§ 4-11. Control of animals.
(a)
It shall be the duty of every animal owner or responsible person to ensure that the animal is kept under direct humane control. Reasonable care and precaution shall be taken to prevent the animal from leaving, while unattended, the real property limits of its owner or responsible person; and the animal is:
(1)
Securely and humanely confined within a house, building, fence, pen, or other enclosure with sufficient ventilation; or
(2)
Humanely tethered as provided in section 4-13(g); or
(3)
A dangerous dog may only be kept on a tether according to the requirements of section 4-13(g) if it is otherwise secured within a proper enclosure for a dangerous dog, as defined herein; or
(4)
Leashed under direct control by an owner or responsible person at any time it is not secured as provided in [subsections] (a)(1) or (2) of this section.
(b)
It shall be the duty of every animal owner or responsible person to ensure that the animal is kept under direct control at all times while the animal is off the real property limits of the owner or responsible person.
(c)
Subsections (a) and (b) above shall not apply to dogs during any time in which they are engaged in hunting, or training, law enforcement work, performing field trials, participating in dog shows organized events, or in locations designated by the board as pet play areas, dog parks or exercise areas.
(d)
Animal control or enforcement officers shall have the authority to take up, confine, hold and impound any animal and which is found to be running at large or straying. The owner of such animal shall be responsible for the costs of impoundment.
(e)
It shall be unlawful for the owner of an animal or responsible person to:
(1)
Fail to maintain direct control of an animal resulting in a bite or injury to a human being, unless such animal was reacting to a person unlawfully on its owner's property or protecting itself, its owner or keeper from an unjustified attack or assault; or
(2)
Fail to maintain direct control of an animal resulting in an attack on another domestic animal while off the owner's or keeper's property; or
(3)
Fail to humanely confine a female dog or cat in heat (estrus) in a properly ventilated building or secure enclosure with a top so as to make it inaccessible to any male dog or cat, except for controlled and intentional breeding purposes. The animal may not be walked off the owner or responsible person's property or leasehold during this time.
(f)
All livestock shall be controlled by utilizing fencing or enclosures which shall meet the livestock fencing minimum requirements.
(g)
This section does not apply to community cats.
(Ord. No. 11-55, § 1, 10-18-11; Ord. No. 14-06, § 1, 4-1-14; Ord. No. 16-34, § 1, 10-4-2016; Ord. No. 18-21, § 1, 8-7-2018)