Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

(A) No person shall keep or permit to be kept on his premises any dangerous animal for display or for exhibition purposes whether gratuitously or for a fee. This Section will not be construed to apply to zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions or circuses, bona fide licensed veterinary hospital for treatment, bona fide educational or medical institutions, museums, or any other place where they are kept as live exhibits or for study.

(B) No person shall keep or permit to be kept any dangerous animal as a pet.

(C) No person shall keep or permit any dangerous animal to be at large;

(1) Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large is the act or omission of the owner or custodian of an animal of dangerous or vicious propensities who, knowing of such propensities, permits such animal to go at large or keeps such animal without taking ordinary care to restrain it.

(2) Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large is a class B public offense.

(D) Upon the written complaint of any person that a person owns or is keeping or harboring a dangerous animal on premises in the City, the Chief of Police or designee shall forthwith cause the matter to be investigated and if after investigation, the facts indicate that such person named in the complaint is in fact the owner or is keeping or harboring any such dangerous animal in the City, the Chief of Police or designee shall forthwith send written notice to such person requiring such person to safely remove said animal from the City within three (3) days of the date of said notice. Notice as herein provided shall not be required where such dangerous animal has previously caused serious physical harm or death to any person or has escaped and is at large, in which case the Chief of Police or designee shall cause said animal to be immediately seized and impounded or killed, if seizure and impoundment are not possible without risk of serious physical harm or death to any person.

(E) The Chief of Police or designee shall forthwith cause to be seized and impounded any dangerous animal where the person owning, keeping or harboring such animal has failed to comply with the notice sent. Upon a seizure and impoundment said animal shall be delivered to a place of confinement which may be with any organization which is authorized by law to accept, own, keep or harbor such animals.

If, during the course of seizing and impounding any such animal, the animal poses a risk of serious physical harm or death to any person, such person or persons authorized by the Chief of Police or designee may render said animal immobile by means of tranquilizers or other safe drugs or if that is not safely possible, then said animal may be killed.

(F) Any reasonable costs incurred by the Chief of Police or designee in seizing, impounding and for confining any dangerous or wild animal shall be charged against the owner, keeper, or harborer of such animal. Such charges shall be in addition to any fine or penalty provided for violating this ordinance. (Ord. 19-59 § 3, 2019; Ord. 10-31 § 11, 2010; Ord. 97-118 § 5, 1997; Ord. 87-173 § 2, 1987.)