Chino Municipal Code Ch. 6.08 Dogs

For the purpose of this chapter, "enforcing officer" means the chief of police, the animal services officer, the city health officer, or such other person as the city council may designate.

(Prior code § 3-11.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 9, 2026.)

A. Each dog, over the age of four months, harbored within the city shall be vaccinated for rabies and licensed. The owner or harborer of such dog shall be required to present to the enforcing officer, upon request, a valid license and vaccination certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian.

B. Every person practicing veterinary medicine within the city who vaccinates a dog with rabies vaccine shall issue to the dog owner an original certificate and send a copy to the agency or department responsible for animal control.

(Ord. 84-19 § 9, 1984: prior code § 3-14.)

A. Every person owning or harboring any dog within the city shall pay annually to the city, or to such person as the city council may designate by contract as collection agent, the fees as stated in the comprehensive fee schedule resolution.

B. The fees imposed by this chapter and Chapters 6.12 and 6.16 related to the regulation of dogs, and are imposed for regulatory purposes only.

(Ord. 84-19 § 10, 1984: Ord. 78-13 § 1, 1978: prior code § 3-32; prior code § 3-15.)

Upon the payment of the annual license fee, as provided in Section 6.08.020, and upon the filing of an application in writing giving the name and address of the owner or harborer and a brief description of the dog in question. The enforcing officer of the city shall issue and deliver to such person a license certifying the payment of such fee and setting forth the name and number allotted to such dog, and shall at the same time deliver to such applicant a metal tag representing the licensing period.

(Ord. 84-19 § 11, 1984: prior code § 3-16.)

It is the duty of the owner or harborer of a dog with reference to which a metal tag has been issued, as provided in Section 6.08.040, to keep and maintain such tag on such dog.

(Prior code § 3-17.)

Except as provided in Section 6.08.070, no person owning or having charge, care, custody, or control of any dog shall cause, permit or allow the same to be or run upon any street, alley, court or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of such dog in the city unless such dog be restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in the charge, care, custody and control of a competent person.

(Prior code § 3-18.)

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to prohibit permitting or allowing dogs to run at large on the premises of the owner or person having charge, care, custody, or control of such dogs or to prohibit permitting or allowing dogs, other than unspayed female dogs during copulating season, to run at large on any ranch or undeveloped property when within a radius of five hundred feet therefrom there shall be situated not to exceed five residential or commercial establishments other than the residence of the person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of such dogs.

(Prior code § 3-19.)

No person shall harbor or keep any vicious dog within the city. A vicious dog is a dog that has bitten any person or animal on one or more prior occasions. Any person who harbors or keeps a vicious dog in the city shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as set forth in Section 1.12.010 of this code.

(Ord. 2004-05 § 10, 2004: Ord. 84-19 § 12, 1984: prior code § 3-20.)

Whenever it is shown that any dog has bitten any person, the owner or person having the custody or possession of such dog shall, upon the order of the city health officer or the officer's authorized agent, quarantine it and keep it securely chained for a period of twelve days, and shall allow the city health officer or authorized agent to make an inspection or examination thereof at any time during such period. Dogs quarantined must not be removed from the premises without permission of the city health officer. However, the city health officer, in the interest of protecting the person bitten, may order the dog quarantined at the city animal services facility or elsewhere for a period of twelve days at the owner's expense.

(Prior code § 3-21.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 10, 2026.)

A. The enforcing officer or any of the officer's deputies shall have the right to seize any dog within the city having or suspected of having rabies and cause the same to be examined by the city health officer. It shall be the duty of such health officer to examine such dog for the purpose of determining if such dog is afflicted with rabies.

B. If it is determined that such dog does not have rabies, it shall be returned to the owner or person harboring same.

(Prior code § 3-22.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 11, 2026.)

The city council may by contract, delegate to an animal services provider or other person, the collection of license fees and the performance of any of the duties of the enforcing officer under this chapter.

(Prior code § 3-12.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 12, 2026.)

The health officer, animal services provider, or any police officer shall be empowered to enter upon any private or public property for the purpose of ascertaining whether any dog, kept or harbored therein, is afflicted with rabies or whether or not a license tag has been secured for such dog.

(Ord. 84-19 § 13, 1984: prior code § 3-13.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 13, 2026.)

It is a misdemeanor for any person owning a dog or having the custody of a dog to fail to observe the following rules concerning the management and care of such animal:

A. All dogs shall be supplied with sufficient good and wholesome food and water as the feeding habits of such dogs require;

B. Proper shelter and protection from the weather shall be provided for dogs at all times, and they shall not be exposed to excessive heat or cold. The quarters in which dogs are kept must be clean and adequately ventilated, but draft-free with the proper temperature maintained for dogs;

C. All reasonable means shall be exercised to restrain dogs from barking excessively;

D. Dogs shall not be without attention for a period of time in excess of twenty-four consecutive hours;

E. Every reasonable precaution shall be used to insure that dogs are not teased, abused, mistreated, annoyed, tormented or made to suffer.

(Ord. 84-19 § 14, 1984.)