06 ANIMALS AND FOWL (2) TITLE 6
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ANIMALS AND FOWL,
Chapters:
6.04 Dogs
6.08 Other Animals and Fowl
CHAPTER 6.04
DOGS
Sections:
6.04.01 Annual tax
6.04.02 License
6.04.03 Vaccination
6.04.04 Kennels, etc.
6.04.05 Penalty
6.04.06 Confinement of dogs
6.04.07 Running at large
6.04.08 Destruction of
6.04.09 Hydrophobia
6.04.10 Duplicate receipts
6.04.11 Barking or vicious dogs
6.04.12 Interfering with Animal Control Officer
6.04.13 Field of Dreams
6.04.01 Annual tax That Ord.No. 3-64 and Ord.No. 9-75 are amended to raise the annual
dog license tax from$.25 to $5.00 and to allow the payment and collection of that tax at the
Pointer Trail Animal Clinic,Hubbs Animal Clinic and Broadfoot Veterinary Clinic. Said dog
license.taxes will also continue to be collected by the Van Buren City Clerk/Treasurer. (Ord.
No. 38-95, Sec. 1.)
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6.04.02 License Every person owning or keeping any dog within the city limits shall
apply to the Treasurer of the city of Van Buren, and on payment of the tax specified above shall
receive a license and metal license check,which said license shall show the name of the owner,
his address, the sex of the dog and the amount of the license paid and the date of its issuance.
Said Treasurer shall keep a register of the applicant,his residence,number of the license and
check and the sex of the dog. Said license and license check shall not be transferable, and said
license check must be worn by the dog at all times.
6.04.03 Vaccination No tax shall be accepted by the Treasurer of the city of Van Buren
and no license shall be issued to any applicant without first having the dog for whom a license is
sought vaccinated against rabies by a regularly licensed veterinary surgeon,and the certificate of
such surgeon shall be exhibited to said Treasurer before a license to keep such dog shall be
issued. Said Treasurer shall keep a record of the name of the veterinary surgeon and of the date
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of said vaccination. Such vaccination must have been made within one year prior to the date of
issuance of any such license.
6.04.04 Kennels, etc.
a. It shall be unlawful for more than four(4) dogs over six(6)months of age to be
confined,kept or harbored upon the premises of any person, firm or corporation
within the corporate limits of the city of Van Buren, except when said person,
firm or corporation is licensed with the city as a commercial kennel, dog hospital,
dog breeding establishment,veterinarian, or dog groomer,when such dogs are
kept upon the premises used by such commercial kennel, dog breeding
establishment, dog hospital, dog groomer, or veterinarian, at their normal place of
business. Keeping on the premises of the owner of more than four(4) dogs shall
be prima facie evidence of violation of this Section and the burden of proof shall
be on the owner to show the ages of the dogs. Any owner found in violation of
this Section shall be subject to a fine of between$25.00 and$100.00.
b. Any person owning maintaining or operating a commercial kennel or dog
breeding establishment,where dogs are kept confined on the premises of such
kennel or establishment or on leash,in addition to an annual franchise tax,shall
also pay an annual dog license fee of Five Dollars ($5.00)to be paid in lieu of a
separate dog license for each dog,such fee to be paid to the Treasurer of the city
of Van Buren on or before the 30t"day of April of each year or within thirty(30)
days after the commencement of operation of such commercial kennel or dog
breeding establishment.
C. Any person owning,maintaining or operating a commercial kennel, dog breeding
establishment, dog hospital,veterinarian clinic or dog grooming business, shall
not allow the dogs thereon to run at large or cause excessive barking in violation
of the Van Buren City Code. (Ord.No. 31-92, Sec. 1.)
6.04.05 Penalty.If said dog license tax is not paid by April 30th of each year,there will be
a penalty of Fifty Cents (500) added and collected at time of purchase of said dog tax.Penalty on
kennel license will be Two Dollars and Fifty Cents ($2.50).Penalties to be collected and paid to
the Treasurer of the City of Van Buren.
6.04.06 Confinement of dogs.No person,firm,partnership or corporation owning,keeping
or harboring a dog, or dogs,whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, licensed or unlicensed, shall
allow such dog, or dogs,to run at large within the corporate limits of the City of Van Buren.
(Ord.No. 17-1976, Sec. 1)
6.04.07 Runningat large.Any dog found in the city upon which the applicable tax as
herein provided for has not been paid,or any dog found running at large about which dog a
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complaint is or has been made to the city of Van Buren, shall be taken up by said city and
disposed of as hereinafter provided,and any dog found running at large in violation of any
provision of this article shall be taken up by the city of Van Buren and disposed of as hereinafter
provided.
6.04.08 Destruction of Any dog taken up by said city, its servants, agents or employees,
and which said dog is so injured or diseased as in the discretion of such city makes the
destruction of said dog advisable, shall be forthwith killed and disposed of by such city and any
other dog or dogs taken up by such city shall be held for a period of seventy-two (72)hours and
unless within such time called for by owner,keeper of or harbored of said dog, and all taxes and
impounding fees due thereon paid,may be disposed of by said city as it is deemed best for the
welfare of said dog and the public interest.Any owner,keeper or harborer of said dog who shall
call for the same within limited time above shall in addition to paying all taxes due on said dog
pay in addition a pound fee of not less than One Dollar($1.00)nor more than Five Dollars
($5.00)before receiving the possession of said dog from such city. Provided,that prior to
destroying a dog which carries its owner's address,the municipality shall give the dog's owner at
least five(5) days'notice by certified letter of the date of the proposed destruction of the dog.
6.04.09 Hydrophobia In the event of the prevalance of hydrophobia to such an extent as in
the discretion of the city of Van Buren to make such action advisable, said city may by
proclamation require that all dogs owned,kept or harbored in the city be kept confined upon the
premises of the owners,keepers or harborers of such dogs for such time as may be designated in
such proclamation, and such proclamation to take effect upon publication thereof by such city in
a newspaper having a general and bona fide circulation in the city of Van Buren, and any dog not
so confined after the effective date of such proclamation shall be taken up by such city and
disposed of as provided in Section 6.04.08.
6.04.10 Duplicate receipts,Any person required by the terms of this ordinance to pay any
tax or purchase any license who shall suffer the loss of the receipt or evidence of the same shall
forthwith procure from the Treasurer of the city, a duplicate receipt or other evidence of the
payment of said tax or license fee. The said Treasurer shall collect a fee of Fifty Cents($.50) for
each duplicate so issued.
6.04.11 Barking or vicious dogs
A. No person shall own,keep or harbor any dog which by loud frequent or habitual
barking,howling or yelling shall annoy or disturb any neighborhood and finther
no person shall own,keep or harbor any vicious dog. Any person found in
violation of this Section shall be subject to a fine of between$25.00 and$100.00.
B. "Vicious dog"means any dog which has:
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1. A disposition to bite human beings or other animals, and any dog which
has bitten or attempted to bite any human being or other animal within the
immediately preceding six(6)month;however,the fact that a dog has
bitten or attempted to bite some person or animal in direct reaction to
being teased or molested by that person or animal shall not cause that dog
to be considered a vicious dog within the sense of this definition.
Similarly,the fact that a dog has bitten or attempted to bite some person or
another animal,when that person, or other animal has intruded into a
confined area being protected by the animal, shall not cause it to be
considered a vicious dog under this definition;
2. Caused a life-threatening injury,broken bone,multiple sutures, or any
injury requiring medical attention to a person or domestic animal,without
provocation, on public or private property; or
3. Killed a domestic animal,without provocation, on public or private
property; or
4. Is owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting
or is a dog trained for fighting.
C. "Dangerous dog"means any dog which displays or has a tendency, disposition or
propensity to:
1. Bare its teeth or approach in a menacing manner a person or domestic
animal that is not provoking the dog, or
2. Attack, chase, charge or bite a person or domestic animal in a menacing
manner, or attempt to do so.
D. Classification of a dog as a"vicious"or"dangerous": The following procedure
shall be followed for classifying a dog as vicious or dangerous:
1. Animal Control shall be authorized initially to classify a dog as dangerous
or vicious. Animal Control may find and declare a dog to be vicious or
dangerous if the officer has probable cause to believe that the dog falls
within the definition set forth herein. The finding must be based upon:
a. The written complaint of a citizen who is willing to testify that the
dog has acted in a manner which causes it to fall within the
definition set forth herein; or
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b. A report filed with Animal Control or any law enforcement officer;
or
C. Actions of the dog witnessed by Animal Control or by any law
enforcement officer.
2. The classifying of a dog as vicious or dangerous shall be in writing and
shall be served on the owner or harborer by one of the following methods:
a. Certified mail to the owner's or harborer's last known address; or
b. Personally.
E. Any person who has received notice that his or her canine has been deemed a
vicious or dangerous dog may appeal such decision to the Animal Control/Code
Enforcement supervising officer("Supervisor"). The appeal must be in writing
and made within five(5)business days of the day the notice was provided in
accordance with this section.
1. The Supervisor shall schedule and hold a hearing,within five (5)business
O days after receiving the written appeal,to review the initial classification.
The Supervisor's decision shall be considered the final decision of the city
as to whether the canine is a vicious or dangerous dog.
2. If the initial classification is not appealed or if the right to appeal is
waived,the initial classification shall be considered the final decision of
the city as to whether the canine is a vicious or dangerous dog.
3. An appeal fiom the decision of the Supervisor may only be made to a
court of competent jurisdiction.
F. During the entire appeal process,it shall be unlawful for the owner or harborer
appealing the classification of vicious or dangerous dog to allow or permit the dog
to:
1. Be unconfined on the premises of the owner or harborer; or
2. Go beyond the premises of the owner or harborer unless such dog is
securely leashed and humanely muzzled or otherwise securely restrained.
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G. Ani nal Control may require temporary confinement of the dog pending the
determination required in this section. If the owner or harborer does not comply
immediately with the temporary confinement requirements,the dog shall be
impounded as provided in 6.04.07.
H. No person shall own,possess or cause to be in the city, any dog which Animal
Control has determined to be a dangerous or vicious dog,unless it is restrained,
confined or muzzled so that it cannot charge, attack,bite or cause injury to any
person or domestic animal, and unless it is maintained at all times in compliance
with any order of compliance issued under this article.
I. Upon determination that a dog is dangerous or vicious,Animal Control shall issue
an order of compliance requiring the owner or harborer immediately to confine,
muzzle and restrain the dog sufficiently to protect all persons and domestic
animals, and otherwise to comply completely with the terms of this article.
Coming into full compliance with this article shall not exceed forty-five(45)
business days from the date of issuance of the order of compliance.
I The order of compliance may,in the reasonable discretion of Animal Control,
require that:
1. When outside of the walls of the owner's or harborer's home,the dog shall
be confined in pen as set forth in the definition of"pen"in this section
except when entering or exiting the pen.
2. It shall be unlawful for a vicious dog to be outside of a dwelling or
enclosure unless it is necessary for the owner or harborer thereof to obtain
veterinary care for the vicious dog or to sell or give away the vicious dog
or to comply with commands or directions of Animal Control with respect
to the vicious dog. In such event,the vicious dog shall be securely
muzzled and restrained with a chain leash not exceeding four(4)feet in
length, and shall be under the direct control and supervision of an
individual capable of restraining and controlling the vicious dog.
3. The owner's harborer's home and the dog's pen shall be posted with
firmly attached and prominently displayed signs warning the public that
the dog is dangerous or vicious. These signs shall be furnished by the city
of Van Buren and will be distributed upon payment of any license fee
required to be paid pursuant to this ordinance.
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4. The owner or harborer of a vicious dog shall provide proof upon request
by an Animal Control or law enforcement officer of liability insurance in
the amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) covering harm done
by the dog.
5. The owner or harborer of a vicious dog shall provide proof upon request
by an Animal Control or law enforcement officer that the dog has been
spayed or neutered.
K. Upon a determination that a dog:
1. Is a dangerous dog,the owner or harborer shall present the dog for
photographing by Animal Control sufficient to identify the dog for city
records and have a microchip identification implanted by a licensed
veterinarian or any area humane society.
2. Is a vicious dog,the owner or harborer shall present the dog for
photographing by Animal Control sufficient to identify the dog,for city
records, and have a microchip identification implanted by a licensed
veterinarian or any area humane society.
L. By continuing to be an owner or harborer of a dog within the city,which has been
determined to be a dangerous or vicious dog,the owner or dog harborer shall be
deemed to have given implied consent to reasonable inspections by Animal
Control of the dog, of the premises where it is kept, and of documents evidencing
any required liability insurance.
M. If the owner or harborer fails to meet fully Animal Control's requirements for
temporary confinement and restraint, including any schedule of construction of
pen or restraints, or fails to maintain full compliance with the order of
compliance,Animal Control may seize and impound the dog, and may after five
(5)business days humanely destroy it,unless the owner or harborer has
demonstrated full obedience to the requirements for temporary confinement and
the order of compliance, in which case the dog may be returned after payment of
all impoundment costs and fees.
N. A determination that a dog is dangerous or vicious shall stand until Animal
Control determines otherwise by written finding.
O. No person shall be an owner or harborer of or cause to be in the city:
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1. Any dog determined to be a dangerous dog by Animal Control unless an
annual special license fee of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) shall
have been paid to the city; or
2. Any dog classified vicious by Animal control unless an annual special
license fee of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) shall have been paid to
the city. No such license shall be issued except upon proof of paid annual
liability insurance in the amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00)
as required by this ordinance.
P. The owner or harborer of a dog in violation of any provision of this section shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and,upon conviction thereof, shall be
punished by the assessment of a fine up to Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00)per
occurrence.
Q. If a complaint has been filed in the District Court against the owner or harborer of
an impounded dog for violation of this section,it shall not be released except on
the order of the court,which order may also direct the owner or harborer to pay a
fine and all impoundment fees. Upon finding that the dog is vicious,the court
may order it to be euthanized in a humane manner. Surrender of a dog by the
owner or harborer thereof to Animal Control shall not render the owner or
harborer immune from the fines and fees of this article.
R. An owner or harborer of a dangerous or vicious dog,who desires to transfer
possession of the dog shall, at least three(3) days prior to the transfer, complete
and return a notarized transfer form provided by Animal Control.
S. Any notice required under this article shall be deemed delivered:
1. Five(5)business days after being mailed,first class postage prepaid,to
the residential or business address of the owner or harborer;
2. Twenty-four(24)hours after being posted at the location where the dog is
held, unless it is impounded by the city; or
3. Upon hand delivery to the owner or harborer.
T. It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution under this article that the dog:
1. Is owned by a law enforcement agency and used for law enforcement
purposes; or
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2. Directed its behavior at a person who was committing a willful trespass or
other tort upon the property of the owner; or
3. Directed its behavior at a person who was committing a violent offense to
the owner or dog when off the owner's property,but under restraint; or
4. At the time of its behavior was in custody of a veterinarian or animal
shelter.
U. It shall be unlawful for any dog owner or harborer knowingly to allow such dog to
run at large within the corporate limits of the city.
V. For the purposes of this section"pen" shall mean an enclosure for domestic
animals meeting the following requirements:
1. The minimum pen size shall be 4' x 6' or twenty-four(24) square feet for
one dog under fifty(50)lbs. For dogs over fifty(50)lbs.,the minirnum
pen size shall be 5' x 10' or fifty(50) square feet.
2. In all pens, each dog housed therein shall have room to stand,lie down,
turn around and site normally away from its own waste;this requires a
minimum of 4'x 6'. A pen 5' x 10' shall hold no more than one(1)large,
or two (2)medium, or three(3) small breed dogs.
3. All pens shall be a minimum of six(6) feet in height.
4. All pens surrounded on all sides and top by chainlink fencing of at least
No. 9 guage,with steel ties,maximum 2.5 inch mesh,with concrete or
similar flooring or with side fencing buried 18 inches into the ground, and
with gates padlocked.
W. All other provisions of this article notwithstanding, any vicious dog, for which an
order of compliance has been issued,but which is thereafter found outside the
walls of the owner's or harborer's home or pen, shall be humanely destroyed five
(5) days from the time of notification of the owner or harborer as set forth in
6.04.08 of the Van Buren Municipal Code. (Ord.No.2007-8, See.l.)
6.04.12 Interfering with Animal Control Officer No person shall interfere with,hinder or
molest the Animal Control Officer in the performance of any duty of such officer, or shall
release, or attempt to release, or remove, any animal from the City Animal Impoundment except
by the procedure provided for in Section 6.04.08 herein. Any person found in violation of this
Section shall be subject to a fine of between$25.00 and$100.00. (Ord.No. 92-31, Sec. 2.)
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6.04.13 Field of Dreams Notwithstanding any existing ordinances or regulations to the
contrary, effective May 1, 2011, no person shall bring onto or allow onto the Van Buren Field of
Dreams, any dog, with the exception of service dogs for the vision impaired or other qualifying
disability at any time. Violations of this provision will be subject to fines of no more than Two
Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00). Each occurrence constitutes a separate violation of this
ordinance. (Ord. No. 2011-5, Sec. 1.)
CHAPTER 6.08
OTHER ANIMALS AND FOWL
Sections:
6.08.01 Horses and cows
6.08.02 Hogs, goats and sheep
6.08.03 Diseased animals
6.08.04 Releasing animals
6.08.05 Fowl
6.08.06 Cruelty to animals
6.08.07 Wild and exotic animals
6.08.01 Horses and cows
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, maintain within the corporate limits of
the city, any cows and/or horses without a conditional use permit, and as
otherwise provided in this chapter. The violation of this section is hereby
declared to be a misdemeanor. It shall be the duty of the proper law enforcement
official to enforce the provisions hereof. (Ord. No. 2018-31, Sec. 1.)
B The Van Buren Planning Commission shall reference the Natural Resource
Conservation Service as a guide when determine the appropriate size of land
required for the animals to be kept. (Ord. No. 2018-31, Sec. 1.)
C The keeping of horses and cows in enclosures as herein provided within the limits
of the city shall be under the supervision and control of the proper law
enforcement official. Should any of the enclosures become harbors for breeding
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flies, mosquitoes and rats,or should they become unsanitary, obnoxious, unhealthful and/or
discomforting to any of the citizens of the city because of conditions created by keeping of said
animals, the proper law enforcement official, upon investigating and finding any such conditions
to exist, shall serve written notice on the owners or keepers of the premises as to the conditions
thereof by delivering a copy of the notice to the owner or keeper, or by posting same in a
conspicuous place on the premises, and if within five (5) days after service of notice said owner
or keeper has not corrected the conditions the city attorney is authorized to institute an action in a
court of competent jurisdiction to abate same as a nuisance.
6.08.02 Hogs, goats and sheep.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any hogs, goats or sheep within the
city without a conditional use permit, in an established stockyard and as provided
in Section B, and as otherwise provided in this chapter. (Ord. No. 2018-31, Sec.
2.)
B.
1. The Van Buren Planning Commission shall reference the Natural
Resource Conservation Service as a guide when determining the
appropriate size of land required for the animals to be kept.
2. The keeping of sheep and goat in enclosures as herein provided within the
Emits of the city shall be under the supervision and control of the proper
law enforcement official. Should any of the enclosures become harbors
for breeding flies, mosquitoes, and rats, or should they become unsanitary,
obnoxious, unhealthful and/or discomforting to any of the citizens of the
city because of conditions created by keeping of said animals, the proper
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law enforcement official, upon investigating and finding any such
conditions to exist, shall serve written notice on the owners or keepers of
the premises as to the conditions thereof by delivering a copy of the notice
3. to the owner or keeper, or by posting same in a conspicuous place on the
premises, and if within five (5) days after service of notice said owner or
keeper has not corrected the conditions, the permit shall be immediately
revoked. Said owner or keeper shall not apply for another permit for a
period of one (1) year after said revocation.
(Ord. No. 2000-16, Sec. 1.) (Former Secs. 2 and 5 repealed by Ord. No.
2018-31, Sec. 2.)
6.08.03 Diseased animals. No person shall be allowed to transport into this city any animal
affected with a contagious disease.
6.08.04 Releasing animals It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly release any
animal in any public place within the corporate limits of the city.
6.08.05 Fowl. It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having control of any
chickens, turkeys, or other fowl to allow the same to run at large within the city.
6.08.06 Cruelty to animals. If any person shall drive, overload, torture,torment, deprive
of necessary sustenance or cruelly beat or needlessly mutilate or kill any animal, he shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.
6.08.07 Wild and exotic animals
A. No person shall keep or permit to be kept on his premises any wild, exotic or
dangerous animal for display or for exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or
for a fee. This section shall not be construed to apply to zoological parks,
performing animal exhibitions, circuses, veterinary clinic or hospital, or facility
for education or scientific purposes, however, such parks, exhibitions and
facilities shall use protective devises adequate to prevent such animals from
escaping or injuring the public.
B. No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild, exotic or dangerous animal as
a pet.
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A. Wild, exotic or an dangerous animal means animal which is not commonly
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domesticated, or which is not native to North America, or which,irrespective of
geographical origin,is of a wild or predatory nature, or any other animal which
because of its size, growth,propensity,vicious nature or other.characteristics,
would constitute an unreasonable danger to human life,health or property if not
kept,maintained or confined in a safe and secure manner,including those animals
which, as a result of their nature or wild condition, cannot be vaccinated
effectively for rabies.
B. Wild, exotic or dangerous animals shall include,but not be limited to, alligators
and crocodiles,monkeys and other non-human primates,raccoons, skunks,
porcupines,wolf, fox, coyote,bears,venomous snakes and lizards,venomous fish
and piranha,weasels,wolverines,ferrets,badgers, cheetahs, cougars,leopards,
lions, lynx,panthers,mountain lions,tigers,wild cats,bob cats,birds.of prey, and
fighting cocks and fighting game birds. (Ord.No. 23-94, Sec. 1.)
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