Chula Vista Municipal Code Ch. 6.20 Animals

DOG LICENSES*

Sections:

• 6.20.010 Repealed.

• 6.20.020 Required when – Period of validity.

• 6.20.030 Application required – Procedure – Transfer licensing procedures.

• 6.20.040 Fee – Schedule.

• 6.20.050 Penalty for late application or payment.

• 6.20.060 Tag and receipt issuance – Tag to be worn by dog – Replacement – Fee. 6.20.070 Fee – Exemptions permitted when.

***** For statutory provisions regarding dog license fees, see Gov. Code § 38792 and Agric. Code §§ 30501 and 30502.

CROSS REFERENCE: For provisions regarding the keeping of pets, livestock, birds and bees, see Ch. 6.04 CVMC.

All dogs over the age of four months which are brought into the City, and those dogs which have been in the City upon reaching the age of four months, shall be licensed within 30 days after being brought within the City or upon reaching the age of four months, in accordance with this chapter. This section shall not apply to dogs which are confined to kennels licensed pursuant to this code. Any unlicensed dog, legally impounded in the City Animal Care Facility, shall be presumed for purposes of this section to be, prior to the time of impounding, a dog for which a license is required under this section, regardless of such dog’s age or stay in the City.

Dog licenses may be procured for either one or three years. They shall be valid only during the year or years for which issued and shall expire on the month they were issued; provided, however, that application for the license or renewal of a license may be made subsequent to 30 days from the date on which the dog is required to be licensed under this chapter. (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2201 § l, 1987; Ord. 2050 § 1, 1983; Ord. 1253 § 1; prior code § 4.13).

A. A separate application shall be made for each dog. The application shall be made on the form provided by the City Animal Care Facility Manager and shall be filed with the City Animal Care Facility Manager. If a dog is acquired by the owner or is brought into the City or reaches the age of four months, the owner shall apply for a license within 30 days thereafter.

B. It is declared to be the intent of this chapter to apply the licensing requirements to all dogs brought into the City, except those accompanying visitors or tourists who do not stay within the City more than 30 days. A dog having a license issued by another legislative authority elsewhere in the state of California, and which has been vaccinated with a vaccine approved for declared rabies areas by the state of California, and the immunization period therefor has not expired, may, upon application of its owner, be issued a transfer license good for the remainder of the year, upon payment of the required filing fee(s). The applicant for such license shall surrender to the City Animal Care Facility Manager the out-of-City license and evidence of vaccination. The penalties provided in this chapter shall not apply to a license issued under the provisions of this section.

C. Whenever the ownership of a dog has changed, the new owner may secure a transfer of license to him by endorsement on the records of the City Animal Care Facility Manager, upon the payment of the required transfer fee(s) and the presentation to the City Animal Care Facility Manager of the original receipt endorsed by the original licensee as a transferor.

D. Proof of vaccination against rabies, which vaccination is required in compliance with the provisions of this code and the Health and Safety Code of the state of California, shall be a condition precedent to the licensing of any dog under the provisions of this chapter, and the certificate of vaccination which is required by said codes may serve as proof of vaccination. No license may be issued under the provisions of this chapter unless the certificate of vaccination shows that the effective duration of such vaccination shall be for a period of at least 11 months beyond the beginning of the year for which the license is issued, in the case of one-year licenses; and for at least 35 months beyond the beginning of the three-year period for which a license is issued, in the case of a three-year license.

E. When any dog owner presents evidence that a previously licensed dog is deceased or executes a declaration under penalty of perjury of such a fact, said owner may secure a transfer of the license previously issued to such an animal to a newly acquired dog for the balance of the license period, upon the payment of the required fee(s) and the presentation to the City Animal Care Facility Manager of proof of vaccination against rabies. The City Animal Care Facility Manager shall note on the original application the name and description of the animal to which the license has been transferred. (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2506 § 1, 1992; Ord. 2050 § 1, 1983; Ord. 2011 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1961 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1710 § 1, 1976; Ord. 1253 § 1; prior code § 4.14).

The license fee for dogs shall be the required fee(s).

Any dog license tag issued pursuant to this chapter shall be issued for the fees listed in the master fee schedule for any dog. The penalty for an unlicensed dog shall be as listed in the master fee schedule. (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2506 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1961 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1564 § 1, 1974; Ord. 1253 § 1; prior code § 4.15).

The required penalty fee(s) shall be added to the license fee if application or payment is made subsequent to 30 days from the date on which the dog is required to be licensed under this chapter. The time of application or payment shall be determined as follows: If made by deposit with the United States mail, addressed to the City Animal Care Facility Manager, and postage prepaid, the postmark, or if none, the postage meter imprint, shall be conclusive; otherwise, the time of actual receipt by the City Animal Care Facility Manager shall be conclusive. This penalty shall not be added if the dog to be licensed has been in the applicant’s possession in the City less than 30 days. (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2506 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1961 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1253 § 1; Ord. 939 § 1; prior code § 4.16).

A. A numbered receipt bearing a brief description of a licensed dog and a correspondingly numbered license tag shall be issued with each license granted. The numbered license tag shall be firmly attached by the licensee to the collar or harness of the dog for which issued, except when the dog is securely confined on or within the premises of the owner. No licensee, or any other person, shall attach, or permit to be attached, such a tag to the collar or harness of, or otherwise cause such tag to be worn or carried by, any dog other than the dog for which such tag was issued.

B. Whenever a license tag has been lost or destroyed, a new receipt and tag, expiring on the same date as the original, may be issued for the same dog, on the payment of the required replacement fee(s). (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2506 § 1, 1992; Ord. 2050 § 1, 1983; Ord. 1961 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1253 § 1; prior code § 4.17).

A. Seeing-eye dogs, signal dogs, and service dogs, as defined by the California Civil Code, and dogs which have served with the armed forces of the United States of America during any period of actual hostilities must be licensed and vaccinated under the provisions of this code, but their owners shall be exempt from the license fee imposed by this chapter.

B. Dogs used on farms for the primary purpose of herding livestock must be licensed and vaccinated under the provisions of this code, but their owners shall be exempt from the license fee imposed by this chapter. To qualify for the exemption in this subsection, the owner must furnish an affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury on blanks furnished by the tax collector that his dog is necessary for herding livestock and is used primarily for that purpose.

C. Dogs used by any governmental agency for the purpose of law enforcement must be licensed and vaccinated under the provisions of this code, but their owners shall be exempt from the license fee imposed by this chapter. (Ord. 3226 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2506 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1253 § 1; prior code § 4.18).