Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 6 Kennels

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 4403, § 2, adopted Oct. 20, 2009, amended Art. 6 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Art. 6, §§ 2591—2600, pertained to similar subject matter, and derived unamended from Code.

No person shall own, manage or operate a kennel, as defined in this Article, within the unincorporated areas of Ventura County unless such kennel has first been licensed by the County pursuant to this Article and the license is currently in effect.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

A "kennel" within the meaning of this Article means any place or premises where at any given time five (5) or more dogs or cats over the age of four (4) months are kept for commercial purposes. For the purposes of this Section, "commercial purposes" include boarding, grooming, breeding, training, sale, adoption and related purposes for which some valuable consideration is paid.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

Every applicant for a license required by Section 2591 shall personally appear before the Animal Services Director or his or her designee and make a written application for such license. Such application shall, in addition to the information required by Section 2113-2, contain the following information:

(a) The name of the kennel;

(b) The name or names of the person or persons owning, managing and operating the kennel;

(c) The number and approximate age of the animals kept therein as of the date of application;

(d) The maximum number of animals over the age of four (4) months and the maximum number of animals under such age which will be kept at the kennel at any given time during the licensing period;

(e) The purpose or purposes for which the animals are kept. Such application shall be accompanied by a certificate from the Ventura County Planning Division stating that the operation of the kennel is a permitted use or that a special or conditional use permit has been issued by the County for such operation within the zone in which the kennel is to be located; and

(f) Copy of business license/occupational permit issued by the applicable jurisdiction.

(g) Copy of an Animal Disaster Evacuation Plan for proposed kennel location.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021; Ord. No. 4612, § 1, 1-10-2023)

Upon receipt of an application satisfactory on its face, the Animal Services Director shall cause the kennel to be inspected to determine whether it complies with the minimum standards for the operation of a kennel containing the number of animals of the various ages specified in the application as the maximum number which will be kept in the kennel at any given time during the licensing period. Such minimum standards shall be prepared by the Animal Services Director in writing and shall be made available for inspection during regular business hours. If the Animal Services Director determines that the kennel meets such minimum standards and that the application complies with all the requirements of this Article, he or she shall approve the application. If the application does not contain the required certificate from the Ventura County Planning Division or a current business license but meets all other requirements, the Animal Services Director may issue a temporary permit not to exceed one (1) year from date of issuance. Upon submission of required CUP or business license, the temporary permit will be rescinded, and a permanent license will be issued with same expiration date as the originally issued temporary license. Failure to provide required documents within stated time period indicated on the temporary license will result in expiration of temporary license. A new application, along with the required fee, will need to be submitted to re-apply for permit. The Animal Services Director shall notify the applicant of temporary or permanent approval or disapproval of the application within thirty (30) days of the receipt thereof. The Animal Services Director shall keep the original of the application on file in the office of the Animal Services Division of the Ventura County throughout the term of the license issued pursuant to such application.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 4587, § 2, adopted Oct. 19, 2021, repealed § 2595, which pertained to issuance of license and derived from Ord. No. 4403, § 2, adopted Oct. 20, 2009; and Ord. No. 4457, § 2, adopted Dec. 10, 2013.

The annual license fee shall be as prescribed by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

Licenses issued pursuant to this Article may not be renewed beyond the licensing period for which they are issued. Persons wishing to obtain a license for a given kennel for more than one (1) licensing period must obtain a new license for each such period.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

Any license issued pursuant to this Article may be revoked by the Animal Services Director whenever:

(a) The kennel contains a greater number of animals than the maximum number specified in the application;

(b) In the opinion of the Animal Services Director, the kennel fails to meet any of the minimum standards mentioned in Section 2594;

(c) In the opinion of the Animal Services Director, the kennel is not being maintained in a sanitary and healthful condition; or

(d) In the opinion of the Animal Services Director, the animals confined in the kennel are not provided with adequate care and supervision. No part of the animal license fee shall be refunded in the event of such revocation.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

The provisions of this Article are in addition to, and not in limitation of, the provisions of any applicable zoning laws or ordinances. A license issued under the provisions of this Article shall not be valid or operate to permit a kennel where this use of land is not permitted under the applicable County zoning ordinance and laws.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

For the purposes of this Article, the Animal Services Director is authorized to do all those things which the Sheriff is empowered to do pursuant to Sections 2120-1.1, 2120-1.4, 2120-1.7, 2131 and 2133.

(Ord. No. 4403, § 2, 10-20-2009; Ord. No. 4457, § 2, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)

(a) Any law enforcement officer or public officer may issue a notice to appear citation to the property owner or any person occupying or leasing the property or premises of another for violation of this Article.

(b) A property owner or any person occupying or leasing the property or premises of another who violates any provision of this Article is guilty of a misdemeanor/infraction. An Animal Control Officer, as defined in Section 4493-2, may issue an administrative citation assessing a civil penalty to that person in accordance with, and the person shall be subject to the administrative enforcement provisions set forth in, Article 8.

(Ord. No. 4587, § 2, 10-19-2021)