Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

A. Vicious Animals. Any animal declared by the director to be vicious pursuant to the definition in this title may be kept, harbored or maintained in the city only upon compliance with those requirements prescribed by the director. In prescribing those requirements, the director must take into consideration the following factors:

1. The breed of the animal and its characteristics;

2. The physical size of the animal;

3. The number of animals in the owner’s home;

4. The zoning involved; size of the lot where the animal resides; the number and proximity of neighbors;

5. The existing control factors, including but not limited to fencing, caging, runs and staking locations;

6. The nature of the behavior giving rise to the director’s determination that the animal is vicious:

a. Extent of injury(ies),

b. Circumstances, e.g., time of day, on/off property, provocation instinct,

c. Circumstances surrounding the result and complaint, e.g., neighborhood disputes, identification, credibility of complainants, and witnesses.

B. Requirements. Requirements which may be prescribed include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Erection of additional or new fencing adequate to keep the animal within the confines of its property;

2. Construction of a run within which the animal is to be kept. Dimensions of the run will be consistent with the size of the animal;

3. Keeping the animal on a leash adequate to control the animal, the length and location to be determined by the director. When unattended the leash must be securely fastened to a secure object;

4. Maintenance of the animal indoors at all times, except when personally controlled on a leash adequate to control the animal by the owner or a competent person at least 15 years of age;

5. Removal of the animal from the city within 48 hours from receipt of such notice.

C. Penalty. Failure to comply with any requirement prescribed by the director pursuant to this section constitutes a misdemeanor and the penalty contained in BMC 1.24.010 shall apply. Such animal shall not be kept in the city 48 hours after receiving written notice from the director. Such animal or animals found in violation of this section will be impounded and disposed of as an unredeemed animal, and the owner or keeper of such animal(s) has no right to redeem such animal or animals. (Ord. 1279 § 17, 1987).