El Segundo Municipal Code Ch. 3 Dogs

A. License Required; Exceptions:

1. Except as provided in this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to own any dog without obtaining an annual city license.

2. It is not necessary to purchase a license or to pay a license fee for any dog under the age of four (4) months.

3. The license fee will not apply to any dogs kept or maintained exclusively in any dog kennel in the city.

B. Annual License Fees: The annual license fee for keeping and maintaining an unaltered dog in the city will be set from time to time by city council resolution. The annual license fee for a spayed or neutered dog will be set at an amount that is one-half (1/2) of the annual license fee for an unaltered dog; if a certificate is presented from a licensed veterinarian verifying that the dog has been spayed or neutered.

C. Discount For Senior Citizens: A fifty percent (50%) discount on the dog license fee will be made available to any resident sixty two (62) years of age or older who makes application for the discount.

D. Seeing Eye Or Guide Dogs: Seeing eye or guide dogs are those dogs that have been especially trained to lead and aid the blind or deaf. Any blind or deaf person having custody of such a dog may keep and harbor the dog within the city by obtaining a license to keep a dog as provided herein, and may lawfully take the dog into any food establishment within the city. There will be no fee charged for such dogs upon proof of antirabies vaccination.

E. Date Payable; Proration; Penalty:

1. Any license fee required to be paid by this chapter will be payable annually in advance on March 1 of each year, and the license will expire at twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight on the last day of February of the following year. The full amount of the license fee will be payable for any license falling due during the period from January 1 of the year to June 30 of the year.

2. Fifty percent (50%) of the amount of the license fee will be payable for any license falling due subsequent to September 30 of the year for the remaining fraction of the year.

3. Any license fee payable under the provisions of this chapter remaining unpaid for a period of thirty (30) days after the same will become payable hereunder, will be subject to a penalty of fifty percent (50%) of the fee due, which penalty will be collected by the license collector at the time of the collection of the license fee, and will be in addition to the principal sum thereof. In determining whether or not a penalty has accrued under the provisions of this chapter, the license collector may require an affidavit from any person claiming exemption from the payment of any penalty hereunder, which affidavit will set forth the facts upon which the claim for the exemption is based.

F. Failure To Pay License Fee: Whenever any person owning, harboring or having the care or custody of any dog fails to pay the license fee provided and specified in this chapter for the dog, the director may cause the dog to be seized and kept in the public pound for the period and in the manner and upon the terms, conditions and requirements as specified in this chapter.

G. Exception: Animals, other than dogs, are not required to be licensed pursuant to this chapter. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)

A. Contents: Each year the city will procure a sufficient number of suitable metallic license tags to meet the requirements of this chapter.

B. Duplicate: The city council will by resolution establish a fee for issuing a license and metallic tag to replace a lost license or tag.

C. Affixing To Dog Collar: The owner of any dog upon which the license fee has been paid will securely fasten the metallic license tag upon a suitable collar and securely fasten the collar with the tag attached thereto upon the dog. A dog harness or other device may be substituted in lieu of the collar, if so desired. (Ord. 1457, 12-21-2010)

The city will print a sufficient number of applications to meet the requirements of this chapter. The applications will provide for the description of the dog for which the license fee is paid and the name and address of the owner of the dog. The applications will also designate the rabies vaccination date and the sex of the dog for which the license fee has been paid. (Ord. 1457, 12-21-2010)

The director may suspend or revoke any dog license issued under the provisions of this chapter, if at any time the director finds that any dog described or referred to in any dog license, or for which any dog license has or may be issued under this chapter is vicious, dangerous or apt to bite or injure any person. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)

A. It is unlawful for any person owning or having charge, custody, possession or control of any dog to cause, permit or allow the dog to run at large in or upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court or other public place, or in or upon any private property or premises, other than those of the person owning or having charge, custody, possession or control of the dog within the city, unless the dog is restrained by a substantial leash not to exceed six feet (6') in length and is in charge, custody, possession or control of a competent person.

B. This provision will not apply to public areas of the city officially designated as a "dog park" or to police service dogs while such dogs are under the control of a peace officer. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)

A. Vaccination Required; Exception: Every dog in the city over the age of four (4) months must be vaccinated against rabies.

B. Revaccination:

1. Every person keeping, harboring or having a dog in the city that has been vaccinated with chick embryo vaccine will cause the dog to be revaccinated within a period of not more than two (2) years after the prior vaccination.

2. Every person keeping, harboring or having a dog in the city which has been vaccinated with tissue phenolized vaccine will cause the dog to be revaccinated with rabies vaccine within a period of not more than one year after the prior vaccination.

C. Vaccination Certificate Issuance: Every person practicing veterinary medicine in the city who vaccinates a dog with rabies vaccine will issue to the person keeping, harboring or having the dog a certificate, which is signed by the veterinarian and which states thereon the name and description of the dog, the date of the vaccination and the type of vaccine used.

D. Certificate: Every person applying for a dog license will exhibit a rabies vaccination certificate issued by a person licensed by the state or any other state or nation to practice veterinary medicine, which certificate will show that the dog for which the license will be issued either:

1. Was vaccinated in accordance with this chapter; or

2. Should not be vaccinated with rabies vaccine by reason of age, infirmity or other disability, which disability is shown on the face of the certificate and to the satisfaction of the person issuing the license to be in effect at the time. (Ord. 1457, 12-21-2010)

The city council may, by resolution, designate particular parks within the city as dog parks. Persons having custody of dogs at dog parks will comply with the following:

A. Owner Present: Dogs will not be present at a dog park without an owner or custodian;

B. Hours: The dog park will be open from dawn to dusk, seven (7) days a week;

C. Aggressive Dogs: Aggressive dogs are not allowed in the park;

D. Food: No food in the park/do not feed dogs in the park;

E. Clean Up And Supervision: Owners must supervise and clean up after dogs;

F. Children: Children under twelve (12) years of age must be supervised by an adult;

G. Age And Vaccination: Dogs must be at least four (4) months old and vaccinated;

H. Dogs In Heat: Dogs in heat are not permitted;

I. Spiked Collars: No spiked collars;

J. Bikes Or Similar Items: No bikes, rollerblades, roller skates, strollers or similar items allowed in the park;

K. Leash: Owners must have a leash available at all times;

L. Parking: Parking regulations must be obeyed;

M. Liability: Dog owners are liable for any injuries or damage caused by their dog(s);

N. License: All dogs must be currently licensed;

O. Trainers: Professional dog trainers are not allowed to conduct training on site;

P. Number Of Dogs: No person may bring more than three (3) dogs to the park at one time.

Q. Prohibited Behavior: The following behaviors must be stopped immediately:

1. Prolonged growling;

2. Mounting or pinning of other dogs. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)

A person will not interfere with, oppose or resist the director or any employee of the city, while such person is engaged in the performance of any act authorized by this title. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)

It is unlawful for any person to wilfully tease, torment, agitate, provoke, beat, kick, strike, injure, maim, disable, kill, or in any way interfere with any dog being used in a police function by law enforcement officers. (Ord. 1340, 11-7-2001)