Antioch Municipal Code Art. 3 Dog Licensing

A person who obtains a dog license under this chapter is, for the purposes of this chapter, the legal owner of the animal described in the license file. That person, and anyone defined as an owner under § 6-1.102, is responsible for the animal.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

(A) Each owner of a dog which is over the age of four months and which is kept in the city shall obtain an annual license for the dog, beginning with date of the (mandatory) rabies vaccination of the dog and expiring one year later. The owner shall obtain the license within 30 days after the day on which the dog, if over the age of four months, is first owned. The Animal Control Supervisor will issue a license after application and payment of the required fee.

(B) A dog owner may, with proof of multi-year rabies vaccination, choose to renew a license for one, two or three years, with final expiration coincident with the expiration of the rabies vaccination. (Cal. Food and Agric. Code § 30801.) A person who acquires a licensed dog must transfer ownership within 30 days, and shall include written notice to Animal Control of the name and address of the former owner.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

(A) Permit required.

(1) Multiple pet permit. No more than three dogs over six months of age may be kept, harbored, possessed or maintained for more than 30 days in a single dwelling or business unit without a multiple pet permit.

(2) Kennel permit. No dogs for commercial purposes may be kept, harbored, possessed or maintained in any single dwelling or business unit without a kennel permit. Commercial purposes includes but is not limited to: boarding, training, or wholesaling of animals; but does not include the sale of individual animals to private owners.

(3) Exemptions.

(a) A veterinary hospital is not required to obtain a multiple pet permit or kennel permit unless the hospital also offers boarding or breeding services separately from hospital services.

(b) A person holding dog fancier permit on the effective date of this chapter need not obtain a multiple pet permit until the end of the term of the dog fancier permit.

(4) Wearing license tag. A dog for which a license is required under a multiple pet or kennel permit, which is removed for more than one day from the permitted premises, shall wear its current, valid license tag unless performing in the capacity of hunting, working, obedience, tracking or showing.

(B) Application.

(1) The application for a multiple pet permit or a kennel permit shall include a written application to the Animal Control Supervisor accompanied by an application fee.

(2) The Animal Control Supervisor may promulgate regulations governing the application and issuance of permits, consistent with this section.

(3) An application for a multiple pet permit or kennel permit shall list each dog to be included and show:

(a) Facilities exist at the location to adequately secure, feed, house and maintain the animals;

(b) Possession and maintenance of the animals at the location has not resulted in, and is not likely to result in the animals being subjected to neglect, suffering, cruelty or abuse;

(c) Within the prior three years, neither the applicant, the owner, nor the possessor of the animals has: had a city or county permit or license revoked; been issued an administrative citation or found civilly liable for a violation of this chapter or any law regulating animals; or been convicted for a violation of this division or any law regulating animals;

(d) All dogs maintained under a multiple pet permit shall be confined on the premises and shall be enclosed in a secure shelter during the hours of darkness, except when they are shown, exercised, tried, worked, hunted, or trained under the owner's control;

(e) A current rabies immunization certificate issued by a veterinarian for each dog listed.

(4) The required showing may be made by declaration under penalty of perjury.

(C) Decision.

(1) Inspection; notification. Before approving an application, the Animal Control Supervisor shall inspect the premises and notify adjacent property owners and tenants within 300 feet of the proposed use for multiple pets or a kennel. Adjacent property owners and tenants will be given at least ten calendar days to provide written or verbal comments regarding any complaints, noise or odor.

(2) Decision. The Animal Control Supervisor shall notify neighbors that a permit application has been filed, under division (C)(1) above, and allow them ten days to provide comments to the Supervisor. After the ten calendar days, the Supervisor shall determine whether the application will be approved (subject to conditions) or denied, and shall notify the applicant in writing of the decision.

(3) Approval and conditions. The Animal Control Supervisor may approve the permit subject to reasonable conditions.

(4) Term of permit; renewal. The permit is valid for one year. A multiple pet permit or kennel permit shall be renewed without review upon the filing of a complete application and payment of the necessary fees, unless the city has received or lodged any complaint concerning the permitted location within the last year.

(D) Fees.

(1) Multiple pet permit fees, kennel permit fees, application fees, and late permit fees are established by resolution of the City Council. The fees for the initial application and any application after complaints are received or lodged shall include the cost of inspecting the premises.

(2) Late fees are payable upon the failure to obtain a multiple pet permit or a kennel permit within 60 days of keeping, harboring, possessing or maintaining animals in excess of those specified in division (A), or upon the failure to pay a renewal permit fee within 60 days after it is due.

(E) Breeding limitation. A person holding a multiple pet or kennel permit may allow the parturition and rearing of no more than one litter per bitch registered by a nationally recognized dog registering body in any one calendar year.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

(A) The permit fee is established by resolution of the City Council. Permit fees are nonrefundable.

(B) An added late fee shall be charged for late licensing.

(C) The owner of a dog which has been permitted for the current year in any other political subdivision of the state, or in any other state which has the same licensing requirements, may have the permit validated for use in the city for the remainder of the year, for a fee set in the master fee resolution.

(D) A dog redeemed or adopted in the city, but residing outside the city, is not required to pay a license fee to the city.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

(A) Assistance dog. A dog being raised, trained and used as a guide dog, signal dog or service dog shall be licensed without a fee while so owned and used, but is not exempt from registration or from any required vaccinations. (See Cal. Food and Agric. Code § 30850.)

(1) Whenever a person applies for an assistance dog identification tag, the person shall sign an affidavit stating as follows:

“By affixing my signature to this affidavit, I hereby declare I fully understand that Section 365.7 of the Penal Code prohibits any person to knowingly and fraudulently represent himself or herself, through verbal or written notice, to be the owner or trainer of any canine licensed as, to be qualified as, or identified as, a guide dog, signal dog, or service dog, as defined in subdivisions (d), (e), and (f), respectively, of Section 365.5 of the Penal Code and paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) of Section 54.1 of the Civil Code, and that a violation of Section 365.7 of the Penal Code is a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.”

(2) Upon the death or retirement of an assistance dog, the owner or person in possession of the assistance dog identification tag shall immediately return the tag to Animal Control.

(B) Law enforcement. A dog used by a governmental agency for law enforcement purposes shall be licensed without a fee, but is not exempt from registration or from any required vaccinations. Verification shall be presented upon request.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

If a license is lost, Animal Services may issue a new license after payment of the required fee, stated in the Master Fee Resolution.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

The license tag shall be attached securely to collar or harness upon the dog for which issued at all times the dog is within the city and not confined indoors. The owner shall show the license tag at any time upon request by the Animal Control Supervisor or other enforcement officers.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

No person shall remove a license tag from a dog without the permission of the owner, expressed or implied. No person shall counterfeit or imitate a dog license tag or make any unauthorized substitution of license tags.

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

The city shall keep a permanent record of all animals registered under this chapter until the city is notified that the animal has been removed from the city or has been lost or stolen or has died. The person registering the animal remains liable for the acts of the registered animal until notice is given to the Animal Control Supervisor of the sale or transfer of the animal, the removal of such animal from the city, or the death or loss of such animal. (See Cal. Food and Agric. Code § 30502.) If an Animal Control Supervisor determines an animal to be potentially dangerous or vicious under § 6-1.803, he or she shall include the potentially dangerous or vicious designation in the registration records of the dog. (See Cal. Food and Agric. Code § 31641.)

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)

Fees for the issuance of dog license tags, and the fines collected, shall be used in the following order of precedence:

(A) To pay fees for the issuance of dog license tags;

(B) To pay fees, salaries, costs and expenses for the enforcement of this chapter. (See Cal. Food and Agric. Code § 30652.)

(Ord. 2083-C-S, passed 4-8-14)