§ 5-55. Prohibitions against cruelty.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    No person shall overdrive, overload, drive when overloaded, overwork, torture, cruelly beat, mutilate or needlessly kill, or carry or transport in any vehicle or other conveyance in a cruel and inhumane manner, any animal; or allow, suffer or permit any animal to remain in its own filth; or keep, shelter or harbor any injured animal without having sought and obtained proper treatment for such injury; or cause any of these acts to be done.

    (b)

    No person shall fail to provide any animal in such persons charge or custody with necessary sustenance, palatable water and an adequate structure for shelter or cause any of these acts to be done.

    (c)

    No person shall abandon any animal, or cause such act to be done.

    (d)

    No person shall maintain any place where fowl or any animals are suffered to fight upon exhibition, or for sport upon any wager.

    (e)

    No person shall poison any domestic animal or distribute poison in any manner whatsoever with the intent or for the purpose of poisoning a domestic animal.

    (f)

    No person shall keep or harbor any animal having tick or flea infestation or any other obvious illness, or heartworm or any other communicable illness transmittable to animal or human, without having sought and obtained appropriate medical treatment.

    (g)

    Any person who, as the operator of a motor vehicle, strikes a domestic animal shall stop at once and render such assistance as may be possible; any person injuring any domestic animal in any other way or means shall stop at once and render such assistance as maybe possible; and [such person] shall immediately report such injury or death to the animal's owner. In the event the owner cannot be ascertained and located, such person shall at once report the accident to the appropriate law enforcement agency or to the animal services officer of the city.

    (h)

    No person shall keep an animal in a motor vehicle or other enclosed space in which the animal's health or life is endangered by high temperature, low temperature, or inadequate ventilation.

    (1)

    A public safety official or animal services officer may, after attempting to locate the animal's owner, remove the animal from a vehicle or enclosed space using any reasonable means, including breaking a window or lock. If professional services are required to remove the animal, the owner is responsible for the cost.

    (2)

    A public safety officer or animal services officer who removes an animal from a vehicle or enclosed space in accordance with this section is not liable for any resulting property damage.

    (i)

    A person may not transport an animal in a motor vehicle on a public roadway unless:

    (1)

    The animal is safely enclosed within the vehicle; or

    (2)

    If the animal is transported in an unenclosed vehicle, including a convertible, pick-up truck, flatbed truck, or motorcycle, the animal shall be confined in a secure and appropriately sized container or confined in a manner that prevents the animal from falling or jumping from the vehicle or otherwise being injured.

(Ord. No. 9729-2014, § 1, 6-17-14)