Williams Municipal Code Ch. 6.12 Care and Control

It is unlawful for the owner of any animal to violate any of the provisions of this title hereinbefore or hereinafter set out, or to commit any of the acts set out in this chapter.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

A. No person shall allow any animal, except the domestic cat, to run at large.

B. This section does not apply to:

1. Dogs secured within a vehicle or dog carrier;

2. Trained assistance dogs including guide dogs, hearing or signal dogs, mobility assistance dogs, and seizure response;

3. Dogs participating in field or obedience trials or exhibitions;

4. Dogs assisting their owner or handler in legal hunting or in the herding of livestock;

5. Dogs assisting a security guard in the course of the security guard's duties;

6. Police dogs;

7. Working dogs while engaged in the activities of a program approved by the city administrator;

8. Dogs being trained for any of the purposes set forth in this section on private land with permission of the land owner, so long as the dogs are under direct control of the trainer to assure they do not violate any other provisions of law.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall allow any animal, except the domestic cat, to enter upon any private property without the consent of the owner of the property.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall, if unauthorized, remove from any dog or domestic swine any collar or harness or other device to which a license tag is attached or remove a current license tag therefrom.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall attach to or keep upon, or cause or permit to be attached to or kept upon any dog or domestic swine any license tag, except a tag issued for such dog or swine under the provisions of this title. No person shall attach to or keep upon, or cause or permit to be attached or kept upon any dog or domestic swine, or make, or cause or permit to be made, or to have in possession, any counterfeit or imitation of any tag provided for by this title.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall possess any dog, over the age of four months, in the city, without first obtaining from the county a license authorizing the keeping of such dog within the city, subject to the provisions and exemptions of Chapter 6.16.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall possess any dog, over four months of age, which does not have a current vaccination for rabies as evidenced by an official certificate thereof, except as otherwise provided for in this title.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

A. No person shall interfere with, oppose or resist the animal control officer while he or she is engaged in the performance of any act authorized by this title.

B. No person shall wilfully or maliciously torture, torment, beat, kick, strike, mutilate, injure, disable or kill any dog used by any government police agency or private patrol service in the performance of the functions or duties of such department, or interfere with or meddle with any such dog while being used by said department or any member thereof in the performance of any of the functions or duties of said department or of such officer or member.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall allow any dog known to be potentially dangerous or vicious to run at large upon any street or other public place within the city.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall allow any animal to habitually make loud noise or act in such a manner as to constitute a public nuisance.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

A. No person shall allow any animal to go without adequate food, water, shelter or proper care.

B. Any animal requiring medical attention shall be taken to a veterinarian for examination or treatment at the owner's expense if the animal control officer finds that this is necessary in order to maintain the health of the animal.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall damage, harm, mutilate, maim, tease or in any other way mistreat any animal.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall fail to confine any female dog, while in heat or breeding condition.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall abandon any animal in the city.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

Whenever the animal control officer receives in writing complaints by three or more persons, each having a separate residence or regularly employed in the neighborhood at separate locations, that any dog or domestic swine is a habitual nuisance by reason of its howling, barking, squealing, or by its actions, is potentially dangerous or vicious, or in any other manner is causing undue annoyance, the animal control officer shall investigate the complaint. If he or she finds such conditions to exist, he or she may issue an order requiring the owner or custodian to obey such conditions within a reasonable length of time.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No owner of a domestic cat shall permit or suffer the cat to damage property, public or private, real or personal, or to bite, scratch or claw any human being or other animal, without provocation, which is the property of another. Any domestic cat which has damaged property or has bitten, scratched or clawed a human being or animal, without provocation, shall be subject to impoundment.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

If any person has any loss or damage to livestock or poultry, which is caused by animals, the person may file a complaint in writing with the animal control officer. Such complaint shall state when and where the damage occurred and how much damage was done, and, if known, the name of the person who owns the animal(s) or the custodian in charge of the animal(s) causing such damage or loss. The animal control officer shall investigate the complaint and if he or she finds conditions exist in violation of this title, he or she may issue an order requiring the owner or custodian to abate such conditions within a reasonable length of time.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

Any person who takes up a stray animal or an animal which is running at large contrary to the provisions of this chapter shall within twenty-four hours thereafter give notice to the animal control officer of:

A. The fact that such animal is in his or her possession;

B. The complete description of such animal;

C. The license number of such animal, if any, and by what county or municipal corporation issued. If such animal has no license, such person shall so state;

D. The place where such animal is confined.

Every such person or any person in whose temporary custody such animal is placed may deliver such animal to the animal control center without fee or charge; and the animal control officer shall thereupon hold and dispose of such animal in the same manner as though such animal had been found at large and impounded by him or her.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No owner or person having care or control of a dog shall permit such dog to deposit fecal matter on the lands of another, unless such person causes the fecal matter to be removed immediately thereafter. Fecal matter shall be sealed in a paper or plastic bag, or other sealable container, and deposited in a waste receptacle, the contents of which are regularly emptied. Alternatively, the feces may be picked up and removed by means of a device manufactured for such purposes.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

No person shall fail or refuse to show to the animal control officer the license certificate or tag for any duly registered dog kept or remaining with any home or upon any enclosed premises under his or her immediate control.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).

When a chain, rope or other restraint is used to tether an animal, it shall be so placed or attached that it cannot become entangled with the chain, rope or other restraint of any other animal or with any other object. It shall be affixed by means of a well-fitted collar, and shall be at least four times the length of the animal as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail and shall allow the animal convenient access to food, water and shelter adequate to protect the animal from the elements.

(Ord. 154-07 § 3(part), 2007).