Animal Licenses

Dog and Cat Licenses: Any owner of a dog or cat within the city limits is required to license their pet the first of each year, or at any time a pet has come into the possession or ownership of the applicant or which pet has reached the age of six months. The owner will need to provide the breed, sex, age, color, markings and name of each pet, the address of the owner and provide the most recent rabies vaccination, the type of vaccine administered and the date the dog or cat shall be revaccinated. A written certificate from a licensed veterinarian shall be required to prove that a dog or cat is incapable of breeding and has been vaccinated for rabies. The fees for licensing dogs and cats are as follows:

Date                                                                                             Altered            Unaltered
January 1 – March 31                                                               $5.00                 $10.00
April 1 – December 31                                                              $10.00               $20.00

Upon payment of the license fee the owner will be provided a license which will be in the form of a metal tag. The tag must be attached to the collar of the dog or cat and be kept on the animal at all times. The license expires on January 1st the year following the issuance of the license. Duplicate licenses are issued at a cost of $2.00. No license is required if the owner of said dogs or cats has a valid State pet shop license, State Boarding Kennel Operator’s License, State Commercial Kennel License, State Hobby Kennel License, State Commercial Breeder’s License, or State Dealer’s License.

5-1A-2: Licenses Required:

Annual License: The owner of all dogs and cats, six (6) months old or older, shall annually obtain a license therefor as hereinafter provided.

Application By Owner: The owner of a dog or cat, for which a license is required, shall on or before January 1 of each year apply to the city clerk for a license for each dog or cat owned by said owner. Such application or license may be made after January 1, and at any time, for a dog or cat which has come into the possession or ownership of the applicant, or which has reached the age of six (6) months after said date.

License Fees:

  1. The annual license fee shall be five dollars ($5.00) for each altered dog or cat. The annual license fee shall be ten dollars ($10.00) for each unaltered dog or cat. After March 31 of each year, there shall be a penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) and twenty dollars ($20.00) respectively.
  2. Duplicate licenses shall be issued at a cost of two dollars ($2.00).
  3. The city license fee shall be waived for all dogs or cats if the owner of said dogs or cats has a valid state pet shop license, state boarding kennel operator's license, state commercial kennel license, state hobby kennel license, state commercial breeder's license or state dealer's license for said dogs or cats.
  4. The owner of all dogs or cats six (6) months old or older must comply with all the provisions of this article including the obtaining of rabies vaccination and license tag even though the license fee has been waived. A written certificate from a licensed veterinarian shall be required to prove that a dog or cat is incapable of breeding and has been vaccinated for rabies.

Term of License: All licenses shall expire on January 1 of the year following the date of issuance, and a license tag issued for one dog or cat shall not be transferable to another dog or cat. (Ord. 3984, 11-8-1993).

Transfer or Change of Ownership: When the permanent ownership of a dog or cat is transferred, the license for the same may be transferred by the city clerk by the notation on the license record giving name and address of the new owner.

Implied Consent: The application for and the receipt of a license as required herein shall include an implied consent by the owner to permit an inspection of both real and personal property under his control for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this article, including inspection for cruelty to animals or an inspection of sanitary conditions.

Delinquent Licenses: All license fees for dogs or cats become delinquent on April 1 in the year in which they are due and payable, and a penalty shall be added to each unpaid license on or after said date in the like amount of the annual license fee as hereinbefore set out in subsection D of this section. (Ord. 2684, 6-17-1974; amd. Ord. 2727, 1-6-1975; Ord. 2967, 5-22-1978; 2001 Code).

5-1A-5: License Tags:

Required: The city clerk shall, upon receipt of application, payment of license fee and proof of rabies vaccination, provide to the applicant a license which shall be in the form of a metal tag.

Use Of License Tag: Said license tag shall be attached by the owner of a dog or cat to a substantial collar or harness and during the term of license shall be at all times kept on the dog or cat for which the license is issued. On the expiration of the license, the owner shall remove said tag from the dog or cat. (Ord. 2684, 6-17-1974).

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