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TITLE IV MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
CHAPTER 1 ANIMAL CONTROL
4-1-1 Definitions 4-1-6 Impounding
4-1-2 License 4-1-7 Dangerous Animals
4-1-3 Immunization 4-1-8 Keeping A Vicious Animal
4-1-4 At Large Prohibited 4-1-9 Kennel Dogs
4-1-5 Animal Nuisances 4-1-10 Livestock
4-1-1 DEFINITIONS For use in this chapter the following terms are defined as follows:
1. The term “dogs” shall mean animals of the canine species whether altered or not.
2. The term “at large” shall mean any licensed or unlicensed animal found off the premises of the owner and not under the control of a competent person, restrained within a motor vehicle, housed in a veterinary hospital or kennel, on a leash or “at heel” beside a competent person and obedient to that person’s command.
3. The term “owner” shall mean any person owning, keeping, sheltering or harboring an animal.
4. The term “livestock” shall mean an animal belong to the bovine, caprine, equine, or porcine species, ostriches, rheas and emus; farm deer as defined in Section 170.1 of the Code of Iowa; or poultry.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717.1)
4-1-2 LICENSE Every owner of a dog over the age of six (6) months shall procure a dog license from the City Clerk-Treasurer on or before the first day of May of each year. The city will post at the three designated posting locations for the city to specify times the clerk will be at city hall. The annual license fee shall be $10.00 for each male dog, $10.00 for each female dog, and $10.00 for each spayed dog. If the license fee is not paid by June 1st, an additional $10.00 per dog per month penalty shall be assessed.
Upon payment of the license fee, and providing proof of a current vaccination against rabies, the City Clerk-Treasurer shall issue to the owner a license which shall contain the name of the owner, the owner’s place of residence and a description of the dog. The City Clerk-Treasurer shall keep a duplicate of each license issued as a public record.
Upon issuance of the license, the City Clerk-Treasurer shall deliver to the owner a metal tag stamped with the number of the license and the year for which it is issued. The license tag shall
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be securely fastened to a collar or harness which shall be worn by the dog for which the license is issued.
Any dog found running at large without the license tag attached to its collar or harness shall be deemed unlicensed.
4-1-3 IMMUNIZATION All dogs six (6) months or older shall be vaccinated against rabies. Before issuance of the license the owner shall furnish a veterinarian’s certificate showing that the dog for which the license is sought has been vaccinated, and that the vaccination does not expire within six (6) months from the effective date of the dog license. It shall be a violation of this ordinance for any dog to not be vaccinated against rabies. A tag showing evidence of proper vaccination shall be worn by every dog when not confined.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 351.33)
4-1-4 AT LARGE PROHIBITED No owner or person having custody of an animal shall permit such animal to run at large.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 351.41)
4-1-5 ANIMAL NUISANCES It shall be unlawful for any person to permit an animal under such person’s control or within such person’s custody to commit a nuisance. An animal shall be considered a nuisance if it:
1. Damages, soils, defiles or defecates on private property other than the owner’s or on public walks and recreation areas unless such waste is immediately removed and properly disposed of by the owner.
2. Causes unsanitary, dangerous or offensive conditions.
3. Causes a disturbance by excessive barking or other noise making or chases vehicles, or molests, attacks or interferes with persons or other domestic animals.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 657.1)
4-1-6 IMPOUNDING
1. Any unlicensed or unvaccinated dog found at large or any licensed dog found at large in violation of Section 4-1-3 and 4-1-4 of this chapter shall be seized and impounded, or, at the discretion of the Mayor, the owner may be served a summons to appear before a proper court to answer charges made thereunder.
2. Owners of licensed dogs shall be notified within two (2) days that upon payment of impounding fees, the dog will be returned. If the impounded licensed dogs are not recovered by their owners within seven (7) days after notice, the dogs shall be disposed of as provided in Section 717B.4 Code of Iowa.
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The impounding fees shall be $25 for the first offense within two years; $50 for the second offense within two years; and $100 for the third offense within two years. Offenses beyond a third offense shall result in the animal being removed from the city limits permanently at the owner’s cost.
3. Impounded unlicensed dogs may be recovered by the owner, upon proper identification, by payment of the license fee, impounding fee and boarding costs, and the costs of vaccination if vaccination is required by Section 4-1-3. If such dogs are not claimed within seven (7) days after notice, they shall be disposed of in a humane manner as directed by the City Council. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 351.37)
4. Any animal found to have bitten a person or other animal shall be confined as directed by the Mayor. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 351.39)
5. This section shall not apply to a law enforcement dog or horse used by the law enforcement agency, that is acting in the performance of its duties, which has bitten a person.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 351.39)
4-1-7 DANGEROUS ANIMALS
1. Dangerous Animals Prohibited. No person shall keep, shelter, or harbor for any purpose within the City limits, a dangerous animal.
2. Definitions. A dangerous animal is:
a. Any animal which is not naturally tame or gentle, and which is of a wild nature or disposition, and which is capable of killing, inflicting serious injury upon, or causing disease among human beings or domestic animals, and having known tendencies as a species to do so.
b. The following are animals which shall be deemed to be dangerous animals per se:
(1) Lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, cougars, lynx, and bobcats;
(2) Wolves, coyotes, and foxes;
(3) Badgers, wolverines, weasels, skunks, and mink;
(4) Raccoons;
(5) Bears;
(6) Monkeys, chimpanzees, and apes;
(7) Alligators and crocodiles;
(8) Scorpions and gila monsters;
(9) Snakes that are venomous or constrictors;
(10) Pit bulls meaning any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the
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majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds (more so than any other breed), or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds.
(11) Any cross breed of such animals which have similar characteristics of the animals specified above.
c. Any animals declared to be dangerous by the City Council.
3. Dangerous Animals Exceptions. The keeping of dangerous animals shall not be prohibited in the following circumstances:
a. The keeping of dangerous animals in a public zoo, bona fide educational or medical institution, humane society, or museum where they are kept as live specimens for the public to view, or for the purpose of instruction, research or study, and has obtained the written approval of the City Council.
4-1-8 KEEPING A VICIOUS ANIMAL It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to harbor or keep a vicious animal within the City. A vicious animal is deemed so when it shall have attacked or bitten any person (without provocation), or when the propensity to attack or bite persons or other animals shall exist and such propensity is known or ought reasonably be known to the owner thereof.
4-1-9 KENNEL DOGS Kennel dogs which are kept or raised solely for the bona fide purpose of sale and which are kept under constant restraint are not subject to the provisions of this ordinance.
4-1-10 LIVESTOCK It is unlawful for a person to keep livestock within the City on a parcel of real estate consisting of less than an acre.
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