§ 18-49. Animal care generally.

(a)

No owner, possessor or person having the charge or custody of any animal shall fail to provide sufficient wholesome food; clean, fresh water; proper shelter and protection from the weather; veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering; and humane treatment. An owner, possessor or person having the charge or custody of any animal shall at all times maintain a clean shelter and living area, free of accumulated waste and debris so that the animal shall be free to walk or lie down without coming in contact with any waste or debris.

(b)

Proper shelter includes a structure appropriately sized for the animal to stand or lie in a normal manner. The structure must adequately protect animal from harsh weather; at a minimum, it shall have a roof, four sides, and an opening for ingress and egress.

(c)

It shall be unlawful for a responsible party to tether to an animal while outdoors, except when all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

The animal must be over the age of six months.

(2)

The animal is in visual range of the responsible party.

(3)

The animal is not tethered more than two hours in any continuous 12-hour period.

(4)

The tether is connected to the animal with a buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather not less than one inch in width and is one inch greater in diameter than the animal's neck or torso.

(5)

The tether has the following properties:

a.

A minimum 12-foot length.

b.

A swivel-type termination at both ends.

c.

Is not made of chain.

d.

Total weight does not exceed ten percent of the animal's body weight.

e.

Is fabricated of a material that prevents tangles.

(6)

The animal is not outside during extreme weather, including, but not limited to, extreme heat, temperatures below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, snow, hail, tornadoes, thunderstorms, tropical storms or hurricanes.

(7)

The animal is tethered so as to prevent injury, strangulation, or entanglement.

(8)

The animal has access to water, food and shelter.

(9)

The animal is not tethered where any object may interfere or impede free movement of the tether.

(10)

The animal is not sick or injured.

(11)

The animal is not tethered in such proximity to any other tethered animal that would allow entanglement.

(12)

The animal is not tethered on any property with an unoccupied dwelling to include, but not limited to, abandoned or condemned buildings.

(13)

Any pulley, running line or trolley system to which a tether is attached shall be no less than 15 feet in length and no more than seven feet above ground.

(Ord. No. 13-08, § 1, 7-8-2013)