§ 5-19. Number of dogs and/or cats; permits required for more than four dogs and/or cats.

It shall be hereafter unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or household to own, keep, or harbor more than four (4) dogs and/or cats over the age of six (6) months within the corporate limits of the city. This provision shall not apply to proprietors of animal hospitals, and veterinarians when such animals are kept upon premised used by such businesses. This provision also shall not apply to owners of dogs and/or cats who are animal breeders or kennel operators, who hold a license from the city of breeding or kennel operation.

Keeping on the premises more than four (4) dogs and/or cats over the age of six (6) months shall be a prima facie evidence of violation of this section. Any person found not to be in compliance with this section shall, at the discretion of animal services, have a period of not less than ten (10) days nor more than ninety (90) days to reduce the number through legal channels.

Any person desiring to keep more than four (4) dogs and/or cats at the same address or on the same premises shall file an application with animal services for permission. If after immediate investigation of the premises by animal services, it appears that the keeping of said animals, as set out in the application, and the manner of keeping the same shall not be offensive, nor a public nuisance, nor unsanitary, they may issue a permit therefore and specify therein the condition and manner in which said animals may be kept upon the location set out in the application. The permit shall be renewed each subsequent year on or before the anniversary date.

If at any time animal services shall find that any person to whom a permit has been issued for the keeping of more than four (4) dogs and/or cats on the same premises is keeping the same in a manner that is:

(1)

Offensive;

(2)

Unsanitary;

(3)

Detrimental to the health of the people in the neighborhood;

(4)

Detrimental to the health of the animals or neighboring animals;

(5)

A public nuisance;

(6)

In violation of applicable ordinances (running at large, failure to license, etc.); or

(7)

Not within the specifications set out within the issued permit animal services shall revoke the permit issued to the person. However, no such permit shall be revoked until ten (10) days notice has been given to the person holding such permit.

(Ord. No. L-54, 5-21-01)