Chapter 8.40
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Sections:
8.40.010 Animal Care—Requirements for Owners and Animal Establishments.
8.40.015 Sale of Live Animals—Prohibited at Swap Meet.
8.40.020 Young Rabbits or Fowl—Certain Acts Prohibited.
8.40.030 Young Rabbits or Fowl—Display, Maintenance or Sale Permitted When.
8.40.040 Dog Kennels—Records Required for Each Animal.
8.40.050 Dog Kennels—Surfacing and Sanitation of Dog Runs.
8.40.060 Animal Nuisances Prohibited Where.
8.40.070 Wild Animals—Enclosure Requirements.
8.40.080 Wild Animals—Exemptions to Applicability of Division 1 Regulations.
8.40.090 Liability of Licensees for Acts of Employees.
8.40.010 Animal Care—Requirements for Owners and Animal Establishments.
Every person within the City of Santa Clarita who owns any animal or who owns, conducts, manages or operates any animal establishment for which a license is required by this Division 1, shall comply with each of the following conditions:
A. Housing facilities for animals shall be structurally sound and shall be maintained in good repair, to protect the animals from injury, to contain the animals, and to restrict the entrance of other animals.
B. All animals shall be supplied with sufficient good and wholesome food and water as often as the feeding habits of the respective animals require.
C. All animals and all animal buildings or enclosures shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
D. All animals shall be so maintained as to eliminate excessive and nighttime noise.
E. No animals shall be without attention more than twelve (12) consecutive hours. Whenever an animal is left unattended at a commercial animal facility, the telephone number of the Department of Animal Care and Control, or the name, address and telephone number of the responsible person, shall be posted in a conspicuous place at the front of the property.
F. Every reasonable precaution shall be used to insure that animals are not teased, abused, mistreated, annoyed, tormented or in any manner made to suffer by any person or means.
G. No condition shall be maintained or permitted that is or could be injurious to the animals.
H. Animal buildings and enclosures shall be so constructed and maintained as to prevent escape of animals. All reasonable precautions shall be taken to protect the public from the animals and the animals from the public. Every animal establishment shall isolate sick animals sufficiently so as not to endanger the health of other animals. Sick animals shall at all time be isolated from the other animals.
J. Every building or enclosure wherein animals are maintained shall be constructed of material easily cleaned and shall be kept in a sanitary condition. The building shall be properly ventilated to prevent drafts and to remove odors. Heating and cooling shall be provided as required, according to the physical need of the animals, with sufficient light to allow observation of animals and sanitation.
K. Such person shall take any animal to a veterinarian for examination or treatment, if the Director finds this is necessary in order to maintain the health of the animal and orders the owner or custodian to do so.
L. All animal rooms, cages, kennels and runs shall be of sufficient size to provide adequate and proper accommodations for the animals kept therein.
M. Every violation of an applicable regulation shall be corrected within a reasonable time to be specified by the Director.
N. Such person shall provide proper shelter and protection from the weather at all times.
O. Such person shall not give an animal any alcoholic beverage, unless prescribed by a veterinarian.
P. Such person shall not allow animals which are natural enemies, temperamentally unsuited, or otherwise incompatible, to be quartered together, or so near each other as to cause injury, fear or torment. If two or more animals are so trained that they can be placed together and do not attack each other or perform or attempt any hostile act to the others, such animals shall be deemed not to be natural enemies.
Q. Such person shall not allow the use of any tack, equipment, device, substance or material that is or could be, injurious or cause unnecessary cruelty to any animal.
R. Such person shall give working animals proper rest periods. Confined or restrained animals shall be given exercise proper for the individual animal under the particular conditions.
S. Such person shall not work, use or rent any animal which is overheated, weakened, exhausted, sick, injured, diseased, lame or otherwise unfit.
T. Such person shall not allow any animal which the department has suspended from use to be worked or used until released by the department.
U. Such person shall not display animals bearing evidence of malnutrition, ill health, unhealed injury or having been kept in an unsanitary condition.
V. Such person shall not display any animal whose appearance is or may be offensive or contrary to public decency.
W. Such person shall not allow any animal to constitute or cause a hazard, or be a menace to the health, peace or safety of the community.
X. Such person shall not violate any condition imposed by the Director on any license issued by the department. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91; amend. Ord. 01-12, 7/10/01)
8.40.015 Sale of Live Animals—Prohibited at Swap Meet.
Any person who maintains, operates, leases, rents or lends space at a swap meet shall not permit, cause, display for, or promote the sale of live animals at such swap meet. “Live animal” as defined by this section shall include, but is not limited to dogs, cats, birds, fish, poultry, rabbits and livestock. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.016 Sale of Animals on Shelter Property.
No person shall sell, barter, give away or accept animals on shelter property unless authorized by the Director. (Ord. 01-12, 7/10/01)
8.40.020 Young Rabbits or Fowl—Certain Acts Prohibited.
A. A person shall not:
1. Sell, offer for sale, barter, or give away, as pets, toys, premiums, or novelties any baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl under three months of age, or rabbits under two months of age; or
2. Color, dye, stain, or otherwise change the natural color of the above-described fowl or rabbits; or
3. Bring or transport the above-described fowl or rabbits into the City of Santa Clarita.
B. This section does not prohibit any act prohibited by, or permitted by, Section 599 of the Penal Code or any other statute. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.030 Young Rabbits or Fowl—Display, Maintenance or Sale Permitted When.
This chapter does not prohibit the sale of any of the fowls or rabbits described herein, in proper facilities by breeders or stores engaged in the business of selling for commercial breeding or raising, or for food, or their exhibition at any fair, show or exhibit where such fowls or animals are displayed for commercial purposes and in the interest of improving agriculture or industry. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.040 Dog Kennels—Records Required for Each Animal.
A. The holder of a dog kennel license shall keep available for inspection, on the premises, a record that shall show:
1. The name, current address, and telephone number of the owner of each animal kept at the kennel;
2. The date such animal entered the kennel;
3. The reason for such animal being at the kennel, such as for boarding, sale, breeding, or grooming;
4. The description of the animal, including its age, breed, sex, and color.
B. As a part of such record, a current, valid rabies certificate shall be maintained for every dog over four (4) months of age so long as such dog is kept at the kennel. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.050 Dog Kennels—Surfacing and Sanitation of Dog Runs.
Dog kennel runs shall be of concrete, provided with adequate draining for proper sanitation, or, if sand or pea gravel is used, droppings must be picked up and disposed of and the runs treated periodically with an effective disinfectant. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.060 Animal Nuisances Prohibited Where.
A. A person having custody of any dog or animal shall not permit, either wilfully or through failure to exercise due care or control, any such dog or animal to commit any nuisance upon the sidewalk of any public highway; or upon the floor of any common hall in any apartment house, tenement house, hotel, or other multiple dwelling; or upon any entrance way, stairway, or wall immediately abutting on a public sidewalk; or upon the floor of any theater, shop, store, office building, or other building used in common by the public; or upon the floor or stairway of any depot or station or public waiting room; or upon the floor, stairway, entrance way, office, lobby, or patio used in common by the public; or, without the consent of the owner or person in lawful occupation thereof, any lawn, yard, or any other private property whatever, which is either improved or occupied.
B. It is unlawful for the owner or person having custody of any dog or other animal to permit, either wilfully or through failure to exercise due care or control, any such dog or animal to commit any nuisance and to allow such nuisance to thereafter remain upon any public or private property not owned or possessed by the owner or person in control of said animal, provided that the person who owns, harbors, keeps or has charge or control of a dog (other than a sightless person who has charge or control of a guide dog) shall immediately and securely enclose all feces deposited by such dog in a bag, wrapper or other container and dispose of the same in a sanitary manner. Any person (other than a sightless person with a guide dog) who has charge or control of a dog in a location other than on the property of such person or the property of the owner of the dog, shall have in his or her possession a suitable wrapper, bag or container (other than articles of personal clothing) for the purpose of complying with the requirements of this section. Failure of such person to carry such wrapper, bag or container when in charge or control of a dog in a location other than on property of such person or the property of the owner of the dog or animal shall constitute a violation of this section.
C. For the purpose of this section a “nuisance” committed by a dog or animal shall mean defecation by said animal. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.065 Public Nuisance.
A. Any animal (or animals) which molests passersby or passing vehicles, attacks other animals, trespasses on school grounds, is repeatedly at large, damages and/or trespasses on private or public property, barks, whines or howls in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion shall be considered a public nuisance.
B. Every person who maintains, permits or allows a public nuisance to exist upon his or her property or premises, and every person occupying or leasing the property or premises of another and who maintains, permits or allows a public nuisance as described above to exist thereon, after reasonable notice in writing from the Department of Animal Care and Control has been served upon such person to cease such nuisance, is guilty of a misdemeanor. The existence of such nuisance for each and every day after the service of such notice shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91; amend. Ord. 01-12, 7/10/01)
8.40.070 Wild Animals—Enclosure Requirements.
All wild animals shall be maintained in buildings, enclosed yards, paddocks, or cages, as specified by the Director, and such shall be kept at distances from adjacent buildings as specified in Los Angeles County Zoning Ordinance 1494, codified at Title 22, and Los Angeles County Public Health Code Ordinance 7583, codified at Title 11. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.080 Wild Animals—Exemptions to Applicability of Division 1 Regulations.
The provisions of this Division 1 shall not apply to any person keeping or maintaining in his possession or control any wild animal when such person is only transporting such animal through the City and has taken adequate safeguards to protect the public, and has notified the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department and the Director of the proposed route of transportation and time thereof. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.090 Liability of Licensees for Acts of Employees.
Any act or omission of any employee in caring for the animals is assumed to be an act or omission of the licensee. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)
8.40.100 Kennel or Pet Shop License Holders to Provide Lists of Animals Sold—Vaccination Requirements.
Each holder of a kennel or pet shop license within the City of Santa Clarita is required to provide the Department of Animal Care and Control with a regular listing of all animals sold, including the name and address of the owner, according to the procedure and form as provided by the Director. Every kennel and/or pet shop shall obtain a rabies vaccination for each dog within its custody or control in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.20.220.
Upon the sale of any dog for which a kennel or pet shop has obtained a vaccination pursuant to this section, the owner of such kennel or pet shop shall provide the purchaser of such dog with the certificate of vaccination. (Ord. 91-29, 8/13/91)