(a)   Every owner of any dog or cat over six months of age shall annually register with the city clerk his or her name and address with the name, sex and description of each dog or cat owned and kept within the city. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any such dog or cat to fail to maintain current registration of such dog or cat, except that: No dog or cat owner shall be allowed to register a dog or cat if the owner has had three (3) or more diversions or convictions relating to dogs or cats, or a total of three (3) of the combination of diversions and convictions relating to dogs or cats, and shall not qualify for a registration tag as described in Section 2-201. It shall not be a defense to the violation of any part of Article 2 that the owner was not allowed to register his or her cat or dog pursuant to this subsection.

(b)   Upon registration, the owner shall present a current, completed certificate of immunization against rabies. No registration shall follow without evidence of this document, and it shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or cat described in (a)above to fail to maintain effective rabies immunization of such dog or cat.

(c)   The City Clerk shall collect an annual registration fee for all dogs and cats:

(1)   Spayed or neutered - $5.00 for each dog and cat

(2)   Non-altered - $10.00 for each dog and cat

(d)   The registration year shall be from January 1 through December 31 of each year. The fee shall be payable on or before January 31 of each year without penalty.

Every owner or harborer of any dog(s) or cat(s) who shall fail to register the same on or before the 31st day of January of each year shall pay, in addition to the registration fee, a penalty fee for late registration of $25.00. Each day the fee remains due and unpaid shall be considered a separate and distinct offense for purposes of this Article.

In the event any owner of any dog(s) or cat(s) fails to register any dog or cat by April 1 of any year, the owner shall be issued a ticket.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 1,2, 9; Ord. 777, Sec. 1; Code 1997; Ord. 944; Ord. 1030; Code 2021)

(a)   Every owner of any dog or cat that is registered with the city, as described in Section 2-201, shall display such current registration on their dog or cat.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 4, 13; Code 1997; Ord. 1045; Code 2021)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place on any dog or cat a tag issued for any other dog or cat, or to make or use any false, forged or counterfeited tag or imitation thereof.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 6; Code 1987)

The provisions of this article with respect to registration shall not apply to any animal owned by any person visiting or temporarily remaining within the city for less than 30 days. However, such animals shall be kept under restraint by the owner thereof at all times.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 6; Code 1987)

(a)   Running at large shall mean outside of a fence or other enclosure which restrains the animal to a particular premise or wandering, roving or rambling at will, unrestrained and not under control by leash or lead of the owner or member of his or her family capable of restraining the animal. Animals tethered to a stationary object within range of public thoroughfares or sidewalks are deemed to be “at large.”

(b)   It shall be unlawful for the owner or harborer of any dog or cat to permit such dog or cat to run at large within the city at any time;

(c)   Any animal running at large within the city shall be impounded as set out in section 2-206.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 11, 12; Code 1987)

Any dog or cat found in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to impoundment by the city. A record of all dogs and cats impounded may be kept by the city containing the following information: color, sex, weight, height, identifying marks, registration number (if any) and the date of impoundment.

(a)   If the dog or cat impounded has a current registration tag attached to its collar, the owner of such dog or cat, as shown by the records of the city clerk shall be notified in writing as soon as possible. If the owner of any dog or cat is unknown to the city police, dogcatcher, or their assistants, then the city clerk shall publish a notice in the local city paper and/or social media in the issue following such impoundment containing a brief description of the dog or cat so impounded. If, at the end of seven days the city clerk has been unable to locate the owner, or the owner, upon having been located, refuses to claim or redeem the dog or cat, then the dog or cat may be adopted, euthanized or transferred to another shelter.

(b)   If the dog or cat impounded has no current registration tag, it shall be kept for seven business-days. If within that time the owner does not appear to claim the animal, it may be adopted, euthanized or transferred to another shelter.

(c)   If within the impounding period, the owner of an impounded dog or cat does appear and redeem the dog or cat, it shall be turned over to the person claiming it upon payment of $25 plus $5 per day of impoundment, and upon compliance with the registration provisions of this article.

(d)   Any dog or cat impounded and released will be required to have a current rabies vaccination on file at city hall within five days of release.

(e)   Impoundment hereunder shall not preclude any court from imposing and executing any fine which might otherwise be levied under this article for violation of any of the provisions thereof; nor shall impoundment be a defense in any prosecution commenced hereunder.

(Ord. 773, Sec. 14; Code 1987)

(a)   No person or household shall own or harbor more than four (4) dogs of six (6) months of age or older together with more than one litter of pups, or more than four (4) cats of more than six (6) months of age or older together with more than one litter of kittens, or more than a total of four (4) dogs and cats more than six (6) months of age in any combination together with one litter of pups or kittens.

(b)   Kennels are now prohibited within City limits regardless of whether a state license has been obtained.

(c)   Violators of this section may be fined $30 per incident plus court costs, and every day may constitute a new violation. The City Police or animal control officer may issue a notice to appear for this offense.

(Code 1997; Ord. 1031; Ord. 1146; Code 2021)

Any unspayed female dog in the stage of estrus (heat) shall be confined during such period of time in a house, building or secure enclosure, and the area of enclosure shall be so constructed that no other dog or dogs may gain voluntary access to the confined animal except for purposes of planned breeding. Any animal that is in the state of estrus (heat) and that is not properly confined, or any such animal that is creating a neighborhood nuisances, shall be removed to a boarding kennel, to a veterinary hospital or to the animal shelter. All expenses incurred as a result of the confinement shall be paid by the owner. The owner of animals removed to the animal shelter shall be charged at the rate established from time to time by the animal shelter for routine confinement.

(Code 1987)

(a)   Unlawful to keep. It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, own or in any way possess within the City limits any pit bull dog. As used in this section, the term “pit bull dog” is defined to mean:

(1)   The Staffordshire bull terrier breed of dog;

(2)   the American pit bull terrier breed of dog;

(3)   the American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog;

(4)   the bull terrier breed of dog;

(5)   dogs of mixed breed or any other breeds which breed or mixed breed is known as pit bulls, pit bull dogs, pit bull terriers;

(6)   the American bully breed; and

(7)   any dog which has the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly of the breeds of Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, or any combination of these breeds.

(b)   Failure to comply. It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of the pit bull dog within the City to fail to comply with the requirements and conditions set forth in this Section. Any dog found to be the subject of a violation of this Section shall be subject to immediate seizure and impoundment.

(c)   Violations and Penalties. Any person violating or permitting the violation of any provision of this Section shall, upon conviction in Municipal Court, be fined a sum not less than $300 and not more than $1000. In addition to the fine imposed, the court may sentence the defendant to imprisonment and county jail for a period not to exceed 90 days. Also, the Court shall order the dog removed from the city. Should the defendant refuse to remove the dog from the city, the Municipal Court Judge shall find the defendant owner in contempt and order the immediate confiscation and impoundment or destruction of the dog. Each day that a violation of this Section continues shall be deemed a separate offense. In addition to the foregoing penalties, any person who violates this Section shall pay all expenses including shelter, food, handling, veterinary care, and any testimony or evidence necessitated by the enforcement of this Section.

(Code 2021)

(a)   For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1)   Picketing. The attaching directly or indirectly to the body of an animal of a tether which is also attached to another object for the purpose of confining the animal or limiting the movement of the animal, but not including the maintenance of an animal on a leash being held or otherwise under the direct physical control of a person.

(2)   Tether. Any leash, rope, chain, lead or other similar apparatus or device by which an animal is picketed.

(b)   It shall be unlawful to picket any animal in violation of any of the following regulations:

(1)   A tether must be at least ten (10) feet in length, but shall not be such length as will allow the animal to leave the boundaries on the property on which it is picketed.

(2)   Excluding the object to which an animal is picketed, the total weight of the tether and any collar, harness or other parts or attachments thereto shall not exceed an amount which is one-eighth (1/8) of the weight of the animal being picketed.

(3)   A tether must be attached to an animal only by means of a collar, harness, or other similar device which is designed for such a purpose and which is made from a material that prevents injury to the animal. No animal shall be tethered by means of a choke chain.

(4)   The area in which an animal is picketed and the manner in which an animal is picketed shall be such that is free from objects which could lead to the entanglement of the tether or to the strangulation of the animal.

(5)   The area in which an animal is picketed shall have adequate food and water within reach of the animal, and shall have one or more areas within reach of the animal which at any time during the period of picketing will provide shade from the sun and shelter from precipitation.

(6)   Animal shall not be picketed for more than four hours (weather permitting).

(Ord. 1130; Code 2021)