Santa Maria Municipal Code Art. 10 Wild Animals

For the purposes of this article the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:

"Cats"

includes all domesticated breeds of cats or combinations of the common domesticated varieties, but not any breeds or species of the cat genus not ordinarily and commonly domesticated, such as civet cats, ocelots and so forth, regardless of size.

"Dogs"

means all dogs of domesticated breeds or combinations thereof, but not including wild breeds of dogs not domesticated, such as the dingo, and not including wolves, coyotes, foxes or other species related to dogs.

"Feral animals"

means the same as "wild animals."

"Reptiles"

means all cold-blooded creatures, except fish.

"Wild animal"

includes any animal, other than common domestic animals, such as horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, dogs or cats, or domestic fowl, such as chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys, whether ordinarily native to this State or not. Whenever "animal" or "wild animal" are used in this article they include fowl and reptiles.

(Prior Code § 3-60)

(a) No person shall keep within the City any bear or any feline (other than a domesticated cat as defined in this article), except at a licensed zoo or circus, or a zoo operated by a public agency; provided further, that a licensed veterinarian may keep such an animal for purposes of treatment only. During the course of such treatment any veterinarian keeping such an animal for such treatment shall keep the animal in quarters adequate as to design and materials to retain such animal safely, having regard for its size, nature and characteristics.

(b) If any such animal, the keeping of which within the City is prohibited by this section, is found upon the private property of another person, or upon any public street, park or school ground, or other public place, it shall be destroyed by a Police Officer. The cost of disposal of the remains shall be a charge upon the person having ownership, custody or control of such animal, and may be collected by an action brought in the name of the City in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) If any such animal, the keeping of which is prohibited, is discovered upon the premises of the owner or other person having control or custody of such animal, such owner or other person having such custody or control shall, upon written or oral demand by a Police Officer, or by the Animal Control Officer, either make arrangements to destroy the animal within not more than 48 hours after such demand is made, at his own expense, or shall deliver the animal to a point designated by such Police Officer or Animal Control Officer for destruction and disposal, in which case the cost of disposal of the remains shall be a charge upon such owner or other person having such custody or control, and may be collected by an action brought in the name of the City in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(Prior Code § 3-61)

It is unlawful for any person owning, having an interest in, harboring or having charge, care, control, custody or possession of any wild or feral animal, whether such person has a permit for the keeping of such animal or not, to allow, cause or permit such animal to be in or on any public street, park, school ground or other public place, or in or upon any lot, premises or property of another.

(Prior Code § 3-62)

It is unlawful for the owner or person owning, having an interest in, harboring or having charge, care, control, custody or possession of any wild or feral animal, whether such person has a permit for the keeping of such an animal or not, to suffer or permit such animal to run at large on the lands of another, whereon livestock or domestic fowl are kept.

(Prior Code § 3-63)

(a) Any wild or feral animal found trespassing on any private property within the City, or upon any public streets, parks, school grounds or other public place, or running at large on the lands of another where poultry or livestock are kept, may be taken up by any person at interest and detained by such person to be picked up by the Animal Control Officer, or may be taken up by the Animal Control Officer. Any person taking up such an animal shall report that fact at the earliest possible time, but in no event more than 24 hours after taking up the animal, to the Animal Control Officer. Upon receiving such report the Animal Control Officer shall forthwith take custody of the animal and place it in the public pound.

(b) If the nature, size or characteristics of the animal are such that it is not feasible or practicable for the Animal Control Officer to seize such animal for the purposes of impounding the animal, the Animal Control Officer shall forthwith notify the Police Department which shall forthwith take the necessary action to destroy such animal having due regard for the safety of persons and property.

(Prior Code § 3-64)

In every case when a wild or feral animal has been impounded by the Animal Control Officer, and the owner or other person having an interest in, having charge, care, control, custody or the right to possession of any such animal, seeks to redeem it from the public pound, such owner or other such person may be required, in the discretion of the Health Officer, to deposit cash security in the amount of $200 to insure that such person or owner thereafter keeps such animal entirely within their own premises and the quarters designed for such animal.

(Prior Code § 3-65)

The conditions, terms and fees for impoundment and redemption for any wild or feral animal shall be the same as those elsewhere provided in this chapter for dogs, except that the provisions with regard to rabies vaccination shall not apply.

(Prior Code § 3-66)

(a) Upon written or oral demand by the Health Officer or the kennel control officer, the owner or person having control of any wild or feral animal which has within the preceding 14 days bitten or clawed any person or animal shall, upon demand, surrender such animal to the Health Officer or Animal Control Officer who shall impound and keep such animal at the public pound in separate quarters for a period of not less than 14 days, or in the discretion of the Health Officer or Animal Control Officer, shall impound and keep such animal at any other location or facility designated and approved by the Health Officer or Animal Control Officer.

(b) During the period of confinement provided for in this section, it shall be the duty of the Health Officer, upon being notified by the Animal Control Officer that such animal has been impounded, to determine whether or not such animal is suffering from any disease. If the Health Officer, or a duly licensed veterinarian designated by the Health Officer, shall determine that such animal is diseased, and by reason of such disease is dangerous to persons or to other animals, he shall notify the Animal Control Officer in writing to destroy such animal. A copy of such notice shall also be served upon the owner or persons having control of such animal if they are known to the Health Officer or Animal Control Officer. If the Health Officer or the veterinarian determine that such animal is not so diseased, the Animal Control Officer shall notify by mail the person having control of such animal, and shall upon demand release such animal to such owner or other person lawfully entitled thereto, upon payment of any charges provided therefor, including expenses of quarantine and veterinary care and, where applicable, the security deposit elsewhere provided for in this article.

(Prior Code § 3-67)

If no person lawfully entitled to such animal shall within five days after the date of giving the notice referred to in Section 5-3.1008, appear at the public pound and request the release of such animal and pay all charges, such animal shall be destroyed by the Animal Control Officer.

(Prior Code § 3-68)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor, and each and every day in which a wild or feral animal is kept within the City in violation of the provisions in this article constitutes a separate offense.

(Prior Code § 3-69)