Chapter 6.08
DOGS
Sections:
6.08.010 License required.
6.08.020 License fees.
6.08.030 License tags.
6.08.040 Issuance of license tags.
6.08.050 Wearing of license tags.
6.08.060 Dogs at large.
6.08.070 Removal of dog defecation.
6.08.080 Impounding unlicensed dogs–Disposition.
6.08.090 Vaccination of dogs required.
6.08.100 Revaccination of dogs required.
6.08.110 Vaccination certificate–Issuance.
6.08.120 Vaccination certificate prerequisite to issuance of dog license.
6.08.130 Impounded unlicensed dogs.
6.08.140 Duties of chief of police as poundmaster.
6.08.150 Violation–Misdemeanor.
6.08.010 License required.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to have, keep, maintain, or harbor within the city any dog over the age of four months without first having obtained from the city an annual license to do so. (Prior code § 5-1.201)
6.08.020 License fees.
The license fees for owning and harboring dogs in the city, and the license fees for conducting, managing, or maintaining dog kennels in the city, shall be established by resolution of the council. (Prior code § 5-1.202)
6.08.030 License tags.
Each year, Administrative Services, at the expense of the city, shall procure a sufficient number of suitable metallic tags to meet the requirements of this chapter, numbered from one upward consecutively, on which tags shall be stamped the year of their issue, and Administrative Services shall issue such tags to the pound master in consecutive order as may be required, keeping an account thereof. A fee shall be established City Council resolution for the issuance of a duplicate license tag and such sum shall be included in the basis for computing the percentage of any contractor in the event a contract is awarded upon such basis, unless otherwise specified in such contract.
(Ord. 1629, § 6, 2003; Prior code § 5-1.203)
6.08.040 Issuance of license tags.
The poundmaster, or chief of police in the event no person is acting as poundmaster by appointment or contract, is declared the city dog license collector. The poundmaster, upon the payment of a license tax by any owner or person having the control or charge of any dog within the city, shall deliver to such person an appropriate tag for which the license has been paid and shall also deliver to such person a receipt signed by the poundmaster for such sum of money as shall have been paid as license taxes. (Prior code § 5-1.204)
6.08.050 Wearing of license tags.
The owner or person having the care, custody, or control of any dog upon which the license tax shall have been paid shall securely fasten such tag upon a suitable collar and securely fasten such collar upon such dog with such tag attached thereto. A dog harness or other device may be substituted in lieu of the collar if so desired. (Prior code § 5-1.205)
6.08.060 Dogs at large.
It is unlawful for any person owning or having the care, custody, or control of any dog to permit such dog to go at large at any time within the city unless such dog shall be on a leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in the charge, care, custody, or control of a competent person and the dog shall have attached thereto a current license tag. (Prior code § 5-1.206)
6.08.070 Removal of dog defecation.
A. It is unlawful for the owner or person having the custody of any dog to fail to immediately remove and dispose of in a sanitary manner, by placing in a closed or sealed container and depositing in a trash receptacle, any feces deposited by such dog upon public or private property not owned or controlled by the owner or person having the custody of such dog.
B. Any person who has the charge or control of any dog in a location other than on property owned or controlled by such person, or on the property of the owner of the dog, shall have in his or her possession a suitable wrapper, bag, or container for the purpose of complying with the requirements of this section. The failure of any person to carry such a wrapper, bag, or container when in charge or control of any dog in a location other than on property owned or controlled by such person, or on the property of the owner of the dog, shall constitute a violation of this section. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a blind person being accompanied by a guide dog.
C. Violations of this section shall be punishable as infractions. (Prior code § 5-1.206.1)
6.08.080 Impounding unlicensed dogs–Disposition.
Whenever any person owning, harboring, or having the care or custody of any dog shall fail to pay the license tax provided and specified in this chapter for such dog, the poundmaster shall cause such dog to be seized and kept in the public pound for the period and in the manner and upon the conditions and requirements specified in Chapter 6.04. In the event the dog shall not be sold or redeemed as set forth in said Chapter 6.04, the poundmaster shall make disposition thereof in the manner set forth in said Chapter 6.04. (Prior code § 5-1.207)
6.08.090 Vaccination of dogs required.
Every person keeping, harboring, or having a dog over the age of four months in the city shall cause such dog to be vaccinated with rabies vaccine; provided, however, that the aforesaid provision shall not apply so as to require the vaccination of any dog which has been vaccinated with an avianized or chick embryo vaccine by a person licensed by the state, or by any other state or nation, to practice veterinary medicine when such vaccination has been completed within the period of time prescribed in this section. If avianized or chick embryo vaccine was used in such vaccination, it shall have been completed within two years prior to the date such dog was kept, harbored or brought into the city. If tissue phenolized vaccine was used, such vaccination shall have been completed within one year prior to the date such dog was kept, harbored or brought into the city. (Prior code § 5-1.701)
6.08.100 Revaccination of dogs required.
A. Every person keeping, harboring or having a dog in the city, which dog has been vaccinated with avianized or chick embryo vaccine, shall cause such dog to be revaccinated with rabies vaccine within a period of not more than two years after such prior vaccination.
B. Every person keeping, harboring or having a dog in the city, which dog has been vaccinated with tissue phenolized vaccine, shall cause such dog to be revaccinated with rabies vaccine within a period of not more than one year after such prior vaccination. (Prior code § 5-1.702)
6.08.110 Vaccination certificate–Issuance.
Every person practicing veterinary medicine in the city, who vaccinates a dog with rabies vaccine, shall issue to the person keeping, harboring or having such dog a certificate signed by the veterinarian which states thereon the name and description of the dog, the date of such vaccination, and the type of vaccine used, and shall send a duplicate copy thereof to the South Bay Humane Society. (Prior code § 5-1.703)
6.08.120 Vaccination certificate prerequisite to issuance of dog license.
A. Exhibition of Certificate. Every person applying for a dog license either to the South Bay Humane Society or to the city clerk under the provisions of this title shall exhibit a certificate issued by a person licensed by the state, or any other state or nation, to practice veterinary medicine, which certificate shall show that the dog for which the license shall be issued either:
1. Has been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.08.090 and 6.08.100; or
2. Should not be vaccinated with rabies vaccine by reason of temporary illness, which illness shall be certified by an examining veterinarian, and when the illness ceases to exist, the dog owner shall immediately comply with the remaining provisions of this chapter.
Such certificate shall be to the satisfaction of the person issuing the license showing the certificate to be in effect at the time of the license application. A license for such dog shall not be issued until such certificate is so exhibited.
B. Vaccination Tag. At the time a dog license is issued there shall be stamped or written thereon the date of vaccination and the type of vaccine used as shown on the certificate, or if the license is issued as a result of a certificate of illness, the words “No Vaccination During Temporary Illness Only” shall be stamped or written thereon. At the time such dog license is issued, a metal tag bearing the same serial number as appears on the dog license and the name “City of Gardena” and expiration date of the license also shall be issued, and such metal tag shall be worn at all times by the dog for which the license is issued. (Prior code § 5-1.704)
6.08.130 Impounded unlicensed dogs.
A. Authority to Impound. The South Bay Humane Society shall capture and impound any dog found within the city, which dog is not wearing a metal tag evidencing a current license issued by the city or by any other municipality in the county or by the county.
B. Right of Entry. Any officer or employee of the South Bay Humane Society, any police officer of the city or of any other city in the county or state, or any health officer of the county shall have the right to enter upon any private or public property in the city in order to examine or capture any dog thereon or therein; provided, however, no such officer or employee shall have the right to enter a house which is in use as a residence without first having secured a search warrant therefor.
C. Conditions of Release. No dog so impounded shall be released to any person until there has been a performance of the following conditions:
1. There has been presented to the poundmaster a current license for such dog issued by the South Bay Humane Society or by the city clerk, or if the person keeping, harboring or having such a dog is not a resident of the city, such nonresident person has presented to the poundmaster a current license conforming to the requirements of this chapter for such dog issued by any other municipality in the county or by the county; and
2. When the person keeping, harboring or having such dog is a resident of the city, there has been paid to the poundmaster the license fee for a city dog license as provided by law; and
3. There has been paid to the poundmaster the impounding, collection and other fees as provided by law; and
4. There has been paid to the pound master a reasonable fee as established by City Council resolution for the vaccination of such dog; or there has been shown to the satisfaction of the pound master that such dog has been vaccinated with rabies vaccine within the time periods and according to the other requirements prescribed by Sections 6.08.090 and 6.08.100, or that a certificate of temporary illness has been issued for such dog as provided in Section 6.08.120; and (Ord. 1629, § 7, 2003)
5. The poundmaster has determined that such dog does not have and is not reasonably suspected of having rabies.
D. Vaccinations of Impounded Dogs. Within seventy-two hours after receipt of the vaccination fee, or as soon thereafter as possible, and except as provided in subsection E of this section, the poundmaster shall cause the dog for which the fee has been paid to be vaccinated with avianized or chick embryo vaccine by a person licensed by the state to practice veterinary medicine or shall secure from such veterinarian a certificate of temporary illness for such dog. After the dog has been vaccinated, or a certificate of temporary illness has been issued, and if all the conditions of subsection C of this section have been satisfied, the poundmaster shall release such dog to the person keeping, harboring, or having such dog or to the person making application for the release of such dog.
E. Detention of Dogs with Suspicion of Rabies. If the poundmaster suspects that any dog so impounded has rabies, he shall hold such dog for inspection by a health officer of the county. In the event such health officer shall determine that such dog is afflicted with rabies, it shall be disposed of or confined for such time as the health officer shall direct. In the event such health officer suspects such dog may develop rabies, it shall be confined for such time as the health officer shall direct. Whenever such health officer shall determine that such dog does not have rabies, it shall be released in accordance with the provisions of subsection C of this section. (Prior code § 5-1.705)
6.08.140 Duties of chief of police as poundmaster.
Until such time as the council shall appoint a poundmaster, either by appointment or contract, the chief of police shall act as poundmaster and shall discharge all of the duties of the poundmaster as he shall also do whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of poundmaster during the period of such vacancy. (Prior code § 5-1.208)
6.08.150 Violation–Misdemeanor.
Any person violating any of the provisions, regulations and/or requirements of this chapter, or disobeying any of the lawful commands, directions and/or orders of the poundmaster, or his authorized representative or deputy, given under any power or authority conveyed or conferred hereby, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Prior code § 5-1.209)