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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 2530CRIGINA1.. ORDINANCE NO.&'? -5-3 0 37 77 d- AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, 3 7;' 3 RELATING TO THE LICENSING AND CONTROL OF DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS, PROVIDING FOR ANNUAL FEES, COLLECTION, DISPOSITION AND REDEMPTION OF SUCH ANIMALS, APPOINTING THE KING COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY AS CITY'S POUNDMASTER; DECLARING CERTAIN ACTS TO BE UNLAWFUL AND NUISANCES AND REPEALING ANY AND ALL OTHER ORDINANCES OR PARTS 0fik" ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I: REQUIRED AGE FOR LICENSING It shall be unlawful to own or keep a dog of more than four (4) months of age unless the owner or custodian thereof shall have a valid and subsisting license for each such dog. SECTION II: ANNUAL FEES The annual license fee, based on the calendar year for each dog over four (4) months of age shall be as follows: Each dog $ 2.00 per annum All applications for such licenses shall be made to the City Clerk of the City of Renton and the annual license fee paid on or before January 31 of each year. In the event the owner or custodian of any such dog fails to procure and fails to pay for such license fee before said date, or within thirty (30) days of acquiring the owner- ship or custody of any such dog, a late charge of $2.00 shall be added to the regular license fee. The City may require reasonable evidence to determine the date of acquisition or custody of any such dog to ascertain whether a late charge shall be imposed. The City Clerk is hereby authorized to permit the King County Humane Society, hereinafter referred to as the City's pound - master, and any duly licensed veterinarian practicing his profession within the City of Renton to sell and issue licenses; and the City Clerk may impose such additional regulations as may be reasonable to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance. SECTION TTh: APPLICATION; TAG: Said license shall be ob- tained by making application to the City Clerk, or as otherwise pro- vided for herein, upon forms approved and provided by the Clerk and upon payment of the required fee; thereupon the license tag, in such form as may be approved by the City Clerk, will be issued to the applicant and said tag shall be attached firmly and securely to the collar worn at all times by the dog so licensed. In the event such tag has been lost or stolen, then the owner or custodian of such dog shall make prompt application unto the City Clerk for a duplicate tag and such duplicate shall be issued by the City Clerk upon payment of the sum of fifty cents ($.50) therefor. SECTION IV: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS L BE CONTROLLING: "Owner" - "Owner" shall mean any person, firm or corpora- tion owning, having an interest in or right of possession to an animal, or any person, firm, or corporation having control, custody or possession of such animal. "Vicious" - "Vicious" shall mean the propensity to do any act that may endanger the health, safety or well being of any person or the safety of property of another, including but not limited to a disposition to mischief or fierceness as might occasionally lead to attack on human beings without provocation, whether in play, anger or outbreak of untrained nature. SECTION V: The provisions relating to the licensing of dogs shall not apply to such animals in the temporary custody of a veterinarian or whose owners are bona fide non-residents temporarily residing or visiting within King County. SECTION VI: DOGS AT LARGE; REQUIREMENT OF LEASH OR CHAIN It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian to cause, permit or allow any dog owned, harbored, controlled or kept by him in -2- n the City to roam, run, or stray away from the premises where the same is owned, harbored, controlled or kept, except that while away from said premises such dog, shall at all times, be controlled by means of a leash or chain not exceeding eight feet (81) in length, by the owner or some duly authorized and competent person, or is at heel of such owner or custodian, such control to be exercised by such owner or custodian or other competent authorized person. "At heel" shall mean that the dog shall be immediately at the owner's or cus- todian's heel; provided, however, that such leash or chain is not required for any dog when otherwise safely and securely confined or completely controlled while in or upon any vehicle. Furthermore, this Section shall not apply to dogs which are in special areas de- signated by the City as dog training areas and as long as the regu- lations of the City, or its authorized representative, with respect to the use of such areas are complied with and said dogs are under the custody and control of a competent trainer. It shall further be unlawful for any owner or custodian: 1. To suffer or permit any animal, reptile or fowl to trespass upon private or public property so as to damage, disturb, injure, destroy or soil any property or thing of value: 2. To permit a dog to run at large within the City of Renton at any time without a license as provided for hereinabove: 3. To permit any animal, whether licensed or not, to run at large in any park, or to enter any public beach, pond, fountain or stream therein, or upon any public play- ground or school ground; provided, however, that this Section shall not prohibit a person from walking or exercising a dog in a public park or any public beach when such dog is on a leash or otherwise under the immediate -3- 8 control of its owner or custodian and proper safe- guards are taken to protect the public and property from injury or damage from said dog. 4. To permit any animal to enter any place where food is stored, prepared, served or sold to the public or any other public building or hall; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that this section shall not apply to blind person using a trained seeing -eye dog, or to veterinary offices or hospitals, or to animal shows or exhibi- tions whereat least 24-hour advanced notice has been given to the agency designated herein to en- force the provisions of this Ordinance. S. To permit any female dog, whether licensed or not, to run at large while in heat. 6. To permit any dog to chase, run after, or jump at vehicles using the public streets and alleys. 7. To keep or harbor any dog, cat or other animal or fowl whether licensed or not, which by habitual howling, yelping, barking or other noise disturbs or annoys any person in the neighborhood or to keep any domestic bird or animal that emits frequent or long, continued noise so as to disturb the peace, quietness and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants. 8. To keep, harbor or maintain any vicious dog or dog with vicious propensities in a manner which may or does endanger the safety, health and well-being of persons or the safety of property being or located off the owner's or custodian's premises or lawfully on said premises. 9. To allow avicious dog or dog with vicious propen- sities to run at large at any time, or allow such dog -4- off the owner's or.ciustodian's premises unless se- curely leashed and in the control of a person of suitable age and discretion to control and/or restrain such dog at all times. Any dog doing or performing any of the acts prohibited in Section VI herein is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and such animal may be seized and impounded by the King County Humane Society, as the city's poundmaster, or its duly designated representative. SECTION VII: IMPOUNDING" PROCEDURE The city's poundmaster,as herein designated, authorized to enforce the animal control laws provided by this Ordinance may impound any animals determined by such poundmaster to be doing or performing any of the acts prohibited by Section VI herein and thereby constituting a public nuisance as provided by Section VI of this Ordinance. After such animal is impounded, the poundmaster shall ascertain whether such animal is licensed, and if so, shall within a reasonable time notify by letter or telephone the person to whom the license has been issued that such animal has been im- pounded and may be redeemed as herein provided for. Any animal so impounded pursuant to this ordinance shall be held for the owner or lawful custodian up to a maximum period of seventy=two hours (72) by the impounding agency. In the event, however, any such animal is not timely redeemed, it shall be humanely destroyed or otherwise disposed of by the impounding agency, provided however, that none of said animal so impounded shall be used for any experimental pur- poses. SECTION VIII: FINES; IMPOUNDING The owner or custodian of any such animal impounded under the provisions and terms of Section VI, unless otherwise provided for herein, shall pay to the King County Humane Society the following fees, which shall then be promptly remitted unto the City Treasurer -5- of the City of Renton by such poundmaster, and which fees shall be in addition to all other charges payable under the provisions of this Ordinance, to wit: First offense Second offense Third offense Fourth offense $ 5.00 minimum 10.00 minimum 25.00 minimum 50.00 minimum The city's poundmaster shall keep an adequate record of all animals so impounded together with a description of such animal, the date of impounding and the name and address, if known, of the owner or custodian of such animal, together with the date of redemption, if any. The city shall likewise furnish unto the King County Humane Society, as the city's poundmaster, proper receipt books, including triplicate forms, for the collection of all fines and fees due and collected under this section and same shall be remitted, at least monthly, unto the City Treasurer, together with a complete set of copies of all such receipts. The King County Humane Society, as the city's poundmaster, is hereby authorized and directed to issue an appropriate citation for any violation of any terms and conditions of this Ordinance. SECTION IX: REDEMPTION PROCEDURE: FEES Any animal impounded pursuant to the provisions of this Ordinance may be redeemed, as hereinabove provided for, upon payment of a redemption fee as follows: Redemption Fee: 1st violation $ 3.00 2nd violation 6.00 3rd violation 12.00 4th violation 25.00 together with a fee in each instance, of $2.00 per day for boarding such animal until the day same is redeemed. In the event any such animal is suffering from any serious injury or disease, then an ad- ditional fee shall be imposed by the poundmaster to cover special services rendered to such animal prior to redemption. All of the fees provided for in this section shall be re- tained by the King County Humane Society. SECTION X:' HARBORING VICIOUS DOG MISDEMEANOR Any dog causing its owner or custodian to be convicted once of a violation of Section VI (sub -sections 8 8 9) is hereby declared to be a vicious dog and a public nuisance, which shall be abated, unless at the trial of the owner or custodian which results in a first conviction for violation of the terms of this Ordinance an affirmative finding is entered of record by the Court having juris- diction thereover determining that the owner will be able to provide reasonable restraints to protect the public and property against any further violation. Any dog causing its owner to be twice convicted of a violation of said Section VI (sub -sections 8 8 9) shall be abated forthwith either by the city's poundmaster or the owner him- self as provided for in the immediately succeeding section. SECTION 'XI': ABATEMENT PROCEDURE Any vicious dog constituting a public nuisance as provided for in the immediately preceding section shall be abated and removed from the County by the owner or by the King County Humane Society, or its duly designated representative. Upon receipt of certified copies of the judgment and sentence showing two convictions of an owner for violation of Section VI, (sub -sections 8 8 9), or:where it appears that the owner has been convicted once.for":a violation of Section VI, (sub -sections 8 8 9) and no finding was entered by the Court showing that the owner will be able to provide reasonable restraints to protect the public or property, then the city's pound - master or the designated representative authorized to enforce the provision of this Ordinance shall notify and direct the owner of said dog to abate or remove the same from the county within Ninety Six Hogrs (96) from the date of such written notice. If, however, -7- n such dog is found to be within the boundaries of King County after such 96 -hour period has elapsed from the date of the notice, then the same shall be'immediately abated and removed by the city's pound - master or its designated representative. Dogs so removed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be removed from King County or,alternately, be humanely destroyed by the city's poundmaster without further notice. It shall be unlawful for any person to harbor, keep or maintain a dog deemed to be a vicious dog and public nuisance as provided herein or to interfere with, impede or obstruct the city's poundmaster in abating said nuisance. SECTION XII: POUNDMA"BIER DUTIES The city council hereby designates and employs the King County Humane Society, or such other agency or person as the city council may hereafter designate and employ to enforce the terms and provisions of this ordinance unless expressly otherwise directed or specified. The duties of the poundmaster shall include, among others, the picking up and impounding of all dogs and other animals found to be in violation of any terms or provisions of this ordinance. The poundmaster shall also collect and dispose of dead animals found in the City and if the owner is known, a fee of $2.50 shall be charged and collected from such owner or custodian for said pickup service. All sick or injured animals shall be impounded when not in the owner's or custodian's possession and may be humanely des- troyed at the discretion of the poundmaster unless redeemed by the owner or custodian as set forth herein. Any stray animals found may be detained at the pound until the owner or custodian, upon proper identification of rightful claim to said animal, timely redeems such animal subject to payment of all fees and costs as herein provided. SECTION XIIIDESTROYING OR SELLING OF IMPOUNDED DOGS: RECORD: Any animal impounded for want of a license tag and not redeemed as herein provided, shall be humanely destroyed, or in the discretion of the poundmaster, may be held for a longer period and any person, upon approval of the poundmaster, may obtain such animal upon payment of the license fee and all other accrued charges and fees as provided for by this ordinance. The poundmaster shall keep a record of all animals handled under this ordinance, with des- cription, dates and charges imposed. Any impounded animal, other than a dog or cat, not claimed and released upon required payment, shall at the expiration of at least three (3) days be sold publicly by the poundmaster, but prior to any such disposition or sale, a copy of such notice shall be served upon the owner or custodian, if known to the poundmaster, and such service bf notice to be had at least one (1) day prior to such sale or disposition. SECTION xiv.: SUBMISSION OF SUSPECTED RABID ANIMALS TO AUTHORITIES: GROUNDS' ' T AND IFI5UNDMENT FEE It shall be unlawful for the owner or custodian of any animal known to have bitten or scratched any person or persons, or other animal or animals, to harbor or keep such dog without per- mitting an examination or inspection of such dog by the poundmaster or any other duly constituted authority having jurisdiction thereover. If after such inspection or examination, good cause appears that such animal is suffering or has been exposed to rabies, such animal shall be quarantined from other animals for a ten-day period from such de- termination of possible exposure. The animal may be quarantined by the owner,upon proof of an ability to prevent contact with other animals, or by the enforcing agency in case the owner is unable to provide effective quarantine. Any animal quarantined under this Section may be released from quarantine at the expiration of ten days or prior thereto, or upon the determination of the King County Health Department vet- erinarian that it is free from such disease. No animal impounded under the provision of this Section by the enforcing agency shall be released except upon payment to the impounding authority of a maintenance charge of $2.00 for each day of such confinement. SECTION XV : ' CRUELTY T'O' ANIMALS' AND FAILURE TO AID INJURED ANIMAL 'UNLAWFUL— It NL WF L It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or cruely injure or kill any animal by any mode or means causing it un- necessary fright or pain; it shall further be unlawful for any person, by neglect or otherwise, to cause or allow any animal to endure pain, suffering or injury, or to fail or neglect to aid or attempt allevia- tion of any pain, suffering or injury so caused to any animal by such person or persons. SECTION XVI: VIOLATION' MISDEMEANOR Any person, firm or corporation violating any terms or provisions of this ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $100.00 or be imprisoned for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days or both. SECTION'XVLI: SEVERABILITY If any section, sub -section, clause or phrase of this ordinance be for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of any remaining portions of this ordinance. SECTION XVIII:: ' REPEAL - Existing Chapter 16 of Title V (Business Regulations) of Ordinance No. 1628 entitled "Code of General Ordinances of the City of Renton" be and the same is hereby repealed. SECTION 'XIX- : This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and legal publication. _Z4 - PASSED PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this day of December, 1969. Z -1i Helmie Nelson, City Clerk APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this, , day of December, 1969. .-4-v-- Approved as to form: A e'ry arr t, ayor Gerard M. Shellan, City Attorney -10- as ; DA1E F � r 3