505.15 WILD OR EXOTIC ANIMALS.

   (a)   “Wild or exotic animal” means any cat other than Felis catus; any nonhuman primates other than monkeys; or any canine other than Canis familaris; any poisonous reptile; any alligator, crocodile or lizard over two feet long; any bear, kangaroo, eagle, poisonous stinging insect or arachnid.

   (b)   No person shall own, keep, maintain, harbor or have in his/her possession or control, within the corporation limits of the City, any wild or exotic animal; provided that this prohibition shall not apply to the following: any wild or exotic animal kept for the purpose of display or exhibition, and such display or exhibition is in a circus, zoo or zoological park certified by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums; or such animal is kept for scientific research purposes in schools or research institutions; or such animal is kept for commercial sale in a retail or wholesale pet store otherwise properly zoned for that purpose; or unless otherwise properly licensed by the United States or the State of Ohio. The Director of Administration may issue a temporary permit to keep injured or infant wild animals native to the area which have been deemed to be incapable of surviving without assistance. The Director of Administration may order the release of any wild animal kept under temporary permit.

   (c)   Any person owning or harboring a wild or exotic animal at the time of enactment of this section may, pending approval of the Director of Administration, obtain a permit to retain such wild or exotic animal provided that all of the following conditions are met within forty-five days of the effective date of this section:

      (1)   A permit application is filed with the Director of Administration; and

      (2)   The facilities for housing and containment of such wild or exotic animals are inspected and found to be adequate to prevent such animal from escaping or injuring the public or public safety personnel acting in an official capacity; and

      (3)   An annual permit fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) is paid by the owner or harborer of such wild or exotic animal to the City; and

      (4)   The owner or harborer of such wild or exotic animal shall procure personal liability and property damage liability insurance and have evidence of the same posted with the City by having the same filed with the Chief of Police. The liability insurance shall provide minimum coverage of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) per occurrence and shall contain a provision of commitment from the insurer that the City will be notified if the coverage is cancelled or in any other way should lapse. Upon notification to the City through the appropriate channels that liability coverage has lapsed, the City will contact the insured, through the Chief of Police, and notify the insured s/he has three business days in which to procure new liability coverage in the same minimum amounts and that failure to do so will mean an automatic revocation of consent to keep, maintain, possess, or control the wild or exotic animal, plus subjection to prosecution for violation of this section.

      (5)   Upon the death, sale, adoption, exchange, transfer or disposal of the wild or exotic animal, such animal shall not be replaced.

   (d)   No person owning or harboring a wild or exotic animal at the time of enactment of this section shall be permitted to increase his/her stock beyond that original number for which a permit has been issued as hereinabove provided. The owner or harborer of any such animal for which a permit has been issued, which animal is in gestation at the time of the enactment of this section, shall be permitted to retain any offspring born following the period of gestation. This section shall not apply to any owner or harborer issued a “commercial propagating license” or a “noncommercial propagating license” by the Ohio Division of Wildlife pursuant to Ohio R.C. 1533.71.

   (e)   Whoever violates subsection (b) above, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If a person has been previously convicted of a violation of this section, the subsequent violation shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(Ord. 2006-19. Passed 6-5-06.)