(a)   Every owner of any dog 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 owned and kept within the city limits. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any newly acquired dog or any dog brought into the city limits to fail to register such animal within 30 days from acquisition or bringing the dog into the city. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any previously registered dog to fail to maintain current registration of such dog.

(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 over six months of age to fail to maintain current rabies immunization of such dog.

(c)   The city clerk shall collect an annual registration fee of $5 for each dog. The registration year shall be from January 1 through December 31. The full amount of the registration fees shall be payable regardless of the time of year the application is made.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

It shall be the duty of the city clerk or designated agent, upon a showing of current rabies immunization and receipt of the registration fee hereinbefore required, to keep on file, the date of registration, name of owner or keeper, the number of the dog tag, amount paid, and shall provide to the owner or keeper of the dog a receipt showing that the person registered the dog, the registration number, the registration year, and a dog tag which shall be attached to the collar of the registered dog.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

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

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

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

(Code 2013)

It shall be unlawful for the owner or harborer of any dog to permit such dog to run at large within the city at any time.

(a)   Any dog running at large within the city shall be impounded as set out in section 2-207.

(b)   The owner of any dog impounded for running at large shall pay a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500, plus the board bill of $5 per day.

(c)   For the offense of dog running at large the owner or harborer claiming such dog shall, in addition to presenting a current tag receipt, pay the cost of the board bill and fine of not more than $500. For each subsequent offense of dog running at large the fine shall increase by $25 per offense per dog not to exceed $500.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

Any dog found in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to impoundment by the city.

(a)   A record of all dogs impounded shall be kept by the city containing the following information: color, sex, breed, weight, identifying marks, registration number (if any), location picked up, and the date of impoundment.

(b)   If the dog impounded has a current tag attached to its collar or if the impounding officer knows the identity of the dog’s owner, the city clerk’s office shall make a valid attempt to contact the owner. If at the end of the allotted time the city clerk has been unable to contact the owner, or the owner, upon having been located, refuses to claim or redeem said dog, then the dog may be sold, euthanized, or otherwise disposed of.

(c)   If the dog impounded has no current tag and the identity of the dog’s owner is unknown, or could not be contacted, then such impounding officer shall, place the NOTICE OF IMPOUNDING OF A DOG in the city clerk’s window for not less than 10 days. If after said time the owner has not appeared to claim the dog, then the dog may be sold, euthanized, or otherwise disposed of.

(d)   If at any time before the sale or disposal of any dog impounded the owner does appear and redeem the dog, it shall be turned over to the person claiming it upon payment of impounding fees plus the actual costs of impoundment and compliance of the registration. This subsection shall not apply to any dog alleged as being vicious or suspected of rabies.

(e)   The owner or harborer of any impounded dog which is known or can be ascertained, who fails to redeem the dog as provided in this article, shall nevertheless be responsible for the payment of the impoundment fees and actual costs of impoundment as itemized by the city clerk.

(f)   Any dog impounded may not be released without a current rabies vaccination.

(g)   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.

(h)   The redemption of any dog impounded for a violation of any provision of this chapter shall be prima facie evidence of the violation of such provision by the person redeeming the dog.

(i)    No refunds shall be issued on any dog adopted from the facility. The animal may be returned to the facility within ten days of adoption. The city will keep the dog for another ten days before disposition.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

(a)   If any dog is not redeemed by its owner or harborer within the time allowed for redemption as specified, the animal control officer, any authorized law enforcement officer, any authorized veterinarian or any duly authorized pound personnel may destroy such dog or sell the same for the costs of impoundment and boarding, plus any registration fee.

(b)   No dog may be transferred to the permanent custody of a prospective owner unless:

(1)   Such dog has been surgically spayed or neutered before the physical transfer of the dog occurs; or

(2)   the prospective owner signs an agreement to have the dog spayed or neutered and deposits with the city not less than the lowest nor more than the highest cost of spaying or neutering in the community as determined by the city. Any funds deposited pursuant to such an agreement shall be refunded to such person upon presentation of a written statement signed by a licensed veterinarian that the dog has been spayed or neutered. If such person does not reclaim the deposit within six months after receiving custody of the dog, the city shall keep the deposit and may reclaim the unspayed or unneutered dog.

(c)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to require sterilization of a dog which is being held by the city and which may be claimed by its rightful owner within the holding period established in section 2-206.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

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 nuisance, 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 2013)

Whenever the mayor shall deem it necessary for the protection and welfare of the inhabitants of the city, he or she shall issue an order requiring all dogs kept within the city to be effectively muzzled for such length of time as may be specified in the order, to prevent them from biting or injuring persons or animals. Such order shall be published in the official newspaper of the city for such period of time as the mayor may deem necessary.

(Code 2013)

The chief of police shall be charged with responsibility for the enforcement of this article. The chief of police may also designate and authorize any city employee to carry out the duties enumerated herein.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)

In addition to any fines or fees provided for in the article, any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provisions of this article, shall be fined a sum not to exceed $500 or imprisoned for a period not to exceed 30 days, or both fine and imprisonment. Each day during which a violation occurs or continues shall constitute a separate offense and be punishable as such hereunder.

(Ord. 1748; Code 2013)