§ 2-4-8. Humane treatment of animals.

(a)

Any person owning, caring for, harboring, or keeping an animal must treat the animal humanely at all times.

(b)

No person shall:

(1)

Breed, own, possess, harbor, keep, or train any animal with the intent that such animal be engaged in animal fighting;

(2)

Build, make, maintain, or keep a pit or other area on premises owned or occupied by him or allow an area to be built, made, maintained, or kept on such premises, for the purposes of animal fighting;

(3)

Own, manage, possess, maintain, sell, or operate any facility, staging equipment, concession equipment, handling equipment, or exhibition equipment related to animal fighting;

(4)

Advertise for the purpose of animal fighting;

(5)

Encourage or instigate animal fighting in any manner; or

(6)

Perform any service, with or without pay, in the furtherance of, or to facilitate, any animal baiting or fighting, including refereeing, advertising, acting as a stakes or security holder of wages, or handling animals intended to be used in fighting.

(c)

Any animal that is confined must be provided appropriate care; sufficient quantities of good and wholesome food and water on a daily basis; kept in a sanitary condition; provided with sufficient room to stand up, turn around, and sit comfortably; proper air ventilation and quality of air; and protection from the elements and from excessive exposure to fleas, ticks, other harmful insects or external parasites.

(d)

Under no circumstances shall a person improperly tether any animal. It shall be unlawful for any owner to tether an animal outdoors, except when all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

The animal is within visual range of the owner, and the owner is located outside with the animal.

(2)

The tether is connected to the animal by a buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather, not less than one inch in width.

(3)

The tether has the following features:

a.

It is at least five (5) times the length of the animal's body, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail;

b.

It terminates at both ends with a swivel;

c.

It does not weigh more than one-eighth the animal's weight; and

d.

Is free of tangles.

(4)

The animal is tethered in such a manner as to prevent injury, strangulation or entanglement.

(5)

The animal is not outside during a period of extreme weather, including without limitation, extreme heat or near-freezing temperatures, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tropical storms or hurricanes.

(6)

The animal has access to water, shelter and dry ground.

(7)

The animal is at least six (6) months of age. Puppies, kittens and other young animals shall not be tethered.

(8)

The animal is not sick or injured.

(9)

Pulley, running line, or trolley systems are at least fifteen (15) feet in length and are less than seven (7) feet off the ground.

(10)

If there are multiple animals, each animal is tethered separately.

(Ord. No. 12-10, § 1, 5-8-12)