§ 5-16. Animal care.

(a)

No owner, or person in control of any animal, shall fail to provide his or her animals with sufficient wholesome and nutritious food, water in sufficient quantities, proper air, shelter space and protection from the weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and humane care and treatment. Provision of this section does not apply to humane participation in the TNR program.

(b)

All structures, pens or yards wherein animals are kept or permitted to be shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times, devoid of all rodents and vermin and free from offensive or noxious smell or odor to the injury or annoyance of any inhabitant of the neighborhood.

(c)

No person shall beat cruelly, ill-treat, torment, overload, overwork or otherwise abuse an animal, or cause, instigate, or permit any dog-fight, cockfight, bullfight, or other combat between animals or between animals and humans.

(d)

No owner, or person in control of any animal, shall abandon such animal. Provision of this section does not apply to humane participation in the TNR program.

(e)

No person shall crop a dog's ears or dock a dog's tail, except when such procedure is performed by a licensed veterinarian.

(f)

No person shall give away any live animal, fish, reptile, or bird as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter any contest, game, or other competition, as an inducement to enter a place of amusement, or as an incentive to enter into any business agreement whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade.

(g)

Any person who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes a domestic animal, shall stop at once and render such assistance as may be possible, and shall immediately report such injury or death to the animal control officer, and to the animal's owner. If the owner cannot be ascertained and located, such operator shall at once report the accident to the appropriate law enforcement agency or to the local humane society.

(h)

No person shall expose any known poisonous substance, whether mixed with food or not, so that the same shall be likely to be eaten by any animal, provided it shall be lawful for a person to expose on his property common rat poison mixed only with vegetable substance.

(Ord. No. 10811, § 1(XIII), 3-21-88; Ord. No. 11831, § V, 4-1-2008; Ord. No. 12167 , § I, 8-17-2015)