs Prohibited:
1. It shall be unlawful for any owner to keep or harbor any dog which by habitually bawling, barking, howling, crowing, or by other annoying noises shall unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of any person. Such dog(s) is/are declared to be a public nuisance and noisy dog(s).
2. Whenever any person shall complain to the animal control officer or the police department that a dog which habitually bawls, barks, cries, howls, crows, or makes other annoying noises is being kept by any person in the city, the animal control officer or the police department shall notify the owner of the dog that a complaint has been received. Within twenty four (24) hours of receiving said notice of such complaint, the owner shall take whatever actions or measures necessary to alleviate such habitual bawling, barking, crying, howling, crowing, or other annoying noise; provided, however, if the offense occurs while such dog is on any Lake Taylorville lot or Lake Taylorville campsite or Lake Taylorville overnight campsite or upon any Lake Taylorville property then the owner shall immediately take whatever actions or measures necessary to alleviate such habitual bawling, barking, crying, howling, crowing, or other annoying noise.
3. If the warning given to the person alleged to be keeping such a dog, as set forth above, is ineffective, then a verified complaint signed by the complaining person may be presented to the animal control officer or to the police department alleging that such dog is being kept within the city and by habitually bawling, barking, crying, howling, crowing, or making any other annoying noise is unreasonably disturbing the peace and quiet of the complaining person. The animal control officer or the police department shall inform the owner of the dog that a complaint has been received and shall cite the owner of the dog for the violation alleged in the complaint.
4. Only one warning shall be given to an owner of a noisy dog; and any subsequent offenses following the issuance of a citation for a noisy dog shall result, without further warning, in the issuance of a citation upon the presentation of such verified complaint by a person complaining of such noisy dog.
H. Restraints Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any owner to restrain any dog on any Lake Taylorville lot or Lake Taylorville campsite or Lake Taylorville overnight campsite or upon any Lake Taylorville property by use of a cord, strap, rope, or chain or other restraining device when such restraint is attached to any tree, shrubbery, brush or utility pole located on such lake lot, campsite, overnight campsite or other Lake Taylorville property or when such restraint is attached to any structure, building, improvement, or any other property owned by the city and located on any such lake lot, campsite, overnight campsite or Lake Taylorville property, or when such restraint is situated so that any such dog by movement while under such restraint causes damages to any such tree, shrubbery, brush, utility pole, structure, building, improvement or other city owned property.
I. Digging Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any owner of any dog to permit or allow such dog to dig holes more than six inches (6") wide and more than two inches (2") deep or to make bare spots upon any ground on any Lake Taylorville lot or Lake Taylorville campsite or Lake Taylorville overnight campsite or upon any Lake Taylorville property or upon any city owned property. (Ord. 3535, 10-3-2011)