§ 42.2. REGISTRATION.

Any dog found to be vicious and dangerous either as a result of (1) the actions of the dog constituting vicious and dangerous behavior occurring in the presence of an animal control officer, or representative of the Department of Public Health or Police Department; and upon finding after hearing under Section 42.3; (2) a signed complaint or a verbal complaint with corroborating evidence by an animal control officer or representative of the Department of Public Health or Police Department; and (3) upon a finding after hearing under Section 42.3, shall be registered with the Department of Animal Care and Control.

All such dogs shall be registered within 10 days of the effective date of the finding. The Department of Animal Care and Control shall establish a registration fee of $250.

Furthermore, the keeping of a registered dog shall be subject to the following conditions:

(a) Permanently Affixed Identification Number. The owner, guardian, or keeper shall have the licensing number assigned to such dog, or such other identification number as the City shall determine, permanently affixed to the dog by a licensed veterinarian or other Department authorized agency/individual on the dog's upper inner lip, inner thigh or elsewhere as directed by the Department of Animal Care and Control. For the purposes of this section "permanently affixed" shall be defined as any permanent numbering of a dog by means of indelible or permanent ink or by microchip with the number designated by the Department of Animal Care and Control, or any other permanent method of affixing the identification number acceptable to the Department of Animal Care and Control.

(b) Display of Sign. The owner, guardian or keeper shall display a sign on his or her premises warning that there is a vicious and dangerous dog on the premises. Said sign shall be visible and capable of being read from the fronting street or public highway.

(c) Confinement Indoors. No registered dog may be kept on a porch, patio or in any part of a house or structure that would allow the dog to exit such building on its own volition except to a secured enclosure. In addition, no such dog may be kept in a house or structure when the windows are open or when screen windows or screen doors are the only obstacle preventing the dog from exiting the structure.

(d) Confinement Outdoors. When outside, all registered dogs shall be confined in a secure enclosure, except when necessary to obtain veterinary care or to comply with commands or directions of a City official. All such enclosures must be adequately lighted and ventilated and kept in clean, sanitary, and humane conditions.

Whenever necessity requires a registered dog to be outside of the enclosure, the dog shall be securely muzzled and restrained with a chain having a minimum tensile strength of 300 pounds and not exceeding three feet in length, with handgrip, and shall be under the direct control and supervision of the owner, guardian or keeper of the dog.

(e) Reserved.

(f) Identification Photographs. All owners, guardians, keepers or harborers of a registered dog must, within 10 days of the effective date of this ordinance, provide to the Director of the Department of Animal Care and Control or his/her designee, two color photographs of the registered animal clearly showing the color and approximate size of the animal.

(g) Reporting Requirements. All owners, guardians, keepers or harborers of a registered dog must, within 10 days of the incident, report the following information in writing to the Director of the Department of Animal Care and Control or his/her designee:

(1) The removal from the City or death of a registered dog;

(2) The new address of a registered dog owner or guardian should the owner or guardian move within City limits.

(h) Sale or Transfer of Ownership Prohibited. No person shall sell, barter or in any other way dispose of a dog registered with the City to any person within the City; provided that the owner or guardian of a registered dog may sell or otherwise dispose of a registered dog or the offspring of such dog to persons who neither reside within the City nor intend to train, keep, harbor, own, or in any way possess such animal in the City providing written approval of such sale or transfer by an authorized officer or employee of the city or county where the dog is intended to be kept.

(i) Violation of Registration Requirements. It shall be unlawful for the owner, guardian, keeper or harborer of a dog registered with the City to fail to comply with the requirements and conditions set forth in this ordinance regarding registration. Any dog found to be the subject of a violation of these registration requirements shall be subject to seizure and impoundment. In addition, failure to comply will be cause for the revocation of the license of such animal resulting in the immediate removal of the animal from the City.

(Added by Ord. 408-87, App. 10/9/87; amended by Ord. 5-03, File No. 021645, App. 1/24/2003; Ord. 267-05, File No. 051606, App. 11/22/2005)