Chapter 6.12
DOGS
Sections:
6.12.010 License – Required.
6.12.020 License – Rabies treatment prerequisite to issuance.
6.12.030 License – Fee.
6.12.040 License – Time for fee payment.
6.12.050 Original license requirements – Penalty for late payment.
6.12.060 Renewal licenses – Penalty for late payment.
6.12.070 Tags and certificates – Tag to be worn by dog.
6.12.080 Duplicate tags.
6.12.090 Exhibition of tags required when.
6.12.100 Removal of tags prohibited.
6.12.110 Counterfeit tags prohibited.
6.12.120 Police department dogs – Special provisions.
6.12.130 Duty to report bites.
6.12.140 Running at large prohibited.
6.12.150 Impounding and quarantine required when.
6.12.160 Transportation of animals.
6.12.170 Animal restraints.
6.12.010 License – Required.
Every owner of any dog within the limits of the City shall procure a license for each such dog, except where:
A. The dog is less than four months of age;
B. The dog is owned by a nonresident of the City who is visiting the City for less than 45 days; or
C. The dog is a police dog used by the police department pursuant to LMC 6.12.120. (Ord. 2065 §§ 1(A), (H), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.020 License – Rabies treatment prerequisite to issuance.
As a condition for the issuance of a license, all applicants for such license shall procure and deliver to the Administrative Services Director a certificate issued by a duly licensed veterinarian certifying that the dog to be licensed has been administered an antirabies treatment within 30 days prior to the issuance of the license, or has received antirabies treatment sufficient to immunize such dog against rabies for the current license period. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1895 § 7, 2010; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.030 License – Fee.
The annual dog license fee shall be set by resolution of the City Council. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.040 License – Time for fee payment.
A. The dog owner shall pay the license fee required by this chapter on an annual basis. The annual period can commence on January 1st, April 1st, July 1st or October 1st.
B. Licenses may be issued for a period of either one or three years. However, the license period shall not extend beyond the period of validity for the current rabies vaccination.
C. Licenses issued between January 1st and March 31st of each year will be effective until and including December 31st of the ensuing year, or in the case of a three-year license, the 31st day of December of the third year. Likewise, licenses issued between April 1st and June 30th will be effective until March 31st of the ensuing year or the third year, licenses issued between July 1st and September 30th will be effective until June 30th of the following year or the third year, and licenses issued between October 1st and December 31st of each year will be effective until September 30th of the following year or the third year.
D. Proration of fees may apply in special circumstances. (Ord. 2065 § 1(I), 2018; Ord. 1449 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.050 Original license requirements – Penalty for late payment.
License fees for the original license shall be due and payable within 45 days after any dog within the corporate limits of the City comes into the charge, care or control of any person within the City. A penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged for failure to obtain a license within the required 45-day period and collected at the time the license is issued. However, no such penalty shall be charged or collected during the months of January, April, July or October. If a citation is issued for violation of this section, a penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged and collected at the time the license is issued. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1449 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.060 Renewal licenses – Penalty for late payment.
A. Each owner of a dog shall pay the required license fee within such time as designated in the following schedule:
1. Licenses with an expiration date of December 31st shall be renewed and the fees due paid by January 31st of the following year. On February 1st of the following year, a penalty, as set by resolution of the City Council, shall be charged in addition to the license fees and collected upon the issuance of a renewal license.
2. Licenses with an expiration date of March 31st shall be renewed and the fees due paid by April 30th. On May 1st, a penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged in addition to the license fees and collected upon the issuance of a renewal license.
3. Licenses with an expiration date of June 30th shall be renewed and the fees due paid by July 31st. On August 1st, a penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged in addition to the license fees and collected upon the issuance of a renewal license.
4. Licenses with an expiration date of September 30th shall be renewed and the fees due paid by October 31st. On November 1st, a penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged in addition to the license fees and collected upon the issuance of a renewal license.
B. If a citation is issued for violation of this section, a penalty, as set by City Council resolution, shall be charged and collected at the time the renewal license is issued. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1449 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.070 Tags and certificates – Tag to be worn by dog.
A metallic tag and license certificate with corresponding numbers shall be furnished by the Administrative Services Director to any person upon payment of the appropriate fee. The Administrative Services Director shall keep a record of the name of the owner or person making payment of the license fee, to whom a certificate and tag have been issued, and the number and date of such certificate and such tag. Such metal tag issued shall be securely fixed to a collar, harness or other device to be worn at all times by the dog for whom the registration is issued, except while such dog remains indoors or in an enclosed yard or pen. The Administrative Services Director shall twice yearly supply the animal control officer with a list of all delinquent dog licenses. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1895 § 7, 2010; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.080 Duplicate tags.
When a tag, issued for the then-current year by the Administrative Services Director, has been stolen or lost, the owner of the dog for which the same was issued may, upon the payment of $0.50 to the Administrative Services Director, and upon making and subscribing to an affidavit of such loss and filing the same with the Administrative Services Director, receive a duplicate tag from the Administrative Services Director for the remaining portion of the then-current year. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1895 § 7, 2010; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.090 Exhibition of tags required when.
No owner of a dog shall fail or refuse to show to any police officer of the City the license certificate and the tag for any duly registered dog owned by him. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.100 Removal of tags prohibited.
No unauthorized person shall remove from any dog any collar, harness or other device to which is attached an unexpired registration tag, or remove such tag therefrom. (Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.110 Counterfeit tags prohibited.
No person shall imitate or counterfeit the tags provided for in this chapter, or use any imitation or counterfeit of such tag. (Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.120 Police department dogs – Special provisions.
A. It is unlawful for any person to willfully harm, meddle or interfere with any dog used by the police department in the performance of official police duties.
B. The provisions of LMC 6.12.010 and 6.12.140 shall not apply to dogs which have been trained for official police duties and which are used for such purposes by the police department, nor shall it apply to certified search and rescue dogs. (Ord. 2065 § 1(J), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.130 Duty to report bites.
Whenever the owner of any dog has knowledge that such dog has bitten any person or animal, the owner of such dog shall immediately report such fact to the animal control director. The report shall state the name and address of the person bitten, a description of the animal bitten, if any, and the time and place which such person or animal was bitten. (Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.140 Running at large prohibited.
A. No owner of any dog shall cause or permit such dog to be or run at large upon any public place or any private property other than that of such owner except with the prior consent of the person in charge of such private property, unless such dog is securely restrained by a substantial leash not to exceed six feet in length and is under the charge and control of a person competent to keep such dog under effective charge and control. A dog may be secured by a retractable leash; however, the leash may not exceed six feet in length when in the presence of other people. A substantial leash must be capable of restraining the dog without breaking when the animal is pulling with all of its strength. Exception: Nothing in this section shall prevent a dog from being without a leash in any fenced dog park approved by the City.
B. The owner of any female dog shall keep such dog confined in a secure enclosure during any time that such dog is in heat to prevent the attraction of other dogs. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 2062 § 1, 2017; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.150 Impounding and quarantine required when.
It shall be the duty of the animal control officer to take up all licensed and unlicensed dogs found running at large in a public place or upon any property contrary to the provisions of this title. All such dogs shall be impounded in the city animal shelter or another animal shelter designated by the City Council. (Ord. 2065 §§ 1(A), (K), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.160 Transportation of animals.
Any animal while being transported by vehicle within the City shall be secured by a restraining device of sufficient strength and stability to insure that such animal cannot escape from such vehicle. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)
6.12.170 Animal restraints.
When a restraint is used to tether an animal, it shall be placed or attached so that it cannot become entangled with the restraining device of any other animal or with any other object. It shall be affixed by means of a well-fitted collar, and shall be at least four times the length of the animal as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail and shall allow the animal convenient access to food, water and shelter adequate to protect the animal from the elements. (Ord. 1244 § 2, 1987)