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379 Animal Regulations & Licensing 229 ORDINANCE NO. 379" AN ORDINANCE REPEALING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 1, ENTITLED 'ANIMALS ESTRAY, POUNDMASTER' AND TITLE 8, CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED 'DOGS' AND ADOPTING A NEW CHAPTER ON 'ANIMAL CON- TROL OFFICER, ANIMAL~REGULATIONS AND LICENSING', WHICH SHALL BE KNOWN AS TITLE 8, CHAPTER 1, OF THE REVISED AND COMPILED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN. WHEREAS, the City Council and the Mayor of the City of Meridian, Idaho have concluded that it is in the best interest of said~cityt6"repeal,-i.1Hle:g~'{hapter 1 arid Title 8, Chapter 6, as they now read, to revise, recodify the ordinances contained therein, and to adopt a new ordinance pertaining to Animal Control Of- ficers and Animal Regulations and Licensing, which shall be readopted as Title 8, Chapter 1. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, ADA COUNTY, rDA~O: Section 1 ThatTitJe 8, Chapter 1, and Title 8, Chapter 6 of the revised and complled ordinances are here by repealed. I Section 2 That a new Title 8, Chapter 1 is hereby adopted for the Regulation and Licensing of Animals, which shall read as follows: Section: -I 8-102 8-104 8-106 8-108 8-110 8-112 8-114 8-116 8-118 8-120 8-122 8-124 8-126 8-128 8-130 8-132 8-134 8-136 8-138 8-140 8-142 8-144 8-146 8-148 8-150 8-152 8-154 CHAPTER I ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER Appointment of Animal Control Officer Penalty, Violating Chapter Severability Defi nit ions Interfering with Animal Control Officer License Required Collar, Tag License, Fees, Expiration Rabies Vaccination License Tags, Imitation Ownership Restrictions, Quantity Of Dogs Dogs Running at Large Impounding of Dogs Impound Fees Disposal of Dogs. Voluntary Dogs Rushing at People Barking or Howling Dogs Female Dogs in Heat Cruelty to Animals Poisoni~g . of Animal Injured or Diseased Dogs, Destruction Procalmation of Mayor Rabies Quarantine Animals Running at Large Liability for Damage to Property Dead Animals 8-102 APPOINTMENT OF ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: The Chief of Police shall appoint an Animal Control Officer who shall, under the directiondf the Chief of Police, have the authority to enforce the provision of this chapter. 8-104 PENALTY: It shall be unlawful and punishable as a misdemeanor to violate any of the provisions of this Chapter. 8-106 SEVERABILITY: If any provision, clause, sentence, or paragraph of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circum~t~nce, shall ~e " held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provlslons ~r appllca- tion of the provisions of this ordinance which can be given effectwlthout the invalid provisions or application and, to this,end. the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared to be severable. 8-108 DEFINITIONS: A. The term "DOG" as used in this ordinance, shall include either a male or female member of the canine family. 230 B. The term "OWNER" as used in this ordinance, is meant to include any (' person owhing;Reeping, harboring';"or-otherwise responsible' for such animal. 8-110 INTERFERING WITH ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: It shall be unlawful for any person to; a. hinder or interfer with in any manner, the animal control officer while enforcing any of the provisions of this chapter, or; b. recover or attempt to recover possession of any impounded animal, in any manner contrary to the provisions of this chapter. 8-112 LICENSE REQUIRED: It shall be unlawful for any person to own, harbor, keep or possess a dog which is more than six months of age within the City of Meridian with- out first procuring a license therefor as provided by this ordinance; provided, how- ever, that the provisions ofCthis ordinance shall not a~ply to any person visiting in the City of Meridian for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days, and owning or possessing a dog currently licensed, and bearing the license issued by another mu- nicipality or other licensing authority_ 8-114 COLLAR, TAG: Every dog shall at all times wear a substantial, durable collar, to which shall be securely attached the required license tag. I 8-116 LICENSES. FEES.-'EXPIRATION: All dog licenses issued within the City of Meridian shall be valid only in the calendar year issued and shall expire December 31st of that year. The owner or person having charge of any dog, except as provided for inthis or- dinance. shall ma~e application to the City of Meridian for a dog license and pay an animal license fee as follows. A. Non~neutered male dogs $10.00 B. Non~spayed female dogs $10.00 C. Neutered or spayed dogs $ 5.00 D_ A charge of three (3) doll ars shall be made for each lost license tag reissued by the city. A_certificate of neuter or spay issued b,y- a veteri'nari'an or the Idaho lfumane Society shall be required to be pres-ented at tb,e ttme the li'cense is appl ted for in order to secure the license rate f6r a neutered or spayed dog. 8-118 RABIES VACCINATION: The owners of all dogs required to be licensed under this ordinance. shall present to the CHy of Meridian Licensing Department. prior to being issued a dog license, a vali'd rabies vacci'nat;-on certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. A rabies certificate shall be considered valid within the following guidelines. A~ Within one (1) year from date of issue when the dog vaccinated, was less than one year old. B. Within three (3) years from date of issue when the dog vaccinated, was one (1) or more years of age. I 8-120 IMITATION LICENSE TAGS: It shall be unl awful for any person to allow any dog owned, kept or harbored by him to wear a license tag issued for another dog or to wear any i'mitation of the ltcense tag ;-ssued by the ci'ty for that year, or any tag marked on plate or collar similar to that required by the city at that time and calculated to deceive. 8-122 OWNERSHIP RESTRICTION: No person or establishment may at anyone time own or license more than three (3) dogs at any single location within the jurisdiction of this ordinance unless otherwise authorized by law or ordinance. This provision shall not apply to a litter of puppies under six (6) months of age and kept and housed with the mother. 8-124 RUNNING AT LARGE PROHIBITED: It shall be unlawful for any dog owner to allow or permit any dog, whether licensed or not, to be or remain upon the streets or alleys of Meridian, or in any public p~ace in Meridian, or upon any other premises without the consent of the person in possession of such other premises, unless: A. Such dog be in custody of a person and controlled by a leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length, or unless; B. Such dog be confined in a motor vehicle. '231 8-126 IMPOUNDING OF DOGS: It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to impound any dog found running loose within the city limits of Meridian in vio- lation of the provisions of this chapter. A. The Animal Control Officer shall cause notice to be served within forty-eight (48) hours, either in person or by mail upon the regis- tered owner of any dog wearing a valid license impounded under the provisions of this chapter. B. Any dog, either licensed or unlicensed, impounded under the provisions' of this chapter, not redeemed within five (5) working days, is de- clared to be a public nuisance and shall be disposed of in a humane manner. I 8-128 IMPOUND FEES: Any person recovering possession of any dog impounded under the provisions of this chapter, shall in addition to obtaining a license for such dog, if the dog is not then licensed, pay an impound fee as follows: First impoundment '~ _ $1 5 . 00 Second impoundment $25.00 Third impoundment '"$50.00 Fourth & Subsequent impoundments $75.00 In addition to the impound fee, a board fee of two (2) dollars per day shall be charged. 8-130 VOLUNTARY DISPOSAL OF DOGS: The Animal Control Officer, at the request of any resident. shall pick up and dispose of any dog owned or under the control of that person. The charge for this service shall be the sum equivalent to that incurred by the city for the disposition of that animal, but in no event less than five (5) dollars. This fee shall be paid aL the time such animdl is picked up. 8-132 DOGS RUSHING AT PERSONS: Any owner or keeper of a dog that rushes at any person. on a public right of way; lawfully on-any property, public or private; any postal, utility or city employee during the course of their employment; or any cyclist or motor vehicle, shall keep such dog confined or tethered in such a manner as to prevent such action by said dog. 8-134 BARKING OR HOWLING DOGS: It shall be unlawful for any person to permit a dog in their custody or under their control to bark, howl or otherwise create a dis- turbance to any neighbor. 8-136 FEMALE DOGS IN HEAT: Each female dog, when in heat, shall be penned or en- closed in such a manner as to preclude other dogs from attaCking or being at- tracted to such female dog in such a manner so as to create a public nuisance. 8-138 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: I A. No owner shall fail to provide his animal(s) with sufficient food, proper shelter and adequate veterinary care when required. B. No person shall beat, torment, overwork, or otherwise abuse any animal. C. No person shall abandon any animal. D. No person shall place or cause to be placed, any dead animal on public or private property without the consent of the owner or person in charg of the property. 8-140 POISONING OF ANIMALS: It is unlawful for any person by any means to make accessible to any animal, with intent to cause harm or death, any substance which has in any manner been treated or prepared with any harmful or poisonous substance. This paragraph does not pronibit the lawful use of poisonous sub- stances for the control of rodents and insects in furtherance of the public hea lth. 8-142 INJURED OR DISEASED DOGS, DESTRUCTION: Any dog impounded hereunder and suf- fering from serious injury or disease, may be humanely destroyed at the discre- tion of the Chief of Police or the Idaho Humane Society, Inc. 232 8-144 PROCLAMATION OF MAYOR: The mayor of the City of Meridian is hereby auth- orized and empowered to issue a proclamation upon order of the Council when- ever the prevalence of rabies in said city and vicinity deems it necessary calling attention of the public to the necessity of complying with the pro- visions of this chapter relative hereto. 8-146 RABIES: It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to tun at large wittrin Lhe 1 imits of the city, during the prevalence of rabies in the said city, or after the issuance of a mayor's proclamation as provided in this chapter. 8-148 QUARANTINE: A. It shall be unlawful for a person to own, keep or harbor any dog af- __flictedCwith rabies. B. It is hereby made the duty of any owner of a dog showing symptoms of rabies, or of an unvaccinated dog which has bitten any person causing an abraision of the skin, to surrender the dog for confinement at the Idaho Humane Society, Inc., or to a licensed veterinarian, for a min- imum of ten (10) days. If such dog shall be determined free of rabies, the same shall be returned to the owner upon payment of the regular fee for keeping dogs impounded. If such fee is not paid, the dog shall be subject to disposal as provided by law. At the discretion of either the Idaho Humane Society, Inc', the Health Department, or the Chief of Police, the quarantine of a dog may be upon the premises of the owner, or the person in charge of such dog, if the dog is securely confined, kept from contact with other animals and is submitted to a veterinar- ian for examination at the owner's expense to determine whether or not the dog is rabid. 8-150 ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE: That no horse, mule, cow, calf, steer, bull, swine or other domestic animal shall be allowed to run at large, or to be herded in any of the streets, alleys or public places within the corporate limits of the City of Meridian or upon any private premises therein, except those of the owners of such animals, unless when being driven through for 'shipment or other purposes, the owner or owners of such animals first obtain permission of the owner or owners of such private premises, or his or their agent or the occupant thereof. Any animal found in violation of this section, is subject to impoundment wHhimp6und fees equiva- lent to the cost incurred by the city, but no less than the impound fee schedule in this chapter. i 8-152 LIABILITY FOR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY: The owner, harborer or keeper of any animal that does damage to property of another shall be liable to the owner of the property damaged for the damages and costs of suit. In the prosecution of actions for such damage,:i:tis not necessary for the plaintiff to show that the owner, harborer or keeper of such animal had knowledge of the fact that such animal was doing damage to the property. 8-154 DEAD ANIMALS: It sha 11 be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to remove or cause to be removed, the carcass of any dead animal found in any public place within the city limits of Meridian, and properly dispose of same. Section 3: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication as required by law. PASSED by the City Council and approved by the Mayor of the City of Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, this 2nd day of September, 1980. APPROVED: ~ . , ~c;_~1If ~1ay , ' '~~ L.. , ATTEST: ~?-C'~~/ c: Codifiers 9-3-80 AIC Minutes I I