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Chapter
6 Animals and Fowl
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The Municipal Code defines the laws
governing responsible pet ownership and lists penalties
for violators. The following is a brief summary of
the ordinances.
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Licensing
All dogs and cats over four months of age must wear
both a current city registration tag and a rabies
vaccination tag. City tags must be renewed annually
within 60 days of January 1st.
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Running at large
When off the owner’s property, pets must be
restrained by a competent person and shall not create
a public nuisance.
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Definitions of Public Nuisance
The owner of a dog, cat or other animal is creating
a public nuisance when animal is:
- molesting passersby or passing vehicles.
- attacking other animals
- barking, whining, meowing, howling or making other
continuous noise.
- defecating on property other than that of the owner
and failure of owner to pick-up waste material.
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Dangerous Animals
An animal is classified as dangerous if it:
- has bitten a human being without provocation while
on or off the owner’s property.
- has killed a domestic animal, livestock or poultry
without provocation.
- is owned or harbored for the purpose of dog fighting.
- chases or approaches a person upon any public or
private property other than the property of the owner,
in a menacing fashion when unprovoked, regardless
of whether or not a person is injured by the animal.
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Humane Treatment
Owners must provide necessary sustenance (proper food,
water, shelter) to their dogs or cats; not inflict
unnecessary punishment; and provide veterinary care
when needed.
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Wild Animals and Birds
No person may keep or maintain any wild or undomesticated
animal or reptile. It is unlawful to trap, hunt, shoot,
or attempt to shoot a wild animal or bird. |
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Three Pet Limit:
No household may keep more than three dogs or three
cats or any combination thereof. |