(A) Annual License Required: No person shall own, keep, or harbor any dog over the age of six (6) months within the city unless such dog is licensed as provided in this chapter.
(B) Application: Application for such license shall be made by the owner at Wendell City Hall, or such other place designated by the city, on a form to be provided by the city within ten (10) days after acquiring any dog over six (6) months of age or within ten (10) days after a dog becomes six (6) months of age; provided that any owner moving to the city for the purposes of establishing residence or becoming a resident as a result of any annexation, and otherwise required to obtain a license, shall have until thirty (30) days after establishing residence to obtain such license.
(C) Proof Of Rabies Vaccination Required: All owners applying for a license must show to the satisfaction of the licensing authority that the animal for which the license is being obtained has been inoculated against rabies within the last two (2) years.
(D) Proof Of Sterilization: Any owner claiming that his dog has been spayed or neutered must show to the satisfaction of the licensing authority that the operation has been performed.
(E) Payment Of License Fee: A license fee shall be paid to the city of Wendell, or the entity designated by the city to license dogs on behalf of the city, at the time of making application. The license fee for dogs shall be established by the city council by resolution. Such fee may be different depending upon the altered status or other relevant characteristics of the animal.
(F) Exemption From License Fee: License fees shall not be required for seeing eye dogs, dogs prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons, government police dogs or dogs belonging to a nonresident of the city (which are licensed elsewhere) and kept within the boundaries of the city for not longer than thirty (30) days; provided that all dogs not subject to payment of the license fee shall at the time of entry into the city be properly vaccinated against rabies, and while kept within the city, meet all other requirements of this chapter. Any owner claiming any of these exemptions has the burden of proving to the satisfaction of the licensing authority that the dog in question is entitled to such exemption.
(G) Penalties: Any owner of a dog over the age of six (6) months who fails to obtain a license within the time period specified in this chapter shall be subject to prosecution for violation of this chapter as otherwise provided herein. (Ord. 512-2012, 5-17-2012)