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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-0975 - Ordinance - 07/24/1975ORDINANCE NO. 975 AN ORDINANCE REGULATING ANIMALS AND FOWL RUNNING AT LARGE, PROVIDING FOR LICENSING OF DOGS AND CATS, PROHIBITING THE HARBORING OF BARKING DOGS AND PROVIDING FOR SALE OR DISPOSITION OF IMPOUNDED ANIMALS. BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of College Station, Texas: I. Definition of terms, as used in this ordinance: (a) "Animal" shall mean any and all types of animals, both domesticated and wild, male and female, singular and plural. (b) "Fowl" shall mean any and all fowl, domesticated and wild, male and female, singular and plural. (c) "At large" shall mean off the premises of the owner or custodian of the animal or fowl and not under the physical restraint of the custodian or owner. II. All persons maintaining dogs or cats on their premises are required to obtain licenses for their dogs or cats under the following terms and conditions: (a) License shall be obtained within 9 months after the animal's birth. (b) The person desiring the license shall make application to the City on forms provided for that purpose. (c) The person making application shall present a certificate from a licensed veterinarian that the dog or cat has been innoculated against rabies recently enough for such innoculation to be effective. (d) Paying a license fee for the fiscal year or fraction thereof in the amount of one dollar. III. Any person who shall maintain on his premises any dog or dogs or cat or cats which are not licensed as provided in Part II (a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. IV. Any person who shall harbor or keep on his premises or in or about his premises or under his control, any dog or dogs which, by barking or howl- ing, shall cause the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or the occupants of adjacent premises to be disturbed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. V. Any person violating Sections II, III, or IV of this ordinance shall be fined not to exceed $50.00. Violations of Section III and IV of this ordinance shall constitute separate offenses. VI. Animals and fowls not permitted to run at large. (a) No person owning or having in his custody animals or fowls shall permit the same to go at large upon the premises of others or upon the streets or other ways of the City. (b) The act of allowing animals or fowls to run at large, whether committed by negligence or design, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. Such violation shall constitute a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine not less than $5.00 nor more than $200.00. �jLS�� ORDINANCE NO. 975 Page 2 VII. Property owner may impound. Any person finding any animal or fowl upon his property may take up same and remove it to any private or other animal shelter that will take possession of it. If no such shelter is available, he may hold the animal or fowl in his own possession, and as soon as possible notify the police department of this custody, giving a description of the animal or fowl and the name of the owner if known. VIII. Police to take possession. The police department as soon as possible after receiving notice will dispatch an officer to appear at the premises and take possession of the animal or fowl. IX. Disposition of animals. Upon taking possession of the animal the officer shall take the animal to the animal shelter previously designated for that purpose. If the owner of the animal is known or can be obtained with reasonable effort, the officer after depositing the animal at the animal shelter will give notice to the owner by mail or telephone that the animal has been placed in the animal shelter where the owner may reclaim the animal. X. Owner to pay board for animal. The owner or custodian who redeems an animal or fowl from an animal hospital or shelter will pay a board bill on a per diem basis in an amount previously agreed to between the city and the owner of the hospital or shelter, but in no event shall such payment be less than $3.00. XI. Disposition if owner not found. Any officer or designated person picking up an animal or fowl and after reasonable diligence is unable to find who owns or has the custody of it, will take it to the nearest animal hospital or shelter and leave it. If the owner of the animal can be obtained with reasonable effort, the officer after depositing the animal at the animal shelter will give notice to the owner by mail or telephone that the animal has been placed in the animal shelter where the owner may reclaim the animal. XII. Officer may impound. Any police officer or other person designated by the city for such purpose is authorized to capture and impound any animal or fowl found at large, impounding to be in accordance with the procedure authorized by this ordinance. In the event capture cannot be effected promptly and the public safety is endangered, this officer or person is authorized to destroy, as a last resort, the animal or fowl. XIII. Disposition of unredeemed animals. Any animal or fowl not redeemed within 72 hours will be disposed of in such manner as previously agreed upon between the city and owner of the animal hospital or shelter. UA'S90 ORDINANCE NO, 975 Page 3 M M XIV. Disposition of large animals. Should any officer or designated person upon call or upon his own initiative pick up a large animal such as a horse, cow, or mule or any other animal that is not acceptable by an animal hospital or shelter, he is authorized to call a trucking firm or company. The firm or company will convey the animal outside the corporate limits to one of the farms which has a working agreement with the city to handle such cases. The disposition of the animal in this case shall be handled in the same manner as though it were in an animal hospital or shelter. XV. Animals subject to tests. Any animal that bites, scratches, or attacks any person or persons shall be subject to such tests as the City Health Officer or Chief of Police requires, including the destruction of such animal and examination of the carcass. The City Health Officer or Chief of Police may require the owner of such an animal to confine it at a place designated by said Health Officer or Chief of Police for such period of time as he may deem necessary, not to exceed 30 days. XVI. The following ordinances are hereby repealed:382, 386, 443A, 445, 480 & 568. PASSED AND APPROVED this the 14th ATTEST City Secretar; day of August, 1975. APPROVED Mayor OIZ591