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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-291-A1 - Pet License Regulations and FeesBILL N0. ~ ~~~ -y ORDINANCE N0. ,,,~y~~.~/ -~ AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING REGULATIONS AND LICENSE FEE FOR REGULATING AND LICENSING THE KEEPING OF DOGS, THE OWNING, KEEPING OR HARBORING OF DOGS WITHIN THE CITY, AND PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, MISSOURI, as follows: Section 1~ Definitions. As used in this ordinance the following terms mean: Owner:- Any person, group of persons or corporation owning, keeping, or harboring an animal kept over seven days. Dog: A dog of either sex. Spayed femal dog: A female dog certified by a licensed veterinarian to have been spayed. Exposed to rabies: A dog has been exposed to rabies within the meaning of this ordinance if it has been bitten by any other animal known or reasonably suspected to be infected with rabies. Humane Officer: An agent of any incorporated humane society designated by the City Marshal to assist in the enforcement of this ordinance. Restraint: A dog is under restraint if it is confined on the property of its owner or is under the immediate and effective control of a responsible person. Section 2. Enforcement. The provisions of this ordinance shall be enforced by the Department of Police of the City and by Humane Officers designated by the City Marshal. Section 3, Licensing. (A) No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog within the city limits unless such dog is licensed as herein provided. Written application for a license shall be made to the City Collector and shall state the name, address and telephone number (if any) of the owner and the name, breed, color, sex and distinguishing marks of the dog. The license fee shall be paid to the City Collector at the time of making the application. The City Collector shall issue a receipt and a numbered metallic or plastic tag for each dog licensed, and shall maintain for three years two records of such receipts and tags, one arranged alphabetically by name of the dog owner and the other arranged numerically by tag numbers. Such records shall be open to public inspection at all business hours. (B) The yearly license fees shall be: $2.00 for male dog or spayed female dog; $3.00 for an unspayed female dog. (C) All dog licenses shall be issued for one year beginning with the first day of May. The owner may apply for the license during May without penalty for the delay but when an application which should have been made by May 1st is not made until after May 31st, the appropriate license fee shall be increased by SO per cent. Provided, that if the applicant became the owner of the dog after May 1st, the license fee may be prorated to the nearest quarter and the penalty for delinquency shall be added if such license is not applied for within thirty days following acquisition of the dog. (D) If ownership of a dog is transferred, the new owner may have the current license transferred to his name upon payment of a fee of $1.00. (E) The owner shall keep on the dog, at all times when the dog is not inside a private building, a collar or harness, and the tag issued by the License Collector shall be affixed to the collar or harness in such a manner that the tag can be easily seen. n .~ ~ - 2 - 07 y/,Cl/ .. s~ `~'' i ~+~.. d (E) No person shall use for any dog a tag issued for a diL-ferent dog. (G) If a license is destroyed or lost, a duplicate or replacement may be obtained from the License Collector for a fee of $1.00. Section 4. Restraint. A dog owner shall keep his dog under restraint at all times. Section 5. Impoundment. (A) Dogs not licensed pursuant to this ordinance, or found not under restraint or abandoned, may be seized and impounded by any police or humane officer. Impound- ment may be in any animal shelter designated by the City Council within or without the city limits. (r3) If the dog wears a license tag or if the owner can by any other reasonable means be identified and located, the ovrner shall within twelve hours to be notified that the dog has been impounded. (C) If a dog is not redeemed by the owner within five days after impoundment, the dog may be disposed of in one of the following ways, but no other way: (1) euthanasia, using a method approved by The I~umane Society of the United States; (2) release for adoption by a new owner who shows evidence of ability and in- tention to provide the dog with an appropriate home and humane care; provided, that no unspayed female dog shall be released for adoption unless a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that he has peen paid in full for spaying of the dog and will perform the operation within thirty days or before the dog's first fertile period. (d) An owner redeeming a dog from any animal shelter designated by the City shall pay, before the release of such dog, a redemption fee of i;ive Dollars ($5.00) for dogs for which a current city license has been issued or Ten Dollars ($10.00) for dogs for which no current city license has been issued, plus a boarding charge of $1.25 for each 24 hours or fraction thereof that such dog has been held. -3- (E) The intent of this ordinance is to require dog owners to comply with the law, not merely to operate an impoundment program. Police officers and humane officers shall therefore place primary emp- hasis upon apprehending and initiating prosecution of violators of this ordinance. Section 6, Care of Animals. The owner of an animal shall provide it with humane shelter from heat, cold, rain, wind and snow, and shall give it food and water adequate to keep the animal in good health and comfort. Dog houses and kennels must be soundly constructed, dry, and provided in cold weather with clean bedding. All animals must be given opportunity for vigorous daily exercise and must be provided by their owners with veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering. No owner shall permit a dog habitually to bark, howl or in other ways be a public nuisance. Section 7, Confinement of Female Doffs in Heat. The owner shall confine any female dog in heat within a building, in such manner that the dog will not be accessible to tither dogs except for planned breeding and will not attract male dogs. Section 8, Rabies. (A) Every rabid dog or dog exposed to rabies shall be immediately confined by the owner, who shall promptly notify a police officer or a humane officer. The owner shall, upon demand by the Police Officer or Humane Officer, surrender any such dog for quarantine in the city pound, a humane society animal shelter, or a licensed veterinary hospital, and the owner shall be responsible for all costs. The dog may be quarantined a maximum of two weeks but shall be released earlier if certified by a licensed veterinarian to be free of rabies. No fee shall be charged for quarantine by the public pound. (B) No person shall kill a rabid animal exposed to rabies, nor remove such an animal from the city limits, without permission - 4 - -1 1/C1 / from the Police Officer or Humane Officer, except when it is necessary to kill such animal to prevent it from escaping or from biting any other animal or person. (C) The body of any animal dead of rabies or having been exposed to rabies prior to death shall be surrendeored by the owner upon demand of the Police Officer or Humane Officer. Section 9, Investigation and Interference with Officers. Any police officer or humane officer designated by is authorized to enter any premises where a dog is to inspect w nditions under which the dog is kept, owner to exhibit a license for the dog. No person or interfere with any police officer or such human. performance of his duties. the City Marshal kept or harbored, and to require the shall hinder, molest a officer in the Section 10. Abandomment of Dogs. No person or persons shall abandon any animal within the city limits of Riverside. Section 11, Exemptions. Hospitals, clinics and other facilities operated by licensed veterinarians for the care and treatment of animals are exempt from all provisions of this ordinance except Sections 8 and 9. The licensing provisions of the ordinance shall not apply to non-residents of the city unless they keep a dog within the city for more than 30 days. Section 12, Penalties. Any person violating any section of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $10.00 but not more than $100.00. If such a violation be continuing, each day's violation shall be a separate offense. Section 13s Repeals. All earlier ordinances in conflict with or duplicating this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict or duplication. - 5 - ~ f/ It / - __ ~ Section 14, Severability. If any part of this ordinance be held void, such part shall be deemed severable and the invalidity thereof shall not affect the remaining parts of this ordinance. Passed this •?~ ~~ day of April, 1963. ayor~ ___. ATTEST: _ City Clerk Approved this o1~ ~ day of April, 1963. ayor ~ ~f/cl/