(A) Requirements. For any dog declared dangerous by operation of this subchapter, state statute, court order, an ordinance or regulation from another jurisdiction, or by operation of a declaration by an Animal Control Authority, the owner, in addition to complying with all the registration requirements set forth under § 90.07 of this chapter, shall keep and maintain the dog pursuant to all requirements of this section, all other provisions of this subchapter and all requirements of any applicable state statute.
(B) Restraint. An owner of a dangerous dog shall keep the dog, while on the owner’s property, in a proper enclosure, as defined by § 90.05 of this chapter. The dog shall, at all times, be kept in such proper enclosure unless the dog is, at any and all times the dog is outside a proper enclosure, muzzled and restrained by a substantial chain or leash not to exceed six feet in length and under the physical restraint of a responsible person 18 years of age or older. The muzzle, chain and leash must all be of such a design, manufacture and maintained in a condition that will prevent the dog from biting any person or animal, but that will not cause injury to the dog or interfere with its vision or respiration.
(C) Leased premises. A person who owns a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog and who rents property from another where the dog will reside shall disclose to the property owner prior to when the dog begins to reside on the property, or prior to entering the lease agreement, and at the time of any lease renewal, that the person owns a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog that will reside at the property.
(D) Warning symbol. If the county issues a certificate of registration to the owner of a dangerous dog pursuant to this subchapter, the county must provide, for posting on the owner’s property, an adequate number of a warning symbol to inform all persons, including children, that there is a dangerous dog on the property. The design of the warning symbol must be uniform with any specifications for such a sign as issued by the state’s Commissioner of Public Safety, if any, and shall otherwise be obtained by the county from the Commissioner of Public Safety. The county will charge the owner a reasonable fee to cover its administrative costs and the cost of the warning symbol.
(E) Tag. A dangerous dog registered under this section shall have a standardized, easily identifiable tag identifying the dog as dangerous and containing the uniform dangerous dog symbol, as developed by the Commissioner of Public Safety or the Animal Control Authority, affixed to the dog’s collar at all times.
(F) Property inspection. The owner of a dangerous dog shall permit the Animal Control Authority and/or law enforcement to enter the property where a dangerous dog is kept or located, at all hours reasonable under the circumstances, without a warrant or other advance judicial process, to inspect the premises so as to ensure compliance with the provisions of this subchapter, applicable state statutes, order from a hearing officer or directive from the Animal Control Authority. The failure of an owner to permit such inspection is, by itself, a ground to immediately seize the dog pursuant to § 90.12 of this chapter and revoke the dangerous dog registration pursuant to § 90.07(F) of this chapter.
(G) Review. If, in reviewing the conditions for keeping a dangerous dog, there have been no ordinance violations for a period of two years, the Animal Control Authority or Hearing Officer may use discretion in determining whether the conditions set forth above are still required.
(Ord. 10-01, passed 1-19-2010)