La Palma Municipal Code Art. III Dog Licensing

Footnotes:

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State Law reference— Dog licensing and regulations generally, Food and Agricultural Code § 30801 et seq.

No person owning, having an interest in, or having control, custody, or possession of any dog shall fail, neglect, or refuse to license and register such dog, if over four months of age, in compliance with the terms of this article.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-21, 12-15-2009)

No person shall fail or refuse to exhibit the registration of any animal required to be licensed by this Code when required to do so by the Director, his or her Deputies, a Code Enforcement Officer, or any Police Officer.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-22, 12-15-2009)

(a) A metallic tag and license certificate with corresponding numbers shall be furnished by SEAACA, acting as authorized agents, to any person required by this article to obtain a license upon payment of the appropriate fee prescribed in this article.

(b) SEAACA, when acting as the authorized agents, shall keep a record of the name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the dog or person making payment of said license fee, and to whom a certificate and tag is issued, and the number and date of such certificate. Such metal tag issued for the current license year shall be securely fastened to the collar or harness of the dog and shall be worn by such dog at all times other than those periods when confined to the owner's house, enclosed yard, or pen. A duplicate of a lost license tag may be procured from SEAACA, when acting as the authorized agents, upon proof of loss and payment of the required fee.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-23, 12-15-2009)

(a) Any owner, with the exception herein provided, of a dog four months of age or older in the City shall obtain a dog license and pay an original or renewal license fee (as established by resolution) each year thereafter.

(b) License fees shall be due and payable within 30 days after any dog is acquired and comes into the care, custody, and control of any person in said City.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-24, 12-15-2009)

(a) Any person who fails to obtain an original license within 30 days after owning any dog or any dog coming into their care, custody, and control in this City shall pay, in addition to the original license fee, a penalty fee of 50 percent of the original license fee.

(b) Any person who fails to pay the required dog license fee, as set forth in section 8-62, shall pay, in addition to the original license fee, a penalty of 50 percent of the original license fee, for each year the license fee is delinquent.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-25, 12-15-2009)

All dogs shall be licensed pursuant to section 8-59, however, license fees shall be waived for the following:

(1) Guide dogs, signal dog, or service dog especially trained for that purpose, as such terms are defined in Civil Code § 54.1.

(2) Dogs honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States.

(3) Dogs in the care, custody, and control of nonresidents who are traveling through the City, or temporarily staying in the City for a period not exceeding 30 days, or dogs temporarily brought into the City for the exclusive purpose of being entered in a bench show or dog exhibition, provided such dogs are so entered and not kept elsewhere in the City.

(4) Dogs which are owned by any governmental agency.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-26, 12-15-2009)

No person shall fail or refuse to show to the Director, his or her Deputies, a Code Enforcement Officer, or any Police Officer, the license certificate and the tag for any duly registered dog kept or remaining within any home or upon any enclosed premises under their immediate control.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-27, 12-15-2009)

No unauthorized person shall remove from any dog, any collar, harness, or other device to which is attached a registration tag for the current year or to remove such tag therefrom.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-28, 12-15-2009)

No person shall imitate or counterfeit the tags required by this article, or shall use any imitation or counterfeit of such tag.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-29, 12-15-2009)

No dog license is transferable.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-30, 12-15-2009)

Every person applying for a dog license must exhibit a certificate issued by a person licensed by the State of California, or by any State or nation, to practice veterinary medicine, which certificate shall show that the dog for which the license shall be issued, either:

(1) Has been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of sections 8-99 and 8-1000 hereof; or

(2) Should not be so vaccinated by reason of age, infirmity, or other disability. Such exemption shall be valid for a period not to exceed one year.

A license for any dog shall not be issued unless and until either such certificate is exhibited. Said certificate of vaccination must be valid throughout the entire licensing period.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-31, 12-15-2009)

The amount of any license fees imposed by this article shall be deemed a debt to the City and any person keeping any animal without having obtained a license and registration certificate from the City shall be liable to an action in the name of the City in any court of competent jurisdiction for the amount of the license fees and penalties imposed and required by this article to be paid for the privilege of keeping such animal and it shall be the duty of the Director to cause a complaint to be filed against any person violating any of the provisions of this article. Such action shall be cumulative and shall not be deemed a bar to, or a waiver of, the right of the City to prosecute any person for a violation of this article or any other applicable provision of this article.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-32, 12-15-2009)