(a) Any person or entity who owns, keeps, handles, or has charge of a dog that, without provocation, kills or causes serious injury to a dog, cat, or chicken, shall be guilty of owning, keeping, handling, or having charge of an unsafe dog.
(b) "Unsafe dog" means a dog that, without provocation, has killed or caused serious injury to a dog, cat, or chicken.
(c) "Unsafe dog" does not include the following:
(1) A police dog that has killed or caused serious injury to another dog, cat, or chicken while the police dog is being used to assist one or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(2) A dog that has killed or caused serious injury to a dog, cat, or chicken that was trespassing on the property of its owner, keeper, handler, or person having charge of the dog.
(d) "Provocation" means the dog owner, keeper, handler, or person having charge of the dog; or a dog or cat residing at the same household as the dog; was being attacked, teased, tormented, or abused at the time, while not engaging in illegal or criminal activity.
(e) "Serious injury" means an injury that reasonably required medical attention and treatment from a licensed veterinarian.
(f) Whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. The court may also order the offender to personally supervise the unsafe dog that he or she owns, keeps, handles, or has charge of, and/or cause the dog to complete dog obedience training. The court, in the alternative, may order the unsafe dog to be humanely destroyed by a licensed veterinarian, the County Dog Warden, or the County Humane Society.
(Ord. 2024-72. Passed 10-7-2024.)