For the purposes of this article, the following words shall mean:

(a)   At Large- Shall mean off the premises of the owner or keeper or not under the direct control or supervision of the owner or other responsible person.

(b)   Dangerous Dog- shall mean any dog that displays violent or aggressive behavior, or any dog that endangers the safety of persons or domesticated animals, or any dog that causes injury to any person or domesticated animal, or any dog that attacks or attempts to attack any person or domesticated animal.

(c)   Dog - shall mean any member of the species canis familiaris, regardless of gender or age.

(d)   Harborer - means any person who allows or permits any dog to habitually remain or to be lodged or fed within or upon the premises of such person for a period of more than three days.

(e)   Own- Shall mean and include own, keep, harbor, shelter, manage, possess, or have a part interest in any dog. If a minor owns a dog subject to the provisions of this article, the head of household of which such minor is a member shall be deemed to own the dog for the purposes of this article.

(f)   Owner - Shall mean the one who owns, his or her employee, agent, or other competent person into whose charge the actual owner has placed the dog.

(g)   Service Dog - Shall mean a dog which has been specially selected, trained and tested to perform a variety of tasks for persons with disabilities.

(h)   Tethering - Shall mean a rope, leash, chain, or the like, by which a dog is fastened or tied to a fixed object so as to limit its range of movement.

(Ord. 2802; Code 2019)

It shall be unlawful for the owner or harborer of any dog to permit such dog to run at large within the city at any time.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 6)

(a)   Every person owning, keeping or harboring any dog of the age six months or more of each year shall pay to the city a tax for each and every dog so owned, kept or harbored by such person, except for the following conditions and/or exemptions:

(1)   Owners of dogs aged less than six months are exempt from paying the tax so long as the dogs do not run at large. Any owner of a dog found to be running at large must pay the annual dog tax on said dog and receive a dog tag for said dog, regardless of the age of the dog.

(2)   In the event that any dog of six months old or older is brought in the city, or any dog attains the age of six months at any time during the calendar year, the tax shall be immediately due and payable by the owner, keeper or harborer thereof.

(3)   An owner, keeper or harborer who has properly attained a Kennel Dog License for the City of Anthony is exempt from paying the dog tax for any dog that is less than six months old, provided that the owner, keeper or harborer must immediately pay the dog tax once the dog reaches six months of age at any time during the calendar year.

(4)   Properly zoned pet shops and veterinarian clinics shall be exempt from paying the dog tax for any dogs that are owned, kept, or harbored at the legal places of business.

(b)   The annual tax shall be due the 1st week of January and shall be:

(1)   For each neutered male dog- $2.50 per year.

(2)   For each male dog unneutered- $5.00 per year.

(3)   For each spayed female dog- $2.50 per year.

(4)   For each female dog not spayed- $10.00 per year.

(Ord. 2681; Ord. 2802; Code 2019)

Every person owning or harboring a dog of the age of six months or older shall have said dog vaccinated against rabies every two years by a registered veterinarian and no license tag or plate shall be issued for any dog not so vaccinated.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 11)

(a)   The city clerk shall issue a receipt for all such taxes paid and shall issue a license tag or plate for each dog. Dog tags shall be numbered consecutively and shall show the year for which issued and the name of the city.

(b)   It shall be the duty of the person owning, keeping or harboring any dog to affix the tag to the collar of the dog in a manner so that the tag may be readily seen by police officers of the city. It shall be the further duty of such person to see that the collar and tag are constantly worn by such dog.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 2)

The receipt issued by the city clerk at the time of paying the tax shall show the name of the person paying the tax, the number of dogs of each sex for which a tax is paid and the number of tags given. The clerk shall keep suitable record to show the information contained in the aforesaid receipts and description of dogs taxed. The money so received shall be paid to the city treasurer and credited to the general operating fund of the city.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 3)

Before the city clerk shall issue a receipt for the payment of any taxes in the case of spayed female dogs, he or she may require evidence of such fact by the certificate of a licensed veterinarian or by a statement verified by affidavit. Such evidence may be kept on permanent file in the office of the city clerk for successive years.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 4)

Each year on or before the 1st day of December, it shall be the duty of the city clerk to publish a notice of the requirements of this article in the official city paper. Such notice may be published one or more times and shall notify owners or harborers of dogs in the city that the annual dog tax will be due and payable on or before the first business day of January. Such other information as is pertinent may be included in said notice.

(Ord. 2681; Code 2007)

It shall be the duty of the police officers of the city or person appointed by the city, to take up, impound and provide food and water for dogs which may be found in said city, not provided with and wearing the license tag required by this article, or if at any time found running at large in said city contrary to this article. Whenever an impounded dog is wearing a tag or plate, the officer so impounding shall immediately notify the person to whom the number was issued by the city clerk.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 7)

(a)   any person desiring to redeem an impounded dog found to have been a dog at large may do so upon payment of a fee of $25.00 for the first offense; $50.00 for the second offense in a twelve (12) month period; and $75.00 for the 3rd offense in a 12-month period, plus all applicable court costs. If any dog is impounded because of nonpayment of the current year’s tax and the owner, harborer or keeper produces a receipt showing payment of such tax, the city shall ·issue a duplicate dog tag (in the event the original has been lost or destroyed) making his or her records accordingly to show such issuance upon payment of the impounding fee.

(b)   In all cases, any person redeeming an impounded dog shall pay to the city or its agents a fee of $10.00 for pickup and a fee of $7.00 for each day, or portion thereof, such dog is impounded to defray the cost of maintenance, and all applicable court costs.

(c)   Any dog being redeemed must have a current city dog tag and be current on its vaccinations at its owner’s expense before being released.

(d)   All fees shall be paid into the general operating fund of the city subject to further order of the city commission.

(Ord. 2675; Ord. 2802; Code 2019)

Any dog remaining within the dog pound for a period of three business days and not redeemed shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

(a)   Any fees for euthanasia of dogs shall be paid by the owner.

(Ord. 2675; Code 2007)

(a)   It shall be the duty of every owner or harborer of any dog in this city, that is dangerous or has been known to bite, chase or run after any person or animal on the streets, alleys, or any public or private place in said city, to keep the same muzzled with a good and sufficient wire or leather muzzle, securely fastened so as to wholly prevent such dog from biting any person. This section shall not be construed to permit any dog to run at large contrary to this article.

(b)   Fines for a Dangerous Dog shall be not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for the first offense; 2nd offense not less than $250.00 or more than $1,000.00 and the dog must be removed from the city limits or destroyed.

(Ord. 2566, Sec. 10; Ord. 2802; Code 2019)

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep within the city any dog which by loud, frequent or habitual barking, howling or yelping shall annoy or disturb any person or neighborhood within the city.

(Code 1982)

(a)   Keeping Prohibited. It shall be unlawful to keep, harbor, own or in any way possess within corporate limits of the city, any pit bull dog.

(b)   Pit Bull Dog defined.

(1)   The bull terrier breed of dog; Staffordshire bull terrier breed of dog; the American pit bull terrier breed of dog; the American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog.

(2)   Dogs of mixed breed or of other breeds other than above listed which breed or mixed breed is known as pit bulls, pit bull dogs, or pit bull terriers.

(3)   Any dog which has the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly of the breeds of bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier; any other breed commonly known as pit bull dogs or pit bull terriers; or a combination of any of these breeds.

(c)   Violations and Penalties. Any person violating or permitting the violation of the terms of this section shall upon conviction be fined a sum not less than $50 nor more than $200 or imprisoned for any period not more than 30 days or shall be both so fined and imprisoned. The dog shall be removed from the city. Should the defendant refuse to remove the dog from the city the municipal court judge shall find the defendant owner in contempt and order the immediate confiscation and impoundment of the animal. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during on or which a violation occurs or continues. In addition to the foregoing penalties, any person who violates this section shall pay all expenses, including shelter, food, handling and veterinary care necessitated by the enforcement of this section.

(Ord. 2621, Sec. 1)

(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to tether, chain, lariat, tie, restrain, or use any other type of tethering device on a dog without the proper use of a collar, harness, or other device designed for a that purpose and made from a material that prevents injury to the dog.

(b)   No person shall be permitted to continuously tether a dog for more than one continuous hour, except that the tethering of the same dog may resume after a hiatus of three continuous hours; provided that for the purposes of tethering a dog, a chain, leash, rope, or other tethering device shall be at least ten (10) feet in length, and not be at a weight as to inhibit the free movement of the animal within the tethering area.

(c)   No person shall tether a dog in such a manner as to cause injury, strangulation, or entanglement of the dog on fences, trees, poles, or other man-made or natural obstacles.

(Ord. 2802; Code 2019)