HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1983 (72) ST. CROIX COUNTY DOG ORDINANCE
Ordinance H�v�� 3
The County Board of Supervisors of St. Croix County, Wisconsin does ordain
as follows:
SECTION 1. Definition of germs. As used in this ordinance, unless the context
indicates otherwise:
(a) "Collar" means a band, strip or chain placed around the neck of a dog.
(b) "Kennel" means any establishment wherein or whereon dog(s) are kept for the
purposes of shelter, breeding, sale, or sporting purposes.
(c) "Livestock" means any horse, bovine, sheep, goat, pig, domestic rabbit or
domestic fowl, including game fowl raised in captivity. 1,
(d) "Officer" means a peace officer, full time health officer, humane officer,;
warden or an employee designated by the governing body of this County or of any
city, village or town within St. Croix County.
(e) "Owner" includes any person who owns, harbd!'s or keeps a dog.
SECTION 2. Dog Licensing. All dogs kept, harbored, or maintained by their owners
in St. Croix County shall be licensed and registered if more than 5 months of age.
Dog licenses shall be issued by the, County Clerk or appropriate municipality or township
officer. Payment shall be made of a''license tax of $2.00 for a neutered male dog or
spayed female dog, upon presentation of evidence that the dog is neutered or spayed; and
$5.00 for an unneutered male dog or unspayed female dog. The owner shall state at the
time application is made for such license his name, address, and the name, breed,
nirr, and sex of each dog owned or kept by him. Further, the owner shall present
evidence that the dog(s) is/are currently immunized against rabies. The provisions
of this section shall not be intended to apply to dogs whose owners are non-residents
temporarily within the County nor to dogs brought into the County for the purpose of
participating in any dog show, nor to seeing eye dogs or dogs for the deaf properly
trained to assist blind or hearing impaired persons when such dogs are actually being used
by blind or deaf persons for the purpose of aiding them in going from place to place.
Licenses for seeing eye dogs and dogs for the hearing impaired shall be issued free of
charge by the County Clerk upon proof that the dog is trained as a seeing eye dog or
as a dog for the hearing impaired.
SECTION 3• Issuance of Licenses and Collar Tags. Upon proper and complete
application as outlined in SECTION 2, the County Clerk shall complete and issue to the
, caner a license for the dog bearing a serial number, an expiration date, the owner's
nume and address, and the name,sex, spayed or unspayed, neutered or unneutered, breed
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and color of the dog. The collecting official shall keep a duplicate copy of the license
on file. After issuing the license the collecting official shall deliver to the owner
a tag of durable material bearing the same serial number as the license, the words
"St. Croix County", and the year in which it was issued. Licenses and tags shall be
applied for annually by the owner. Every owner shall be .required to provide each dog with
a collar to which the license tag must be affixed, and shall see that the collar and
tag are constantly worn. In case a dog tag is lost or destroyed, a duplicate will be issued
by the collecting official upon presentation of a receipt showing the payment of.the
license fee for the current year, and the payment of $ for such duplicate, Dog iL
tags shall not be transferable from one dog to another and no refunds 'shall be made
on any dog license fee because of death of the dog or the owner's leaving the County
before expiration of the license period.
SECTION,4- Dogs Running at Large and Untagged Dogs Prohibited.
(a) A dog is considered to be running at large if it is off the premises of its
owner and not under the control of the owner or some other person.
(b) A dog is considered to be untagged if a valid license tag is not attached
to a collar which is kept on the dog whenever the dog is outdoors unless the dog is
securely confined in a fenced area.
(c) Any dog running at large or untagged is subject to impoundment. Any officer
may and a humane officer shall attempt to capture and restrain any dog. running at large
and any untagged dog and to deliver the dog to a County pound. The poundmaster
upon receiving the dog shall make complete registry, entering the breed, color,and
sex of such dog and whether licensed. If licensed he shall enter the name and address
of the owner and the number of the license tag.
(d) Restraining actions shall be performed in the following manner: (1) The
dog's owner shall be notified and requested to capture his dog, (2) An officer shall
be notified and requested to capture and restrain the dog, and (3) The officershall
capture and restrain the dog.
If a restraining action has been attempted unsuccessfully or if a dog is so
vicious or threatening so as to render a restraining action inadequate or inappropriate, or
the dog is exhibiting signs of hydrophobia, the officer may kill the dog.
(e) Penalties. The owner who permits a dog to run at large or untagged shall forfeit
not less than $25 nor more than $100 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor
m(•ry than $200 for subsequent offenneo.
SECTION 5• Impounded Dogs--Notice to Owner. Not later than three days after the
impounding of any dog, the pound to where the dog was delivered shall attempt to notify
the owner personally or by mail, If the owner ie unknown, written notice shall be
po:;ted at the St. Croix County Courthouro doacribing bhu do{; and tho unto on which and
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location from which the dog was taken. The owner may reclaim the dog'only if the owner
gives his name and address, presents evidence that the dog is licensed and. vaccinated
against rabies, and pays any and all boarding, impoundment, and notice fees. The follow-
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ollow ing charges shall be paid to St. Croix County for impounding any dog -$ per day
for impoundment and $ for giving notice
SECTION 6. Sacrifice or Use for Humane Purposes if Dog Unclaimed. If, within
seven days after impoundment a dog is not released to its owner, said dog is deemed
unclaimed. The pound may extend the seven day time limit if it appears likely that
the dog will be released. Each unclaimed dog may be released to a person other than
the owner if the person to whom the dog is to be released states his name and address,
signs a statement agreeing to license the dog and to have the dog vaccinated against
rabies unless evidence is presented that the dog is licensed and vaccinated, and pays
any and all boarding and impoundment fees for the dog. Any dog not released in such
a manner may be disposed of in a proper and humane manner or may be released to the
University of Wisconsin system, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc,',or to any other
educational institution of higher learning chartered under the laws of the State of
Wisconsin and accredited to the University of Wisconsin system, upon requisition by the
institution. The requisition shall be in writing, shall bear the signature of an
authorized agent, and shall state the the dog is requisitioned for seientlfie or
educational purposes. If a requisition is made for a greater number of dogs than is
available at a given time, the officer or pound may supply "those immediately available
and may withhold from other disposition all unclaimed dogscoming into the officer's or
pound's custody until the requisition is fully discharged, excluding impounded dogs
as to which ownership is established within a reasonable period A dog left, by its
owner for disposition is ndk1considered an unclaimed dog under this section. If
operated by the county or a city, village, or town, the pound is entitled to the payment
of $1.00 for each dog'requisitioned. An institution making a requisition shall pro-
vide for the transportation of the dog.
SECTION 7. Muzzling. Whenever it becomes necessary to safeguard the public
from the dangers of hydrophobia, the Chairman of the St. Croix County Board of Supervi-
sors, if he deems it necessary, shall issue a proclamation ordering every person
owning or keeping a dog to confine it securely on his premises unless such dog shall
have a muzzle of sufficient strength to prevent its biting any person. Any unmuzzled
duj, running at large during the time of the proclamation shall be seized and impounded,
uniess noticeably infected with rabies. All dogs noticeably infected with rabies
and displaying vicious propensities nhall be killed by the officer without notioe
to the owner. Dogs impounded during the first two days of such proclarriation'shall, if
claimed within five days, be released to the owner, unless infected with rabies, upon
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'payment of impounding charges provided for in SECTION 5. If unclaimed after that period,
such dog may be summarily destroyed.
SECTION 8. Rabies--Notice. If a dog is believed to have rabies or has been bitten
by a dog suspected of having rabies, such dog shall be confined by a leash or chain
on the owner's premises and shall be placed under the observation of a veterinarian at
the expense of the owner for a period of two weeks. The owner shall notify the
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poundmaster of the fact that his dog has been exposed to rabies and at his discretion
the poundmaster is empowered to have such dog removed from the owner's premises to a
veterinary hospital and there placed under observation for,a period of two weeks
at the expense of the owner.
It shall be unlawful for an
y person knowing or suspecting a dog has rabies to
allow such dog to be taken off his premises or beyond the limits of the' County witho`tt
the written permission of the poundmaster. Every owner, or other person, upon ascer-
taining a dog is rabid shall immediately notify the poundmaster or an officer, and
he shall either remove the dog to the pound or summarily destroy it.
SECTION 9. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its
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proper passage and publication pursuant to Wisconsin law.
Dated this day of 1720 1983.
LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE,
Negative Affirm t e
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