Chapter 6.08
DOGS
Sections:
6.08.010 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
“Animal control authority” means any police officer, person or organization designated by the town council to perform the functions of this chapter or any other town ordinance relating to dogs.
“Animal shelter” means any premises so designated by action of the town council.
“At large” means any dog or dogs which are found on the streets of the town or upon public property or upon property of persons other than the owner, unless said dog or dogs are leashed and accompanied by a person exercising control thereof.
“Dog” means any dog, male or female, neutered, spayed or otherwise, over the age of three months.
“Harboring” means the occupant of any premises on which a dog or dogs remain or to which it customarily returns daily for food and care for a period of five days is presumed to be harboring the dog within the meaning of this chapter.
“Owner” means any person or persons, firm, association or corporation owning, keeping or harboring a dog. (Ord. 527 § 1, 2001: Ord. 463 § 1, 1996)
6.08.020 Licensing.
A. License Required. Every owner of a dog within the town limits shall purchase annually from the town clerk a dog license, which shall be placed and kept on such dog at all times. The owner at the time of purchase shall provide the town clerk with the name, phone number, address of the owners, name of dog, sex, color, age and breed of dog. A numbered receipt and metallic tag will be given to the owner by the town.
B. Licensing Period. All dog licenses shall be issued for one year, beginning with the first day of January in each year. The town clerk will give notice of the fee amount and reminder of renewal date by posting, publication, and/or other reasonable means. Application for licenses may be made for up to thirty-one (31) days after the start of the licensing year without penalty, but when application is made after thirty-one (31) days of the licensing year have elapsed, the applicant shall be assessed a penalty of one dollar ($1.00), which amount shall be added and collected with the regular license fee. Provided, if the dog did not become subject to licensing until after the start of the licensing year, then no penalty shall be assessed within thirty-one (31) days after the first day the dog became subject to licensing.
C. Fees. The license fee for neutered or spayed dogs shall be five dollars ($5.00) for each dog. The license fee for unneutered male dogs and unspayed female dogs shall be ten dollars ($10.00).
D. Lost Tags. In the event that the metallic license tag issued for a dog shall be lost, the owner may have the current license tag replaced upon the payment of one dollar ($1.00).
E. Misuse of Tags. No person shall use for any dog, a license receipt or license tag issued for another dog. No person shall use a license tag which is not a current tag. (Ord. 463 § 2, 1996)
6.08.030 Prohibitions.
A. Dog Control. No dog, licensed or not, shall be at large unless it is at all times leashed and under the control of its owner or keeper. It is unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to run at large within the town limits.
B. Offenses.
1. No dog shall be permitted, whether leashed or at large, to commit the following offenses on any premises or property, private or public: destroy private property, scatter refuse, chase vehicles, deposit fecal matter on any property not that of its owner or commit any nuisance defined in this chapter or any other town ordinance.
2. Any person with a dog(s), or other pets in their possession, shall be responsible for the conduct of the animal, shall carry equipment for removing feces and shall collect and dispose of feces by such dog or pet, in an appropriate receptacle.
3. It is unlawful for any person to fail to collect and dispose of any feces deposited by a dog or other pet in their possession and subject to a fine as stated in Section 6.08.050 of this chapter.
4. A signed “Pet Area” in the Mack Lloyd Memorial Park shall be exempt from these provisions (subsections (B)(2) and (B)(3) of this section.)
C. Numerous Dogs Prohibited. It is unlawful for any owner to keep or maintain more than three dogs at any one residence or premises in the town, except at a commercial kennel or boarding place or a licensed veterinary clinic.
D. Dog Nuisances. It is declared a public nuisance, and it shall be a violation for any person to own or keep any dog within the town which barks, whines or howls excessively without provocation or otherwise behaves in such a manner as to disturb the peace and quiet and safety of persons in the neighborhood. Owners of nuisance animals will be informed of the complaint about their dog and shall take immediate action to correct the problem. If action is not taken to correct the problem after giving notice to the owner, or if the owner cannot be found, after posting notice upon the premises, the dog may be impounded, in addition to other penalties for violation of this chapter as hereinafter set forth.
E. Dangerous Dogs. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to keep or harbor within the town limits a dangerous dog as defined in RCW 16.08.070, unless such dangerous dog is registered with the town pursuant to Chapter 16.08 RCW and meets all requirements therein for such registration and is restrained at all times as required by such Chapter 16.08 RCW. (Ord. 527 §§ 2, 3, 2001; Ord. 463 § 3, 1996)
6.08.040 Impounding.
A. Authority. The animal control authority, if any, and every police officer are authorized to apprehend any dog within the town limits found running at large, or any unlicensed dog, or any dog creating a nuisance as hereinabove set forth after notice is given thereof, or any dangerous dog not registered and kept as required in this chapter, and to impound such dog in a town pound or other suitable place, and such dog shall not be released except after payment of fees as provided in this chapter. If a dangerous or vicious dog is found at large and cannot be safely taken and impounded, such dog may be slain by the police officer or animal control authority.
B. Notice of Impound. No later than the next calendar day after the impounding of any dog as provided in this chapter, the owner thereof shall be notified of impoundment by mailing such notice, or by telephone. If the owner of an impounded dog is unknown, written notice shall be posted for seventy-two (72) hours on the bulletin board of the Town Hall for public inspection, describing the dog and stating the place and time of impound.
C. Redemption of Impounded Dog. Any impounded dog may be redeemed by the owner by the payment of an impound fee of ten dollars ($10.00) and a daily boarding fee as charged by the boarding facility for each calendar day, whole or part, which the dog has been confined, including the day on which the dog is first impounded. Impound fees and board fees shall not be considered as a part of any fine levied for violation of this chapter. The owner shall obtain a license tag for the current year. If an impounded dog shall not be claimed and redeemed seventy-two (72) hours after the giving of the notice as stated in this chapter, then it may be sold or destroyed.
D. Disposition of Infected Dogs. Any unlicensed dog which appears to be suffering from rabies or affected by hydrophobia, mange or other infectious disease, shall not be released, but may be forthwith destroyed. There should be proof that the dog is rabid or affected by such infectious disease. Cost of boarding, testing and destruction of such dog shall be assessed against and paid by the owner thereof. (Ord. 463 § 4, 1996)
6.08.050 Violation—Penalties.
In addition to any other remedies provided herein, any owner or person found violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a civil infraction and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00). (Ord. 463 § 5, 1996)