Riverside Municipal Code Ch. 8.04 Animals

It is unlawful for any person to knowingly abandon any animal within the City. Any person violating this section shall bear full costs and expenses incurred by said City in the care of said abandoned animal and said person shall reimburse to the City all costs therefor as determined by the Animal Control Director.

(Ord. 7362 §1, 2017; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

Every person owning or occupying any property or premises where any animal or bird is kept shall keep such premises clean and sanitary. Any feces, uneaten food, or other matter that emits an offensive odor or encourages the breeding of flies or other insects shall be collected daily and not allowed to accumulate. This provision shall not prohibit the owner or occupant of any premises from storing such feces, uneaten food, or other matter in a closed container prior to disposal.

(Ord. 6219 § 5, 1995: Ord. 6217 § 5, 1995)

No person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any animal shall cause or permit or allow the same to be staked out or to herd or graze upon any unenclosed private lot or land in the City in such a manner that the rope or other attachment by which such animal is tethered permits said animal to be or to go beyond the boundaries of the unenclosed private lot or land.

(Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

Every animal found trespassing upon any private property within the city may be captured by the party owning, controlling or having possession of such property, or by his representative, and shall then be committed to the Animal Control Director or his/her designee; provided, however, that the only trap used in such capture shall be of a type of trap approved by the Animal Control Director. Any person capturing an animal found running at large or trespassing upon any private property shall promptly notify the Animal Control Director or his/her designee of such capture and it shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender such animal to the Animal Control Director or his/her designee.

(Ord. 7362 §1, 2017; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

It shall be the duty of any person owning or having charge, custody or control of any dog to ensure that reasonable care and precautions are taken to prevent the dog leaving, while not in leash, the real property upon which it is kept and that either (1) it is securely and humanely enclosed within a house, building, fence, pen or other enclosure out of which it cannot climb, dig, jump, or otherwise escape on its own volition, which enclosure is securely locked or fastened at any time the dog is left unattended; or (2) it is securely and humanely restrained by a chain with swivel, cable or trolley or other tether of sufficient strength to prevent escape, provided that the dog while so chained or tethered cannot go beyond the boundaries of the real property upon which it is maintained or upon the public right-of-way; or (3) it is on leash and under the control of a competent person.

(Ord. 5631 § 3, 1988)

No person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog shall, either intentionally or unintentionally, cause, permit or allow the same to be or run at large upon any street or other public place, or upon any unenclosed lot or place in the City or upon the private property of another without permission of the person owning or in possession of such property unless such dog is restrained by a substantial chain or leash and is in control of a competent person; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply to any official police dog while such animal is on duty.

(Ord. 4803 § 4, 1980; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

It is unlawful for any person to permit any female dog which is owned, harbored, or controlled by him, to run at large in the City at any time during the period when the dog is in season or breeding condition.

(Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

A. Chapter 9 of Division 14 of the Food and Agricultural Code (commencing with California Food and Agricultural Code § 31601 and as amended from time to time) is hereby adopted as the law and procedure, except the definitions for vicious and potentially dangerous dogs shall be as stated in Chapter 8.02. Enforcement of this chapter includes but is not limited to the administrative remedies provided in Chapter 1.17 of the Riverside Municipal Code.

B. Once declared potentially dangerous or vicious, the designation of such shall be included in all registration records of the dog.

C. In addition to any other requirement provided by law, the owner of a dog declared potentially dangerous or vicious shall do all of the following:

1. The dog and owner are required to complete a public works, or designee, approved obedience course and shall provide proof of completion of such course within 60 days of being deemed potentially dangerous. Such course shall be paid for by the dog owner.

2. The owner of the dog, possessor of the dog, or owner of the premises where the dog is to be kept shall obtain and maintain liability insurance in the amount of $100,000.00 and shall furnish a certificate or proof of insurance by which the City shall be notified at least 30 calendar days prior to cancellation or nonrenewal.

3. Within 30 days of the determination that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, the owner of the dog shall pay the license fee set by Council for potentially dangerous or vicious dogs, as applicable, or if the owner has a current license, the owner shall pay the difference between the license fee previously paid and the then current license fee for potentially dangerous or vicious dogs.

D. A dog which has been determined to be a potentially dangerous or vicious dog shall be added to the list of potentially dangerous and vicious dogs for the City. Once a dog has been determined to be a potentially dangerous dog, if there are no additional instances of the behavior described in Chapter 8.02 of this Code defining "potentially dangerous dog" and "vicious dog" within a 48 month period from the date of the determination, the animal may be removed from the list of potentially dangerous dogs by the Animal Control Director or designee.

E. Any dog which has been declared potentially dangerous, dangerous, or vicious in any administrative or legal proceeding, as a result of aggressive behavior, outside the boundaries of the City, may not be relocated into the City.

F. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, a person who violates this section, or violates an order determining a dog to be potentially dangerous or vicious, shall be subject to an administrative citation in accordance with Chapter 1.17 of this Code. A person is guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which he or she commits, continues, or permits a violation.

(Ord. 7459 § 16, 2019; Ord. 7360 § 1, 2016; Ord. 7156 § 1, 2012; Ord. 7124 § 2, 2011; Ord. 5858 § 1, 1990; Ord. 5631 § 4, 1988; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

No person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any animal, except a cat, shall cause, permit or allow such animal to be at large upon any street, lane, alley, court or other public place unless under the immediate effective physical control of a competent person or under the immediate vocal control of said person; provided, however, the provisions of Section 8.04.050 of this chapter shall govern as to dogs.

(Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

No person shall have, keep or maintain, or have in his possession or under his control on any residentially-zoned property any lion, tiger, bear, chimpanzee, gorilla, cougar, mountain lion, badger, wolf, coyote, fox, lynx or any poisonous reptile or any other dangerous or carnivorous wild animal or reptile; provided, however, such animals may be permitted on such residentially-zoned lots on the condition that a permit is obtained from the Animal Control Director or his/her designee.

Such permit shall only be granted upon a showing by the applicant that adequate safeguards have been established and will be maintained which will effectively control the dangerous or vicious propensities of such animal or reptile, eliminating any danger to individuals or property, and provided that the keeping or maintaining of such animal or reptile will in no way constitute a nuisance to the occupants of any surrounding property. The denial of the permit shall be in writing and shall specify the grounds for such denial. The applicant shall have ten days from the date the permit was denied in order to appeal such denial to the City Council.

(Ord. 7362 §1, 2017; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)

A. It is unlawful for any person to willfully and maliciously annoy, tease, taunt, torment, strike, threaten to strike, startle, attempt to startle or throw any object at any official police dog or any official police horse. The conduct prohibited hereby shall include, but not be limited to, the use of any part of the body, including the voice, or the use of any object, including liquids, or a vehicle with the intent to accomplish one or more of the above acts.

B. It is unlawful for any person, other than an authorized employee or agent of the Police Department or a person authorized by the police officer in possession of said animal, to feed or touch, or attempt to touch an official police dog or official police horse or the equipment attached to or housing said animal while on duty.

(Ord. 4803 § 2, 1980)

It is unlawful for any person, other than the police officer in lawful possession of such animal, to give commands or attempt to give commands to any official police dog or official police horse or otherwise interfere with such animal while it is on duty.

(Ord. 4803 § 3, 1980)

A. Dogs and cats under four months of age. No person shall be permitted to adopt or purchase any dog or cat from the City animal shelter under the age of four months unless and until a deposit for spaying or neutering the dog or cat has been tendered to the Animal Control Director. The deposit shall be in an amount determined to be comparable to the lowest fee charged by veterinarians in the City as set by resolution of the City Council; provided however, the deposit shall not exceed the amounts for such deposits as set forth in State law. It is unlawful for any person adopting such dog or cat to fail to have such animal spayed or neutered within 60 days of the date such dog or cat reached the age of four months unless upon the certification of the veterinarian employed at the City animal shelter such operation would unnecessarily endanger the life of the animal, in which event, such dog or cat shall be spayed or neutered at the earliest date when medically acceptable to do so. The deposit shall be returned to the person purchasing or adopting the dog or cat upon presentation of a written certification from a veterinarian or clinic that the dog or cat has been spayed or neutered; provided, however, such deposit must be claimed within 120 days of the date such dog or cat reached the age of four months.

B. Dogs and cats four months of age or older. All dogs and cats over the age of four months placed for adoption from the City animal shelter shall be spayed or neutered before being placed in the custody of the adoptive owner; provided, however, such requirement may be waived by the Animal Control Director upon the certification of the veterinarian employed at the City animal shelter that such operation will unnecessarily endanger the life of the animal.

(Ord. 6219 § 6, 1995: Ord. 6217 § 6, 1995)

A. Animals banned at special events. No person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any animal shall either, intentionally or unintentionally cause, permit or allow same to be at any special event, as defined by Section 2.28.040, in the City during the designated period of operation of such special event, where appropriate signs giving notice of such prohibition have been posted at sufficient points around the special event to give reasonable notice of such prohibition to the public. Notice is to be given in any advertisements for such special events that, "All animals, birds and reptiles are banned at this special event, except as set forth in RMC Section 8.04.140." "Animal" shall include birds and reptiles.

B. Exceptions. The prohibition shall not apply to the following:

1. Any animal invited by official special event staff;

2. Any animal used for businesses duly licensed by the City;

3. Any animal used by a law enforcement agency or the military;

4. A dog while participating in a permitted dog obedience training program or a dog obedience or conformation show, although such dog shall be on leash or otherwise restrained while not actively participating in such show or program;

5. Licensed guide dogs in training wearing marked "guide dog in training" vests or collars.

6. Any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for and accompanying an individual with a disability. Such training shall include, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.

C. Enforcement of title. The Police Department shall be primarily responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this title.

D. Penalty. A violation of this section may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, in accordance with Section 1.01.110.

(Ord. 6653 § 1, 2003)

It is the duty of each person in control of a dog or cat to promptly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person.

(Ord. 7269 § 5, 2014)