Fontana Municipal Code Div. 1 Generally

The term "dog," as used in this article shall apply to all dogs four months of age or over, and no license tax or tag shall be required in the instance of any dog less than four months old.

(Code 1968, § 5-6; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-6), 12-3-91)

It shall be the duty of the city manager, other duly authorized persons or the designated agency to take up and impound and safely keep any and all unlicensed dogs within the city and all stray dogs, including strays less than four months of age. If a pound is not established in the city, such dogs shall be impounded in a pound designated by the city council.

(Code 1968, § 5-17; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-17), 12-3-91)

(a) If any dog is impounded under the provisions of this article and such dog has not been licensed or vaccinated, the owner or person entitled to its custody, before the dog can be redeemed, shall pay the license fee as set forth in section 4-96, plus an additional $5.00 penalty. If the dog requires vaccination, the owner or his redeeming representative shall, within ten days, present certificated proof of vaccination to the city manager, other duly authorized persons or the designated agency. In addition thereto, the owner or his redeeming representative shall pay the daily maintenance fee of $5.00 per day and a reclaiming fee of $18.00.

(b) Upon any dog being taken up and impounded as provided in this section, the owner, if the owner can be established, shall be immediately notified by the city manager, other duly authorized persons or the designated agency of the impoundment and the reason therefor. Such notice may be in printed form under the supervision of the safety chief administrator, setting forth that, unless the owner or other person procures a license and vaccination for the dog, if that is the reason the animal was impounded, that at the end of three days after the date of impoundment the dog may be sold or given away, and if no sale is made or proper home found for the dog that the animal be destroyed in a humane manner.

(Code 1968, § 5-18; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-18), 12-3-91)

(a) No person shall own or keep a Pit Bull subject to this article pursuant to section 4-66 which has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided in paragraph (b) below. For purposes of this section, "Pit Bull" is defined as any Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier breed of dog, or any mixed breed of dog which contains, as an element of its breeding, any of these breeds so as to be identifiable as partially of the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier.

(b) Subject to paragraph (c), the following Pit Bulls are exempt from the provisions of paragraph (a) above:

(1) A purebred Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Staffordshire Terrier, recognized and registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), or other national registry that requires the transfer of registration paperwork with transfer of dog ownership, such paperwork must be in the name of the resident in possession of the dog when requested by any applicable city employee. Such information shall be made available upon request of a police officer, animal services officer, animal services assistant or other city employee.

(2) A dog used by a law enforcement agency for law enforcement purposes;

(3) A qualified service assistance dog as defined in Food and Agriculture Code Section 30850;

(4) A dog which is unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death due to age or infirmity and the owner or keeper of such dog provides to the police officer, animal services officer, animal services assistant or other city employee written confirmation of the condition from a licensed veterinarian upon request; and

(5) A dog licensed pursuant to this article used for breeding at a licensed kennel as defined in section 4-102.

(c) In the event a Pit Bull has been determined to be a vicious dog pursuant to section 4-132, the Pit Bull shall be spayed or neutered regardless of any exemptions noted in paragraph (b). All Pit Bulls shall be spayed or neutered within 30 days of being declared vicious dogs pursuant to section 4-132 or the effective date of this section, whichever is later.

(d) No person shall sell or transfer a Pit Bull subject to this article unless the dog is spayed or neutered. This prohibition shall not apply to a Pit Bull identified in paragraph (b)(1) above.

(e) To the extent required by Health and Safety Code section 122331, the chief of police or designee shall develop and implement programs to measure the effect of the requirements of this section by compiling statistical information on dog bites. The information shall, at a minimum, identify dog bites by severity, the breed of the dog involved, whether the dog was altered, and whether the dog was a Pit Bull subject to this section. These statistics shall be submitted quarterly to the state public health veterinarian.

(Ord. No. 1636, § 2, 8-9-11)