(A) Each owner shall provide for each of his or her animals:
(1) Sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food and water;
(2) Adequate shelter and protection from the weather;
(a) No person shall allow an animal to remain outside continuously for more than 30 minutes without access to adequate shelter and potable water. At the discretion of the Director, an exception may be granted when an adult is present on the premises.
(b) Companion animals must be brought into a temperature controlled structure when the temperature is at or below 10° Fahrenheit or at or above 85° Fahrenheit, or when a heat advisory, wind chill warning, or tornado warning has been issued by local, state, or national authority, except when the animal is in visual range of a competent adult who is outside with the animal;
(3) Veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering; and
(4) Humane care and treatment.
(B) To lawfully tether a dog outdoors, an owner must ensure that the dog:
(1) Does not suffer from a condition that is known by that person, to be exacerbated by tethering;
(2) Is tethered in a manner that will prevent it from becoming entangled with other tethered dogs;
(3) Is not tethered with a lead that:
(a) Exceeds one-eighth of the dog’s body weight; or
(b) Is a tow chain or a log chain;
(4) Is tethered with a lead that measures, when rounded to the nearest whole foot, at least ten feet in length;
(5) Is tethered with a properly fitted harness or collar other than the lead or a pinch prong, or choke-type collar; and
(6) Is not tethered in a manner that will allow it to reach within the property of another person, a public walkway, or a road.
(C) Prohibited tethering.
(1) No person shall: Tether an animal to a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, truck, or motorcycle;
(2) Tether an intact animal for any period of time;
(3) Tether an animal between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;
(4) Tether or confine an animal in or about an unoccupied structure or property for any purpose unless the animal is continuously monitored by an adult who is physically on site throughout the period of tethering or confinement;
(5) Tether an animal under six months of age;
(6) Tether more than three animals simultaneously at the same location.
(D) Division (B) and (C) of this section shall not be construed to prohibit:
(1) A person from walking a dog with a handheld leash;
(2) Conduct that is directly related to the cultivation of agricultural products, including shepherding or herding cattle or livestock, if the restraint is reasonably necessary for the safety of the dog;
(3) The tethering of a dog while at an organized and lawful animal function, such as hunting, obedience training, performance and conformance events, or law enforcement training, or while in the pursuit of working or competing in those endeavors; or
(4) A dog restrained in compliance with the requirements of a camping or recreational area as defined by a federal, state, or local authority or jurisdiction.
(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99