Chapter 6.16 LICENSING

Annually, prior to November 1st of the year for which the license is to be issued (or October 1st if said dog has attached to it a license properly issued for said dog by any city or county of the state for the immediately preceding year) every owner of a dog shall procure a license for said dog from the animal control officer and shall pay therefor a fee of:

A. Three dollars for a dog that has been spayed or neutered (proof must be provided);

B. Six dollars for all other dogs, plus any additional fee required under Chapter 6.28 of this chapter. Except as provided in Section 6.16.020 of this chapter, every owner to whom a license is issued for which application was made on or after November 1st of the year for which the license is issued shall pay an additional fee of five dollars and shall be subject to such other penalties as may be duly imposed for violation of this chapter; or

C. Ten dollars for all other dogs, plus any additional fee required under Chapter 6.28 of this chapter. Four dollars of the license fee collected for all dogs which are not spayed or neutered shall be applied to the spay or neuter program established hereunder. Except as provided in Section 6.16.020 of this chapter, every owner to whom a license is issued for which application was made on or after November 1st of the year for which the license is issued shall pay an additional fee of five dollars and shall be subject to such other penalties as may be duly imposed for violation of this chapter. (Ord. 682 §1, 1988; Ord. 623 §1, 1983: Ord. 459 §501, 1970)

6.16.020 New residents--Requirements.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.16.010 of this chapter, any owner who brings his dog into this city after November 1st of the year for which the license is to be issued or the owner whose dog reaches the age of four months after November 1st of the year in which the license is to be issued or any owner of a dog for which an individual license was not theretofore required shall procure a license for such dog from the animal control officer within a period of thirty days after such dog brought into the incorporated area of this city, become four months of age, or becomes subject to the individual licensing provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that as to any dog brought into the incorporated area of this city to which there is attached a license issued by any county or city in the state for the current or immediately preceding year, the license shall be obtained within sixty days after said dog is brought into the city. Any owner failing to procure a license within the time limit established in this chapter shall be subject to such other penalties as may be duly imposed for violation of this section. (Ord. 459 §502, 1970)

6.16.030 Tags--Attachment--Replacement.

A. The tag issued by the animal control director at the time the dog license is obtained shall be attached to the dog for which the license is issued and shall be attached in a clearly visible manner.

B. In the event the license tag becomes lost from the body of any dog for which the same was issued, the owner shall within thirty days procure a duplicate license for the dog from the animal control director, at a cost of one dollar per duplication. (Ord. 623 §4, 1983: Ord. 459 §504, 1970)

6.16.040 Recordkeeping--Certificate requirements.

A. The animal control officer is directed to procure suitable applications and license tags.

B. The animal control officer shall keep a file of all applications made pursuant to this chapter.

C. Fees shall be paid at the time said application is filed with the animal control officer.

D. No tags shall be issued until the applicant has also exhibited to the animal control officer a certificate of vaccination certifying that the dog has been vaccinated in compliance with this chapter.

E. If any person applies to license a dog under this chapter and pays all fees required but thereafter fails to exhibit to the animal control officer the certificate of vaccination within thirty days after his application was filed, that person shall forfeit the fees paid and shall be required to reapply and pay the fees due as if no application had been made previously. (Ord. 459 §521, 1970)

6.16.050 Duplicate licenses.

In the event the license tag becomes lost from the body of any dog for which the same was issued the owner shall, within thirty days, procure a duplicate license for the dog from the animal control officer at a cost of fifty cents. (Ord. 459 §522, 1970)

ARTICLE II. KENNELS

6.16.060 Required.

A. Every person who is the legal owner or actually in control of or operates a commercial kennel or pet shop, unless otherwise exempt, shall apply to and procure a kennel license for each calendar year or a portion thereof from the animal control officer.

B. Application for such kennel license shall be made on the form provided and on or before October 31st of the year for which the license is to be issued.

C. No kennel shall be hereinafter established unless the person proposing to act as kennel operator shall first apply for a receive a kennel license pursuant to this chapter. (Ord. 459 §511, 1970)

6.16.070 Inspection and approval required.

No original kennel license shall be issued unless and until the premises have been inspected and approved by the animal control officer as meeting the appropriate standards set forth in Section 6.16.110 of this chapter. No such inspection shall be prerequisite to renewal of kennel or pet shop licenses and the fact of such renewal shall not be construed as an approval of the conditions of the kennel or the manner in which it is operated. (Ord. 459 S512, 1970)

6.16.080 Issuance conditions.

A. The animal control officer shall issue a commercial kennel or pet shop license for the calendar year upon filing with him a properly completed application and payment of the prescribed fee.

B. The fee for a kennel or pet shop license for five to seven dogs or cats, shall be forty dollars; for eight to fifteen dogs or cats, seventy-five dollars; and for sixteen or more dogs or cats, one hundred and twenty-five dollars.

C. The animal control director shall not issue an original kennel or pet shop license until the planning commission has certified that the zoning regulations of the city permit the maintenance of a kennel at the proposed location.

D. No kennel license shall be issued unless the applicant therefor displays at the time of application, certificates showing that all dogs permanently kept within said kennel have been vaccinated against rabies. Any license which was properly issuable more than thirty days prior to the actual date of issuance shall be subject to a penalty fee of ten dollars. (Ord. 623 §2, 1983: Ord. 459 §513, 1970)

6.16.090 Tag issuance.

A. At the time of issuance of a kennel license the animal control officer shall issue without further charge up to and including nine license tags to said licensee.

B. No dog kept by the kennel shall be taken therefrom without having attached to its body a tag issued pursuant to this section unless said dog is otherwise licensed and has attached to it a tag issued pursuant to this chapter. (Ord. 459 §514, 1970)

6.16.100 Design and maintenance of premises.

A. All commercial kennels and pet shops shall be:

1. Designed to provide adequate exercise area and to permit the premises to be kept in a clean and sanitary condition;

2. Constructed so as to prevent animals confined therein from running at large;

3. Maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and conducted in such a manner that they will not cause detriment or nuisance in the immediate neighborhood.

B. Periodic inspections of licensed kennels and pet shops shall be made by the animal control officer at such intervals as he deems necessary. Such inspections may also be made by the health officer or his designated agent at the request of the animal control officer or on his own initiative. Inspecting officers shall use reasonable caution to prevent contamination of any pet shop or kennel during inspection. (Ord. 459 §515, 1970)

6.16.110 Revocation--Hearing.

A. When, in his opinion, conditions exist which he believes warrant the revocation of commercial kennels or pet shop license, the animal control officer or health officer shall report such facts to the city council with a recommendation that such permit be revoked.

B. The licensee’s refusal to permit reasonable inspection of the licensed premises by the animal control officer, or his failure to make the premises available for inspection after reasonable notice, shall constitute a valid ground for revocation.

C. After receipt of such recommendation and upon ten days’ written notice of the time and place thereof, the city council shall hold a hearing on the recommendation and at the conclusions thereof may permit the continued operation under the permit or revoke the permit. Should the council revoke the permit it may direct that no similar permit shall be issued to the licensee for a period not to exceed one year following the revocation. The action of the city council shall be final.

D. This section shall not be interpreted to limit any power granted to the health officer under any other provisions of law. (Ord. 459 §516, 1970)

6.16.120 Display on premises.

Kennel licenses issued as required by this chapter shall be conspicuously displayed upon the kennel premises. (Ord. 459 §518, 1970)

6.16.130 Transfer of ownership--Requirements.

Within thirty days after the transfer of ownership of any kennel or pet shop licensed pursuant to this article, or any other license issued pursuant to this chapter, the new owner shall apply to the animal control officer for the transfer of said license to his name. Such transfer shall be subject to a fee of one dollar per license. The fact of the transfer shall not be construed as an approval of the condition of any kennel or the manner in which it is observed. (Ord. 623 §3, 1983: Ord. 459 §519, 1970)

ARTICLE III. WILD ANIMAL PERMITS

6.16.140 Required.

No person shall keep in captivity a wild animal except upon securing a permit from the animal control officer. (Ord. 498 §5(part), 1974)

6.16.150 Application required.

A. The permit application shall contain the following information:

1. Name of applicant;

2. Address of applicant;

3. The proposed location of the animal(s);

4. Description of the type or variety of animals; and number;

5. A brief plan for keeping the animals; and

6. A plan of the housing facilities.

B. Upon receipt of the application, animal control officer shall consider the application and may secure the recommendation of the director of public works, the planning commission, the health department and any other appropriate county or state agency, so as to ensure complete safety for members of the community and safe, humane treatment for the wild animal or animals. (Ord. 498 §5(part), 1974)

6.16.160 Term--Fee.

The permit shall be issued on an annual basis and shall be renewable each year on the anniversary of issuance. The fee for such permit and renewal shall be set by resolution of the city council. The permit and fee shall be for the number of animals described in the permit. A renewal permit shall be considered delinquent at the end of thirty days following the anniversary of the application or next preceding renewal and the penalty shall attach. (Ord. 498 §5(part), 1974)

6.16.170 Revocation.

A permit may be revoked if the animal control officer makes any of the following findings:

A. The owner permits any violation of Section 597 of the Penal Code, this chapter, or any violation of health or safety regulations; or

B. The owner has failed to keep the animals in a safe, healthy or sanitary manner; or

C. The owner has a the place for which the permit is issued failed to provide any wild animal with proper food, water, shelter or attention;

D. The owner has violated any rules, regulations or conditions adopted by the animal control officer as necessary to ensure that wild animals will not endanger the health or safety of any person or property. (Ord. 498 §5(part), 1974)

ARTICLE IV. MISCELLANEOUS LICENSING PROVISIONS

6.16.180 Guide dogs--Exemptions.

The blind owner of a guide dog shall not be subject to license fees as provided in Sections 6.16.010 and 6.16.020, but shall be subject to Section 6.16.030 of this chapter. No guide dog shall be destroyed except upon written direction of the health officer. (Ord. 459 §901, 1970)

6.16.190 Unauthorized use of licenses.

No person shall attach a license issued by this city or any other city or county in this state for the current or immediately preceding year to a dog when such person knows or should know that said license was not issued for said dog. (Ord. 459 §901.5, 1970)

ARTICLE V. ANIMAL CONTROL FUND

6.16.200 Source--Use of revenue.

A. All fees for the issuance of dog license tags and all fines collected pursuant to this chapter shall be paid into the city treasury or to such agency as may be agreed upon by the city council and the county, and shall constitute a fund to be known as the “Animal Control Fund” which shall be used:

1. To pay fees for the issuance of dog license tags;

2. To pay fees, salaries, costs, expenses or any or all of them for the enforcement of this chapter;

3. To pay damages to owners of livestock which are killed by dogs.

B. At the end of each fiscal year the surplus amount in the animal control fund not needed for the regulatory program shall be transferred to the general fund of the city; provided, however, that such surplus accumulates incidentally to the regulatory program, that the fees imposed are not disproportionate to the requirements of the program, and that a sufficient sum remains in the fund to adequately carry out the regulatory needs, including indemnifying owners of livestock killed by dogs. (Ord. 459 §907, 1970)