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ORD 04-01CITY OF OTSEGO COUNTY OF WRIGHT STATE OF MINNESOTA ORDINANCE SUMMARY SUMMARY OF CITY OF OTSEGO ORDINANCE NO. 2004-01 RELATED TO ANIMALS The following is an approved summary of the above Ordinance No. 2004-01. The Otsego City Council has determined that the summary accurately summarizes the ordinance and provides adequate notice to the public of its various terms and conditions. Ordinance No.2004-01 repeals previous Otsego Ordinance No. 8 related to Dogs. The Ordinance defines domestic, non-domestic and farm animals and sets forth regulations as to where farm animals are allowed, and bans non-domestic animals from the City. The ordinance sets forth standards for determining when an animal constitutes a nuisance animal, a potentially dangerous animal, or a dangerous animal and establishes procedures and restrictions regarding the same. The ordinance also provides for penalties when an animal is running at large and sets forth a definition of running at large. The ordinance also limits how many cats and dogs care allowed upon a premises without requiring approval from the City. The ordinance provides that most violations are a misdemeanor, except for specific sections of the ordinance which are designated as petty misdemeanors if not repeated three times within a year. ADOPTED by the Otsego City Council this 23d day of February, 2004. IN FAVOR: Mayor Larry Fournier; Councilmembers: Vern Heidner, Jerry Struthers and Dan Scharber. Absent: Virginia Wendel OPPOSED: NONE ,M 1 ..1 'V �d CITY OF OTSEGO 9,0011�1�!'W'—' Larry Fomde�,-Mayor Published: EU River Star News 03-10-04 CITY OF OTSEGO COUNTY OF WRIGHT STATE OF MINNESOTA ORDINANCE NO. 2004-01 AN ORDINANCE REGULATING ANIMALS WITHIN THE CITY OF OTSEGO AND REPEALING OTSEGO ORDINANCE NO.8 RELATED TO DOGS The City Council of the City of Otsego, Wright County, Minnesota ordains as follows: Section 1. Repealer. Otsego Ordinance No. 8 related to Dogs is hereby repealed in its entirety. Section 2. Definitions. As used in this Chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following words shall be defined to mean: Subdivision 1. Animal. "Animal" shall mean any mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish, bird (including all fowl and poultry) or other members commonly accepted as part of the animal kingdom. Animals shall be classified as follows: A. Domestic. "Domestic animals" shall mean those animals commonly accepted as domestic household pets. Unless otherwise defined, such animals shall include dogs, cats, caged birds, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, domesticated rabbits, fish, non-poisonous, non- venomous and non -constricting reptiles or amphibians, and other similar animals. B. Non -Domestic. "Non- Domestic animals" shall mean those animals commonly considered to be naturally and not usually trained or domesticated, or which are commonly considered to be inherently dangerous to the health, safety and welfare of people. Unless otherwise defined, such animals shall include: Any member of the large cat family (family felidea) including lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, leopards and jaguars, but excluding commonly accepted domesticated house cats. 2. Any naturally wild member of the canine family (family canidae) including wolves, foxes, coyotes, dingoes, and jackals, but excluding commonly accepted domesticated dogs. 3. Any crossbreeds such as the crossbreed between a wolf and a dog, unless the crossbreed is commonly accepted as a domesticated house pet. 4. Any member or relative of the rodent family including any skunk (whether or not descented), raccoon, or squirrel , but excluding those members otherwise defined or commonly accepted as domesticated pets. 5. Any poisonous, venomous, constricting , or inherently dangerous member of the reptile or amphibian families including rattlesnakes, boa constrictors, pit vipers, crocodiles and alligators. 6. Any other animal which is not explicitly listed above but which can be reasonably defined by the terms of this subpart, including but not limited to bears, deer, monkeys and game fish, unless explicitly allowed under State law. Subdivision 2. Farm. "farm animals" shall mean those animals commonly associated with a farm or performing work in an agricultural setting. Unless otherwise defined, such animals shall include members of the equestrian family (horses, mules), bovine family (cows, bulls), sheep, poultry (chickens, turkeys), fowl (ducks, geese), swine (including Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs), goats, bees, and other animals associated with a farm, ranch, or stable. Subdivision 3. Cat. "Cat" shall be intended to mean both the male and female of the felidae species, commonly accepted as household pets. Subdivision 4. Dog. "Dog" shall be intended to mean both the male and female of the canine species, commonly accepted as domesticated household pets, and other domesticated animals of a dog kind. 2 Subdivision 5. Owner. "Owner" shall be intended to mean any person or persons, firm, company, corporation, association or other entity owning, keeping, or harboring an animal. Subdivision 6. Animals at Large. "At Large" shall be intended to mean off the premises (i.e. legal description of record) of the owner and not under the custody and control of the owner or other person, either by leash, cord, chain, or otherwise restrained or confined. Subdivision 7. Animal Release Permit. "Release Permit" shall mean a permit issued by the Animal Warden for the release of any animal confined. A Release Permit may be obtained upon payment of a fee as established by Council resolution, payment of the license fee for the animal if unlicensed, as well as payment of all costs incurred by the City in capturing, impounding and harboring the animal. The release fee shall be established from time to time by resolution of the City Council. Section 3. Dogs and Cats. Subdivision 1. Running at Large Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for the dog or cat of any person who owns, harbors, or keeps a dog or cat, or the parents or guardians of any such person under 18 years of age, to run at large. Dogs or cats on a leash and accompanied by and under the control and direction of a responsible person so as to be effectively restrained by command as by leash, shall be permitted in streets or on public land unless the City has posted an area with signs reading "Dogs or Cats Prohibited". Subdivision 2. License Required. A. All dogs over the age of six months kept, harbored or maintained by their owners within the City, shall be licensed and registered with the City. Dog licenses shall be issued by the City Clerk upon payment of the license fee. The Owner shall state at the time of application is made for the license and upon forms provided for such purpose, his or her name and address and the name, breed, color and sex of each dog owned or kept by him or her. No license shall be granted for a dog which has not been vaccinated against rabies, as provided in this Ordinance. Vaccination shall be performed only by a doctor qualified to practice veterinary medicine in the state in which the dog is vaccinated. A veterinarian who vaccinates a dog to be licensed in the City shall complete a certificate of vaccination. One copy shall be issued to the dog owner for affixing to the license application. B. It shall be the duty of each owner of a dog subject to this Section to pay to the Clerk -Treasurer the license fee as imposed by resolution of the City Council. C. Upon payment of the license fee, the City Clerk shall issue to the owner a license certificate and metallic tag for each dog licensed. The tag'shall have stamped on it the number corresponding with the number on the certificate. 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, upon application and payment of the required fee a duplicate shall be issued by the City Clerk. Dog tags shall not be transferable from one dog to another and no refunds shall be made on any dog license or tag because of death of a dog or other reason. D. The licensing provisions of this Subdivision shall not apply to dogs whose owners are non-residents temporarily within the City, nor to dogs brought into the City for the purpose of participating in any dog show, nor shall this provision apply to "seeing eye" dogs or helper dogs properly trained to assist disabled individuals. E. The funds received by the City Clerk from all dog licenses, and metallic tag fees shall be first used to defray costs incidental to the enforcement of this Ordinance. Subdivision 3. Cats. Cats shall be included as within the controls established within this sub -section of the Ordinance in so far as running -at -large, pickup, impounding, boarding, licensing and proof of anti -rabies vaccine is concerned. All other provisions of this Ordinance shall also apply to cats unless otherwise indicated. Subdivision 4. Vaccination. A. All dogs and cats kept harbored, maintained, or transported within the City shall be vaccinated at least once every three years by a licensed veterinarian for rabies (with a live modified vaccine). B. A certificate of vaccination must be kept on which is stated the date of vaccination, owner's name and address, the animal's name (if applicable), sex, description and weight, the type of vaccine, and the veterinarian's signature. Upon demand made by the City Clerk or 4 sheriffs deputy, the owner shall present for examination the required certificates of vaccination for the animals. In cases where certificates are not presented, the owner or keeper of the animals shall have seven days in which to present the certificates to the City Clerk or other designee or sheriff s deputy. Failure to do so shall be deemed to be a violation of this Ordinance. Section 4. Non- Domestic Animals Prohibited. It shall be illegal for any person to own, possess, harbor, or offer for sale, any non-domestic animal within the City limits. Any owner of such an animal at the defective date of adoption of this ordinance shall have thirty days from that date in which to remove the animal from the City after which time the City may impound as provide for in this Ordinance. An exception shall be made to this prohibition for animals specifically trained for and actually providing assistance to the handicapped or disabled, and for those animals brought into the City as part of an operating zoo, veterinarian clinic, scientific research laboratory, or a licensed show or exhibition. Section 5. Farm Animals. Farm animals shall only be kept in agricultural districts of the City or other districts as allowed in the City Zoning Ordinance and pursuant to restrictions set forth in the Zoning Ordinance. An exception shall be made to this sub -section for those farm animals brought into the City as part of an operating zoo, veterinarian clinic, scientific research laboratory, or a licensed show or exhibition. Section 6. Impounding. Subdivision 1. Running at Large. Any unlicensed animal running at large is hereby declared a public nuisance. Any sheriff s deputy or authorized police officer may impound any dog or other animal found unlicensed or any animal found running at large and shall give notice of the impounding to the owner of such dog or other animal, if known. In case the owner is unknown, the officer shall post notice at the City Hall that if the dog or other animal is not claimed within the time period set forth in this Ordinance, it will be sold or otherwise disposed of. Except as otherwise provided in this Ordinance it shall be unlawful to kill, destroy, or otherwise cause injury to any animal, including dogs and cats, running at large. Subdivision 2. Biting Animals. Any animal that has not been inoculated by a live modified rabies vaccine and which has bitten any person, wherein the skin has been punctured or the services of a doctor are required, shall be confined in the City Pound for a period of not less than ten days, at the expense of the owner. The animal may be released at the end of such time if healthy and free from symptoms of rabies, and by payment of all costs by the owner. However, if the owner of animal shall elect immediately upon receipt of notice of need for such confinement by the officer to voluntarily and immediately confine the animal for the required period of time in a veterinary hospital of the owner's choosing, not outside of Wright County, and provide immediate proof of such confinement in such a manner as may be required, the owner may do so. If, however, the animal has been inoculated with a live modified rabies vaccine and the owner has proof of the vaccination by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian, the owner may confine the dog or other animal to the owner's property. Subdivision 3. Reclaiming Animals. All animals conveyed to the City Pound shall be kept, with humane treatment and sufficient food and water for their comfort, at least five regular business days or any time period specifically set forth in this Ordinance. Any licensed or implanted animal shall be kept for at least fourteen (14) days. In case the owner or keeper shall desire to reclaim the animal from the pound, the following shall be required, unless otherwise provided for in this ordinance, or established from time to time by resolution of the City Council: A. Payment of a $25.00 release fee and receipt of a release permit from the City or designee. B. Payment of any and all maintenance cost for the animal, per day or any part of a day while the animal is in said pound; and C. If a dog is unlicensed, payment of a regular license fee and valid certificate of vaccination for rabies is required. Subdivision 4. Unclaimed Animals. At the expiration of the times established in Subdivision 3, if the animal has not been reclaimed in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the City's designee may let any person claim the animal by complying with all provisions of this Section, or cause the animal to be destroyed in a proper and humane manner and shall properly dispose of the remains. Section 7. Dog Kennels and Cat Shelters. Subdivision 1. Definition of Kennel and Cat Shelter. The keeping of three or more dogs and/or cats over six (6) months of age on the same premises, whether owned by the same person or not and for whatever purpose kept, shall constitute a "dog kennel" or a "cat shelter". Subdivision 2. Dog Kennel and Cat Shelter as Nuisance. Because the keeping of three or more cats or dogs on the same premises is subject to great abuse, causing discomfort to people in the area by way of smell, noise, hazard and general 2 aesthetic depreciation, the keeping of three or more cats and/or dogs on the premises without obtaining a kennel license pursuant to applicable ordinances and the City Zoning Ordinance is hereby declared to be a nuisance and no person shall keep or maintain a dog kennel or cat shelter within the City without proper City authorization. Section 8. Nuisances: Animals Subdivision 1. Habitual Barking. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor a dog which habitually barks or cries. Habitual barking shall be defined as barking or crying for repeated intervals of at least three minutes with less than one minute of interruption. Such barking or crying must also be audible off of the owner's or caretaker's premises. Repeated barking due to intentional provocation by an unrelated individual residing off the property of the Owner is not considered habitual barking for purposes of this ordinance, nor is barking related to a periodic external stimulus such as a non domestic animal, machinery or unusual activity within the vicinity of the premises. Subdivision 2. Damage to Property. It shall be unlawful for any person's dog or other animal to substantially damage any lawn, garden or other property (including animals), whether or not the owner has knowledge of the damage. Any animal causing damage to property may be impounded as provided in this section, or a complaint may be issued by any party aggrieved by an animal under this Section, against the owner of the animal for prosecution under this Ordinance. Subdivision 3. Cleaning up Litter. The owner of any animal or person having the custody or the control of any animal shall _be responsible for cleaning up any feces of the animal and disposing of such feces in a sanitary manner whether on their own property, on the property of others or on public property. Subdivision 4. Other. Any animals kept contrary to this Section are subject to impoundment. Section 9. Seizure of Animals. Any sheriff's deputy, animal control officer or City designee may enter upon private property and seize any offending animal provided that any of the following exist: A. There is an identified complainant other than the deputy, officer or designee making a contemporaneous complaint about the animal; B. The deputy, officer or designee reasonably believes that the animal meets the criteria for a barking dog, cruelty, or for an animal at large as set forth in this ordinance; 7 C. The deputy, officer or designee can demonstrate that there has been at least one previous complaint of a barking dog, inhumane treatment of an animal, or that the animal was at large at this address on a prior date; D. The deputy, officer or designee has made a reasonable attempt to contact the owner of the property and those attempts have either failed or have been ignored; E. The seizure will not involve the forced entry into a private residence. Use of a pass key obtained from a property manager, landlord, innkeeper, or other person authorized to have such key shall not be considered unauthorized entry; F. Written notice of the seizure is left in a conspicuous place if personal contact with the owner of the dog is not possible. Section 10. Animals Presenting a Danger to Health and Safety of City. If in the reasonable belief of a deputy, officer or designee, an animal presents an immediate danger to the health and safety of any person including a deputy, officer or designee, or the animal is threatening imminent harm to any person, or the animal is in the process of attacking any person, the officer may destroy the animal in a proper and humane manner. Otherwise, the deputy, officer or designee may apprehend the animal and deliver it to the pound for confinement. If the animal is later determined to be no longer a danger to the health, safety and welfare of the City, it may be released to its owner. Section 11. Diseased Animals. Subdivision 1. Running at Large. No person shall keep or allow to be kept on his or her premises, or on premises occupied by them, nor permit to run at large in the City, any animal which is diseased so as to be a danger to the health and safety of the City, even though the animal be properly licensed under this Section. Subdivision 2. Confinement. Any animal reasonably suspected of being diseased and presenting a threat to the health and safety of the public, may be apprehended and confined in the pound by any deputy, officer or designee. The deputy, officer or designee shall have a qualified veterinarian examine the animal. If the animal is found to be diseased in such a manner so as to be a danger to the health and safety of the City, the deputy, officer or designee shall cause such animal to be painlessly killed and shall properly dispose of the remains. The owner or keeper of the animal killed under this Section shall be liable for all costs related to the apprehension, maintenance and disposal of the animal, plus the costs of any veterinarian examinations. Subdivision 3. Release. If the animal, upon examination, is not found to be diseased within the meaning of this Section, the animal shall be released to the owner or keeper free of charge. Section 12. Dangerous Animals. Subdivision 1. Attack by an Animal. It shall be unlawful for any person's animal to inflict or attempt to inflict bodily injury to any person or other animal whether or not the owner is present. This section shall not apply to an attack by a dog under the control of an on -duty law enforcement officer or to an attack upon an uninvited intruder who has entered the owner's home with criminal intent. Subdivision 2. Destruction of Dangerous Animal. A deputy, officer, or designee shall have the authority to order the destruction of dangerous animals in accordance with the terms established by this ordinance. Subdivision 3. Definitions. (1) A dangerous animal is an animal which has: a. Without provocation inflicts substantial bodily harm on a human being on public or private property; or b. Killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property; or C. Been found to be potentially dangerous and after the owner has notice that the animal is potentially dangerous, the animal aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals. (2) A potentially dangerous animal is an animal which has: a. When unprovoked, inflicts bites on a human or a domestic animal on public or private property; or b. When unprovoked, chases or approaches a person, including a person on a bicycle, upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public or private property, other than the animal owner's property, in an apparent attitude of attack; or 6 C. Has a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked causing injury or otherwise threatening the safety of humans or domestic animals. (3) Proper enclosure. Proper enclosure means securely confined indoors or in a securely locked pen or structure suitable to prevent the animal from escaping and to provide protection for the animal from the elements. A proper enclosure does not include a porch, patio, or any part of a house, garage, or other structure that would allow the animal to exit of its own volition, or any house or structure in which windows are open or in which door or window screens are the only barriers which prevent the animal from exiting. The enclosure shall not allow the egress of the animal in any manner without human assistance. A pen or kennel shall meet the following minimum specifications: a. Have a minimum overall floor size of thirty-two (32) square feet. b. Sidewalls shall have a minimum height of five (5) feet and be constructed of 11 -gauge or heavier wire. Openings in the wire shall not exceed two (2) inches, support posts shall be one - and -one -quarter -inch or larger steel pipe buried in the ground eighteen (18) inches or more. The floor of the enclosure must be concrete, concrete block or asphalt. In the case of a dangerous dog the concrete, concrete block or asphalt must be at least four (4) inches thick. C. A cover over the entire pen or kennel shall be provided. The cover shall be constructed of the same gauge wire or heavier as the sidewalls and shall also have no openings in the wire greater than two (2) inches. d. An entrance/exit gate shall be provided and be constructed of the same material as the sidewalls and shall also have no openings in the wire greater than two (2) inches. The gate shall be equipped with a device capable of being locked and shall be locked at all times when the animal is in the pen or kennel. e. A kennel or enclosure shall be subject to inspection for compliance with this sub- section at least once yearly, and the 10 owner shall pay any inspection fee at the rate then in effect for said inspections. (4) Unprovoked. Unprovoked shall mean the condition in which the animal is not purposely excited, stimulated, agitated or disturbed. Subdivision 4. Designation as potentially dangerous animal. The deputy, officer, or designee shall designate any animal as a potentially dangerous animal upon receiving such evidence that such potentially dangerous animal has, when unprovoked, then bitten, attacked, or threatened the safety of a person or a domestic animal as stated in subparagraph (c)(2). When an animal is declared potentially dangerous, the deputy, officer, or designee shall cause one (1) owner of the potentially dangerous animal to be notified in writing that such animal is potentially dangerous. Subdivision 5. Evidence Justifying Designation. The deputy, officer, or designee shall have the authority to designate any animal as a dangerous animal upon receiving evidence of the following: (1) That the animal has, when unprovoked, bitten, attacked, or threatened the safety of a person or domestic animal as stated in subparagraph (c)(1). (2) That the animal has been declared potentially dangerous and such animal has then bitten, attacked, or threatened the safety of a person or domestic animal as stated in subparagraph (c)(1). Subdivision 6. Authority to Order Destruction. The deputy, officer, or designee, upon finding that an animal is dangerous hereunder, is authorized to order, as part of the disposition of the case, that the animal be destroyed based on a written order containing one (1) or more of the following findings of fact: (1) The animal is dangerous as demonstrated by a vicious attack, an unprovoked attack, an attack without warning or multiple attacks; or (2) The owner of the animal has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to control the animal in order to prevent injury to persons or other animals. Subdivision 7. Procedure. The deputy, officer, or designee, after having determined that an animal is dangerous, may proceed in the following manner: 11 (1) The deputy, officer, or designee shall cause one (1) owner of the animal to be notified in writing or in person that the animal is dangerous and may order the animal seized or make such orders as deemed proper. This owner shall be notified as to dates, times, places and parties bitten, and shall be given fourteen (14) days to appeal this order by requesting a hearing before the city council for a review of this determination. a. If no appeal is filed, the orders issued will stand or the deputy, officer, or designee may order the animal destroyed. b. If an owner requests a hearing for determination as to the dangerous nature of the animal, the hearing shall be held before the city council, which shall set a date for hearing not more than three (3) weeks after demand for the hearing. The records of the deputy, officer, or designee or city clerk's office shall be admissible for consideration by the deputy, officer, or designee without further foundation. After considering all evidence pertaining to the temperament of the animal, the city council shall make an order as it deems proper. The city council may order that the deputy, officer, or designee take the animal into custody for destruction, if such animal is not currently in custody. If the animal is ordered into custody for destruction, the owner shall immediately make the animal available to a City designee. C. No person shall harbor an animal after it has been found by to be dangerous and ordered into custody for destruction. Subdivision 8. Stopping an Attack. If any deputy, officer, or designee is witness to an attack by an animal upon a person or another domestic or farm animal, the deputy, officer, or designee may take whatever means the officer deems appropriate to bring the attack to an end and prevent further injury to the victim. Subdivision 9. Notification of New Address. The owner of an animal which has been identified as dangerous or potentially dangerous must notify the deputy, officer, or designee in writing if the animal is to be relocated from its current address or given or sold to another person. The notification must be given in writing at least fourteen (14) days prior to the relocation or transfer of ownership. The notification must include the current owner's name and address, the relocation address, and the name of the new owner, if any. 12 Subdivision 10. City's Option to Use Alternative Enforcement. The City may, at its option, enforce the above Section through alternative means including enforcement of relevant State statutes by the City or County. Section 13. Dangerous Animal Requirements. Subdivision 1. Requirements. If the city council does not order the destruction of an animal that has been declared dangerous, the city council may, as an alternative, order any or all of the following: (1) That the owner provide and maintain a proper enclosure for the dangerous animal as specified in Section 12, Subdivision 3(3); (2) Post the front and the rear of the premises with clearly visible warning signs, including a warning symbol to inform children, that there is a dangerous animal on the property as specified in Minnesota Statute 347.51; (3) Provide and show proof annually of public liability insurance or surety bond in the amount of at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00); (4) If the animal is a dog and is outside the proper enclosure, the dog must be muzzled and restrained by a substantial chain or leash (not to exceed six (6) feet in length) and under the physical restraint of a person sixteen (16) years of age or older. The muzzle must be of such design as to prevent the dog from biting any person or animal, but will not cause injury to the dog or interfere with its vision or respiration; (5) If the animal is a dog, it must have an easily identifiable, standardized tag identifying the dog as dangerous affixed to its collar at all times as specified in Minnesota Statute 347.51; (6) All animals deemed dangerous by the deputy, officer, or designee shall be registered with the County in which this city is located within fourteen (14) days after the date the animal was so deemed and provide satisfactory proof thereof to the deputy, officer, or designee. (7) If the animal is a dog, the dog must be licensed and up to date on rabies vaccination. If the animal is a cat or ferret, it must be up to date with rabies vaccination. 13 (8) Comply with any and all additional conditions applying to dangerous dogs as set forth in Minnesota Statutes Section 347.5 1, and as amended. Subdivision 2. Seizure. A deputy, officer, or designee shall immediately seize any dangerous animal if the owner does not meet each of the above requirements within fourteen (14) days after the date notice is sent to the owner that the animal is dangerous. Seizure may be appealed to district court by serving a summons and petition upon the city and filing it with the district court. Subdivision 3. Reclaiming Animals. A dangerous animal seized under Section 13, Subdivision 2, may be reclaimed by the owner of the animal upon payment of impounding and boarding fees, applicable release permit fees, and presenting proof to animal control that each of the requirements under Section 13, Subdivision 2, is fulfilled. An animal not reclaimed under this section within fourteen (14) days may be disposed of as provided under Section 12, Subdivision 6, and the owner is liable to animal control for costs incurred in confining the animal. Subdivision 4. Subsequent Offenses. If an owner of an animal has subsequently violated the provisions under Section 12 with the same animal, the animal must be seized by a deputy, officer, or designee. The owner may request a hearing as defined in Section 12, Subdivision 6. If the owner is found to have violated the provisions for which the animal was seized, the deputy, officer, or designee shall order the animal destroyed in a proper and humane manner and the owner shall pay the costs of confining the animal. If the person is found not to have violated the provisions for which the animal was seized, the owner may reclaim the animal under the provisions of Section 13, Subdivision 3. If the animal is not yet reclaimed by the owner within fourteen (14) days after the date the owner is notified that the animal may be reclaimed, the animal may be disposed of as provided under Section 12, Subdivision 6 and the owner is liable to the animal control for the costs incurred in confining, impounding and disposing of the animal. Section 14. Basic Care. All animals shall receive from their owners or keepers kind treatment, housing in the winter, and sufficient food and water for their comfort. Any person not treating their pet in such a humane manner will be subject to the penalties provided in this Section. Section 15. Breeding Moratorium. Every female dog or female cat in heat shall be confined in a building or other enclosure in such manner that it cannot come in contact with another dog or cat except for planned breeding. Upon capture and 14 failure to reclaim the animal, every dog or cat shall be neutered or spayed prior to being transferred to a new owner. Section 16. Enforcing Officer. The Council is hereby authorized to appoint an officer or designee to enforce the provisions of this Section. The officer may be a deputy sheriff. In the officer's duty of enforcing the provisions of this Section, he or she may from time to time, with the consent of the Council, designate assistants. Section 17. Pound. From time to time the Council shall designate an official pound to which animals found in violation of this chapter shall be taken for safe treatment, and if necessary, for destruction. Section 18. Interference with Officers. No person shall in any manner molest, hinder, or interfere with any person authorized by the Council to capture dogs, cats or other animals and convey them to the pound while engaged in such operation. Nor shall any unauthorized person break open the pound, or attempt to do so, or take or attempt to take from any agent any animal taken up by him or her in compliance with this Chapter, or in any other manner to interfere with or hinder such officer in the discharge of his or her duties under this Chapter. Section 19. Violations and Penalties. Subdivision 1 Separate Offenses. Each day a violation of this Chapter is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such under this Section. Subdivision 2 Misdemeanor. Unless otherwise provided, violation of this Chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to 90 days. Subdivision 3. Petty Misdemeanor. Violations of Section 3, Section 8, subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 are petty misdemeanors punishable by a fine of up to $300 per violation. In the event that an owner commits three of the same or similar petty misdemeanor violations within a period of one year, the third violation shall be considered a misdemeanor. ADOPTED this 23d day of February, 2004 by the Otsego City Council, Wright County, Minnesota. IN FAVOR: Mayor Larry Fournier; Councilmembers: Vern Heidner, Jerry Struthers and Dan Scharber. Absent: Virginia Wendel. OPPOSED: NONE 15 ATTEST: City Clerk CITY OF OTSEGO 16