Pomona Municipal Code § 6-43 Management and care of dogs generally

No person shall keep more than three adult dogs or four adult cats, for a combined total of no more than five animals, upon any premises within the city, except puppies or kittens under the age of eight weeks.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

(a) Persons owning; having an interest in; harboring; or having charge, care, custody or possession of any dog or cat over four months of age or kept within the city for more than 30 days shall comply with the requirements of this section.

(b) A dog or cat license shall be required for any dog or cat within 30 days after the dog or cat becomes four months of age or within 30 days after the dog or cat is brought into the city, if the dog or cat is over four months of age.

(c) An application for a dog or cat license shall be made to the shelter manager or license collector along with payment of the appropriate license fee and applicable penalties as set by the city council by resolution. For each initial dog and cat license issued, a permanent tag stamped with the county and the year of initial issue and numbered to correspond with the dog or cat license will also be issued.

(d) A dog or cat license may be issued for a period of one year but no more than three years. The corresponding tag shall be permanently issued to the specifically licensed dog or cat and shall not be transferrable. A duplicate tag may be issued upon completion of a replacement tag request form submitted to the shelter manager or license collector along with payment of a tag replacement fee.

(e) The shelter manager or license collector shall keep a register of each dog or cat license issued, the corresponding tag number, name and address of the owner, description of the dog or cat, the date of issuance and the term of the license. The shelter manager or license collector shall provide a receipt for payment of the initial license fees received and the payment of license fees for each subsequent license term. Any license fees not paid prior to or within 30 days of expiration of the then-current license term shall be subject to late penalties.

(f) An exemption from payment of license fees shall apply to owners of guide dogs and signal dogs. Owners of guide dogs and signal dogs shall submit a license application to the shelter manager. Said application shall be exempt from payment of license fees and applicable tags will be issued.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 4243, § 1, 12-18-2017)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 4243, § 1, adopted Dec. 18, 2017, amended the title of § 6-42 to read as herein set out. The former § 6-42 title pertained to license; application; fee exemption.

State Law reference— Dog license fee authorized, Food and Agricultural Code § 38792.

Every person owning, having an interest in, harboring, or having charge, care, custody or possession of any dog shall observe the following rules concerning the management and care of such dog:

(1) Dogs shall be supplied with sufficient food and water.

(2) Proper shelter and protection from the weather shall be provided for dogs at all times.

(3) All dogs shall be enclosed in shelters after 10:00 p.m., and they shall remain therein until 7:00 a.m. During this period all reasonable means shall be exercised to restrain the dogs from barking. During this period of time, dogs may not be taken from such enclosed shelters unless they are controlled by a competent person.

(4) Dogs shall not be without attention for a period of time in excess of 18 consecutive hours.

(5) Every reasonable precaution shall be used to ensure that dogs are not teased or abused.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

No person shall violate article VII of chapter 18 pertaining to noise.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

A dog not within an entirely closed shelter between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. may be impounded by the shelter manager who may enter private property for such purpose if such dog is reported to be a nuisance by a neighbor and the occupant of the premises is either not on the property or, after being given notice by the shelter manager, does not immediately put the dog into an entirely closed shelter. A dog so impounded may be returned to the owner upon payment of the boarding of such dog during the time it was impounded. If the dog is so impounded, notice thereof will be given by mail within 24 hours to the address the dog was taken of such impounding.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

No person owning, having an interest in, harboring, or having charge, care, control, custody or possession of any dog in the city shall cause or permit such dog to be at large or to run upon any highway, street, lane, alley or other public place or upon any private property or premises other than those of such person unless such dog is controlled by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in the charge, care, control, custody or possession of a competent person.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

Any owner or custodian of a dog who violates or permits any of the following violations is guilty of a misdemeanor, notwithstanding any other criminal prosecution that may result from permitting such violation(s):

(1) Any owner or person having an interest in, harboring or having charge, care, control, custody or possession of any vicious dog, or any dog of a predatory nature shall not allow such dog upon the premises of any other person without the consent of that person or owner of the property or to be upon a public street, sidewalk or any public place or place open to the public, except when muzzled and held under leash by an able-bodied person.

(2) Any dog, while not on the property of its owner or custodian, on more than one occasion has broken the skin of any person or has attacked or killed any domestic or household pet shall be considered vicious.

(3) Any dog, regardless of where the incident occurs, attacks and severely injures or kills a human being shall be considered vicious.

(4) Upon documentation and verification of any severe injury or death by a vicious dog, the owner or custodian of the dog shall relinquish custody of the dog to the shelter manager. The shelter manager shall then proceed in accordance with California Food and Agriculture Code, Chapter 9, Articles 1—5.

(5) The owner or custodian of the relinquished dog shall be liable for all costs incurred to house the dog and any legal fees incurred in the California Food and Agriculture Code, Chapter 9, Articles 1—5 proceedings.

(6) For purposes of this section, severe injury means any physical injury to a human being that results in muscle tears, a disfiguring laceration or requires multiple sutures or corrective cosmetic surgery.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

State Law reference— Local potentially dangerous or vicious dog control program, Food and Agricultural Code § 31683.

Every person owning or harboring any dog or cat over four months of age in the city shall cause such dog or cat to be vaccinated with rabies vaccine by a person licensed by the state to practice veterinary medicine. The veterinary practitioner shall send a copy of the rabies certificate to the shelter manager. The license collector shall require proof of rabies control vaccination of the dog or cat to be licensed.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

Persons owning, having an interest in, harboring, or having charge, care, custody or possession of any cat shall observe the following provisions concerning the management and care of such cat(s):

(1) No household shall maintain or care for more than four cats that are over eight weeks old.

a. Upon adoption of this section, any owner/household who possess and intends to keep more than four cats must notify the shelter master of such intent within 90 days after the adoption of this section. Such owners shall register and pay an annual fee of $5.00 per cat for each cat over the four-cat limit (not to exceed a cumulative total of $200.00).

(2) Any cat over six months old that is allowed outdoors shall be spayed or neutered.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)

Any person having current non-profit Section 501(c)(3) status as a Cat Adoption/Fostering Program may apply to the Inland Valley Humane Society on a yearly basis for a cat kennel license. The fee for a cat kennel license shall be set by city council resolution. A licensed cat kennel shall comply with the following provisions and all state and other local laws:

(1) No person/organization shall have more than 80 cats total, including kittens under eight weeks of age.

(2) All cats must be confined to kennels and may not roam off the property of the owner or custodian.

(3) All cats available for adoption must be healthy and either spayed or neutered.

(4) A humane officer shall inspect the kennel at least once a year and upon receipt of any complaint regarding the kennel.

(5) The licensee shall actively pursue adoptions for the cats in their program.

(6) All provisions of section 6-50 must be strictly adhered to.

(7) The license may be permanently revoked upon verification of cruelty to any animal or any three violations of this section.

(Ord. No. 4017, § 1, 12-13-2004)