Plumas County Municipal Code Art. 2 Dogs

Every dog within the County reaching the age of six (6) months shall be licensed by its owner with a Plumas County license.

Every dog reaching the age of six (6) months shall be licensed by the owner within thirty (30) days thereafter, and every person acquiring a dog over the age of six (6) months shall license such dog within thirty (30) days thereafter by paying the license fees set forth in Section 6-1.203 of this article to the duly authorized licensing authority.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, and § 1, Ord. 01-955, eff. November 2, 2001)

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6-1.201 and 6-1.203 of this article, license fees for dogs shall be due and payable on or before the thirtieth day of ownership or on or before the thirtieth day after an owner brings a dog into Plumas County with the intent to become a permanent resident. Dog licenses will be valid for one or three (3) years, and run concurrently with the dog's rabies certificate.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993, and § 3, Ord. 01-946, eff. June 14, 2001)

The owner of any dog six (6) months of age or older shall pay a license fee as required for such dog which license shall be valid for one year, or until the expiration of the dog's rabies vaccination.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 1, Ord. 73-36, eff. January 3, 1974, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 11, Ord. 79-340, eff. October 4, 1979, § 1, Ord. 91-772, eff. December 19, 1991, § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993, and § 2, Ord. 01-955, eff. November 2, 2001)

License fees shall be delinquent if not paid within thirty (30) days after the license due date. A delinquency penalty shall be charged on and after the delinquency date.

If an unlicensed dog is picked up by an Animal Control Officer, an appropriate fine shall be levied as set forth in Section 6-1.117 of this chapter.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 2, Ord. 73-36, eff. January 3, 1974, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 1, Ord. 91-772, eff. December 19, 1991, § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993, and § 4, Ord. 01-946, eff. June 14, 2001)

(a) The provisions of this article shall not apply to dogs whose owners are nonresidents temporarily within the County for sixty (60) days or less, nor to dogs brought into the County for the purpose of participating in any dog show or field trials.

(b) The following dogs shall be licensed free of charge:

(1) Seeing Eye dogs properly trained to assist blind persons and actually used by blind persons to aid them in travel;

(2) Search and Rescue dogs properly trained to assist Search and Rescue personnel in locating lost persons; and

(3) Police Service dogs properly trained and used by Sheriff's Department personnel for law enforcement.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, and § 1, Ord. 83-536, eff. March 17, 1983)

Licenses for dogs shall not be transferable, and each dog shall be licensed with a Plumas County license. Any change in ownership of a dog shall require relicensing by the new owner within thirty (30) days. Any new resident shall license each dog within thirty (30) days after bringing the dog into the County.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, and 731)

The licensing authority is hereby authorized and directed to prepare, purchase, and issue dog license tags. All dog license tags shall be imprinted with the following: "County of Plumas," and a serial number assigned to each licensed dog. Dog licenses shall be worn by dogs at all times.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993, and § 5, Ord. 01-946, eff. June 14, 2001)

A valid certificate of rabies vaccination, for the entire licensing period, shall be presented or mailed to the licensing authority before a license will be issued.

Every veterinarian, after vaccinating a dog for rabies, shall issue a certificate to the owner of the dog and one copy to the Animal Control Director. The certificate shall be in the form prescribed by the Animal Control Director.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 2, Ord. 86-636, eff. July 17, 1986, and § 1, Ord. 99-909, eff. February 4, 1999)

Whenever a license, certificate, or tag has been lost or destroyed, a duplicate will be issued by the licensing authority for a fee as adopted by resolution.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 1, Ord. 91-772, eff. December 12, 1991, and § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993)

(a) No dog under the age of six (6) months shall be allowed off the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer, unless on a leash.

(b) No dog, whether licensed or not, shall be allowed by its owner, keeper, or harborer to run at large.

(c) Any unlicensed dog or cat running at large and not under any reasonable control shall be picked up and impounded for at least seventy-two (72) hours, unless earlier redeemed. Such dog or cat shall thereafter be placed in a home guaranteeing compliance with the provisions of this chapter, or the dog or cat may be destroyed consistent with State law at the direction of the Animal Control Director. Any fee incurred by the Animal Control Department for the destruction of a dog or cat shall be paid by the animal's owner consistent with the County's current fee schedule.

(d) Any licensed dog with tags attached and running at large and not under any reasonable control will be directly returned to its owner the first time it is picked up if the owner is home. If not, the dog shall be impounded.

(e) Upon taking possession of any unlicensed dog from an animal control center, the person taking possession shall have the dog inoculated for rabies and either spay or neuter the dog within thirty (30) days if the dog is six (6) months of age or older. Licensing of the dog shall be conditioned on the showing of a valid rabies inoculation certificate and a valid spay or neuter certificate.

(f) Feral cats picked up or brought to the shelter shall be destroyed in a humane manner after being held for the period prescribed by State law.

(§ 42303, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 577, 654, 711, 731; and § 42304, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 477 and 783; as amended by § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 2, Ord. 83-549, eff. November 3, 1983, § 2, Ord. 86-636, eff. July 17, 1986, § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993, §6, Ord. 01-946, eff. June 14, 2001, and § 3, Ord. 01-955, eff. November 2, 2001)

(a) Subject to the requirements of subsection (c), the owner of any unlicensed dog may claim it from the animal control center before sale or destruction by licensing the dog as required by the provisions of Section 6-1.201 of this article and by paying the fees required by the provisions of Section 6-1.212 of this article.

(b) The officer in charge of the animal control center shall attempt to locate the owner of licensed dogs which are not under reasonable control and, if necessary, may impound such dogs at the expense of the owner. Subject to the requirements of subsection (c), such dogs shall be redeemed by the owner upon paying the fees for such impounded animals as set forth in Section 6-1.212 of this article. If such dogs are not reclaimed by their owners within ten (10) days after written notice is sent to the last known address of the registered owner, the Animal Control Director shall find an adoptive home or humanely dispose of such dogs.

(c) If an impounded dog was previously impounded by the Animal Control Department and released and has not been spayed or neutered, the dog shall be released to the owner only if (i) the dog has been spayed or neutered prior to its second release by either the Animal Control Department or, at the election of the owner, an Animal Control Department-approved veterinarian designated by the owner and (ii) the owner has paid the cost of spaying or neutering the dog as well as any licensing and impoundment fees. If the owner elects to have the Animal Control Department have the dog spayed or neutered, the Department may require the owner to execute a release of liability before it proceeds. The Animal Control Director may waive the requirements of this subsection (c) upon his or her determination that a dog's impoundment was not the fault of the owner or that spaying or neutering is detrimental to the general health of the dog or otherwise inappropriate in a particular case. The owner may appeal the Animal Control Director's failure to make such a determination by submitting the reasons for the appeal in writing to the Sheriff, and the Animal Control Department shall take no further action until the Sheriff rules on the appeal. The Sheriff may designate another Sheriff's Department employee to review and rule upon such appeals, provided that the designee is not junior in rank to the Animal Control Officer.

(§ 42304, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 477, 783, and § 2, Ord. 86-636, eff. July 17, 1986, § 1, Ord. 04-1016, adopted September 14, 2004)

The Animal Control Director shall charge and collect boarding and redemption fees as may be adopted by resolution for impounded animals when reclaimed.

(§ 42304, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by Ords. 477, 783, § 1, Ord. 78-251, eff. February 23, 1978, and § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993)

(a) Any dog having a disposition of propensity to attack or bite any person or animal without provocation is defined as a vicious dog for the purposes of this section. Where records of the Animal Control Director indicate that an animal, on more than one occasion, has bitten or attacked a person or other animal without provocation, it shall be prima facie evidence that such animal is vicious.

(b) Every vicious dog at all times shall be confined in a substantial pen. Except when so confined, the keeping of a vicious dog is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.

(c) Whenever the Animal Control Director has reason to believe that any dog is vicious, the Animal Control Director may issue an order directing the owner of such animal to abate such nuisance by adequately confining the animal or by disposing of the animal. If the owner fails to comply with the order, the Animal Control Director may issue an order directing the owner to appear at a designated hearing within thirty (30) days after the failure to comply to show cause why he or she should not be required to abate such nuisance or surrender such animal to the Animal Control Director. Notice of the time and place of such hearing, and of the designated action, shall be served upon the owner of such animal, either personally or by registered or certified mail addressed to such owner at his last known address, at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such hearing. The hearing will be conducted by the Board or Hearing Officer selected by the Board. Upon the conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing Officer may order the animal to be surrendered and destroyed or may order such other measures as in the officer's judgment are necessary to abate the nuisance.

(d) Whenever the Animal Control Director has reasonable cause to believe that a dog is vicious and that it constitutes an immediate hazard to persons, the Animal Control Director may immediately seize the dog. Such animal shall be returned to its owner only if the Animal Control Director is satisfied that the owner will confine such animal as provided in subsection (b) of this section. If the owner fails or refuses to make arrangements for the confinement of the animal, or if the owner cannot be located after reasonable efforts have been made, the Animal Control Director may order the animal to be destroyed, or the Animal Control Officer may take such lesser measures as, under the circumstances, he deems necessary in order to protect persons from injury.

(e) Failure to comply with any order issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall be a misdemeanor.

(§ 42310, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 468, as amended by § 2, Ord. 86-636, eff. July 17, 1986)

Any dog within the external boundaries of the following locations, as shown on maps on file in the office of the County Engineer, shall be considered not to be under reasonable control within the meaning of this article, unless such dog is on its owner's property or is restrained by leash or some other type of physical restriction:

(a) Chester Fire Protection District;

(b) Graeagle Fire Protection District;

(c) Greenville Community Services District;

(d) Peninsula Fire Protection District;

(e) Quincy Fire Protection District;

(f) West Almanor Community Services District; and

(g) Plumas Eureka Community Services District.

Every person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punishable by a mandatory fine of not less than Fifty and no/100ths ($50.00) Dollars and not more than Two Hundred and no/100ths ($200.00) Dollars. Any person cited under this section shall be required to appear before the judge of the judicial district within which the alleged violation occurred to answer the charges for such violation. Fines received for violations of this section will be placed into a separate fund to be utilized only for the County spaying and neutering program. Any amount in the fund over One Thousand and no/100ths ($1,000.000) Dollars as of June 30 of a fiscal year shall become available to the County General Fund.

(§ 42304, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ord. 783, § 1, Ord. 73-9, eff. August 16, 1973, § 1, Ord. 73-14, eff. September 13, 1973, § 1, Ord. 73-17, eff. October 4, 1973, § 1, Ord. 74-54, eff. July 18, 1974, § 1, Ord. 77-202, eff. May 12, 1977, § 1, Ord. 77-210, eff. July 21, 1977, § 1, Ord. 78-277, eff. September 7, 1978, § 5, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, § 2, Ord. 79-347, eff. November 8, 1979, § 1, Ord. 79-349, eff. December 13, 1979, and § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993)

All permanent residents of the County, excluding residents of the City of Portola, shall be eligible to participate in the County's spaying and neutering program. Eligibility shall be established by either physical year-round residence, voter registration, or the address on the resident's driver's license. Upon presentation of proof of the spaying or neutering of the resident's licensed dog, the owner shall be reimbursed once only for each dog in the amount of Twenty-Five and no/100ths ($25.00) Dollars from the fund established by Section 6-1.214 of this article, subject to the availability of funds.

(§ 6, Ord. 79-328, eff. August 9, 1979, as amended by § 1, Ord. 88-695, eff. July 21, 1988, and § 2, Ord. 93-819, eff. November 16, 1993)