CHAPTER II. ANIMAL CONTROL AND REGULATIONCHAPTER II. ANIMAL CONTROL AND REGULATION\ARTICLE 2. DOGS AND CATS

(a)   Every owner of any dog or cat, which animal is over six months of age, shall register each dog or cat so owned with the City Clerk, including the name, sex and description of the animal.

(b)   Upon registration, the owner shall present a current completed certificate of immunization of rabies from a licensed veterinarian. No registration shall follow without evidence of this document.

(c)   If the dog or cat has been neutered or spayed, the owner shall, at the time of applying for a license, present to the City Clerk a certificate from a licensed veterinarian showing that the dog or cat has been neutered or spayed.

(d)   The City Clerk shall collect an annual license fee per household as follows:

(1)   $2.00 for the first spayed or neutered dog or cat,

(2)   $3.00 for the second spayed or neutered dog or cat,

(3)   $5.00 for the third spayed or neutered dog or cat,

(4)   $4.00 for the first non-spayed or non-neutered dog or cat

(5)   $6.00 for the second non-spayed or non-neutered dog or cat,

(6)   $10.00 for the third non-spayed or non-neutered dog or cat, and

(7)   $25.00 per animal for the fourth and subsequent dog or cat.

(e)   The license year shall be from January 1st through December 31st of each year. The fee shall be payable before February 1st of each year without penalty.

(f)   Every owner of a dog or cat who shall fail to register and license the same prior to the 1st day of February of each licensing year shall pay, in addition to the license fee hereinabove provided, a penalty fee for late registration of $1.00 for each calendar month or fraction thereof during which the same remains unpaid and delinquent.

(g)   An owner of any animal that has been found to be a “dangerous dog” in another jurisdiction must disclose that the dog has been found to be a “dangerous dog” at the time of registration. The requirements for the keeping of “dangerous dogs” as found in this chapter must be complied with within fifteen days of the “dangerous dog” first being present in the City of Stockton. Failure to disclose the “dangerous dog” finding shall be a violation of Article 4 of this Chapter and the owner shall be subject to the penalties therein.

(Code 1959, 2-202; Code 1984, Ord. 1584; Ord 1642)

It shall be the duty of the City Clerk or designated agent, upon receipt of the license fee hereinabove required, to keep a book suitable for the registration of dogs and cats. The registration book shall record the time of the registration, the name of the owner, the number of the registration and amount paid therefore. The City Clerk shall deliver to the owner a certificate in writing stating that the person has registered the dog or cat and the number by which the dog or cat is registered. The City Clerk shall also deliver to the owner a tag with the registration number and the licensed year thereon, which shall be attached to the animal’s collar. If any tag has become lost, the City Clerk shall, upon presentation of the certificate, issue a new tag upon payment of a $1.00 fee. It shall be unlawful for any person to take off or remove the city license tag from any dog or cat belonging to another, or remove the strap or collar on which the tag is fastened.

(Code 1959, 2-204; Code 1984, Ord. 1584)

The registration provision of the ordinance shall not apply to any dog or cat owned by any person visiting or temporarily remaining with the city for less than thirty (30) days. However, such dogs and cats shall be kept under restraint by the owner at all times.

(Code 1984, Ord. 1584)

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

(b)   Any dog or cat running at large within the city shall be impounded as set out in Section 2-206 (cats at the discretion of the enforcement officer).

(c)   The owner of any dog or cat impounded for running at large with or without the tag required by Section 2-202, shall pay a fine of $15.00 plus the board bill; for the second offense a fine of $25.00 plus the board bill; for the third and subsequent offense a fine of $35.00 plus the board bill.

(d)   The board bill for any dog or cat impounded shall be based on the Central Veterinary Services Impound Agreement boarding fees and will be assessed and paid to Central Veterinary Services. See Appendix B.

(e)   No impounded dog or cat shall be released until all current unpaid fees, per Section 2-201 are paid.

(Ord. 1215; Code 1984, Ord. 1584; Code 2015)

(a)   Every dog or cat which shall trespass upon or do injury to either public or private property of any person, other than the owner, is declared to be a nuisance and subject to the provisions of this article. See 2-112 for full definition.

(b)   Any dog or cat that has annoyed any person on a public street or sidewalk, and any dog or cat that frequently or habitually barks, howls, yelps or squalls in such matter as to disturb any person or neighborhood are hereby declared a nuisance and subject to the provisions of this article.

(c)   Any dog or cat that bites a person will be subject to Kansas State rabies confinement laws, with the exception of any dog or cat that is current on rabies vaccination and has proof from a licensed veterinarian, may be under rabies confinement at the owner’s residence. This determination is made by the enforcement officer or designated representative. The confined animal must be leashed outdoors and supervised or confined indoors for the full ten (10) day rabies observation. Periodic inspections will ensure the animal is correctly confined. At the end of the rabies observation period, if the animal is not showing any signs of rabies, it will be released by the enforcement officer or designated representative. Any behavior or physical change during the rabies observation period will result in immediate quarantine at a licensed veterinarian medical facility.

(Ord. 1215; Code 1984, Ord. 1584; Code 2015)

(a)   Any dog or cat found in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to impoundment by the city. See Impound Agreement between City of Stockton and Central Veterinary Services in Appendix B.

(b)   If the dog or cat impounded has a current registration tag attached to its collar, the owner of such dog or cat, as shown by the records of the City Clerk, shall be notified as soon as possible. If, at the end of three (3) days the City has been unable to locate the owner, or the owner upon having been located, refuses to claim or redeem said dog or cat, then the animal may be sold, euthanized or otherwise disposed of.

(c)   If the dog or cat impounded has no current registration tag, it shall be kept for at least three (3) days. If within the three days the owner does not appear to claim the dog or cat it may be sold or euthanized.

(d)   If within the impounding period, the owner of an impounded dog or cat does appear and redeem the dog or cat, it shall be turned over to the person claiming it upon payment of the actual costs of the impoundment, and upon compliance with the registration provisions of this article.

(Ord. 1215; Code 1984, Ord. 1584; Code 2015)

Any unspayed female dog in the stage of estrus (heat) shall be confined during such period of time in a house, building or secure enclosure, and the area of enclosure shall be so constructed that no other dog or dogs may gain voluntary access to the confined animal except for purposes of planned breeding. Any animal that is in the state of estrus (heat) and that is not properly confined, or any such animal that is creating a neighborhood nuisances, shall be removed to a boarding kennel, to a veterinary hospital or to the animal shelter. All expenses incurred as a result of the confinement shall be paid by the owner. The owner of animals removed to the animal shelter shall be charged at the rate established from time to time by the animal shelter for routine confinement. Failure to comply with the order of the animal control officer shall be a violation of this article, and the animal will then be impounded as provided in section 2-206.

(Ord. 1215; Code 1984, Ord. 1584)

The owner of any dog or cat that interferes with a city employee engaged in reading meters or otherwise performing city duties shall restrain such dog or cat, after receiving notice of the interference.

(Ord. 1215; Code 1984, Ord. 1584)

Abandonment of a dog or cat is a Class C violation punishable under Section 12.2 of the Uniform Public Offense Code for Kansas Cities as adopted by the City of Stockton.

(Ord. 1215, Code 1984, Ord. 1584)