§ 13.21. Prohibited acts.

It shall be unlawful for any person who has in his custody or control any animal:

(a)

To permit any animal to enter or remain upon the premises of another within the City without the consent of the owners.

(b)

To permit any animal to enter any place where food is stored, prepared, served or sold to the public, or any public building or hall; provided however, that this Section shall not apply to any person having a disability using a trained guide or support dog, to veterinary offices or hospitals, or to animal shows or exhibitions, petting zoos, carnivals or circuses.

(c)

To permit any animal to run uncontrolled or to trespass on private or public property.

(d)

To permit any animal to damage or destroy any property.

(e)

To permit any dog, cat or other animal to chase, run after or jump at vehicles using the public thoroughfares.

(f)

To permit any dog, cat or other animal to habitually snap, growl, snarl, jump upon or otherwise threaten persons lawfully using any common thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, play area, park or any place where people congregate or walk.

(g)

To permit any dog, cat or other animal to howl, yelp, whine or meow, bark or make noise in such a manner as to disturb any person or neighborhood.

(h)

To allow any place where any animal is or may be kept to become unclean or unsanitary or become offensive to those residing in the vicinity.

(i)

To fail to report an animal bite to the Police Department or other authorized person.

(j)

To permit any dog, cat or other animal upon a public street, sidewalk or highway, or upon any premises other than those of the person owning such dog, cat or other animal unless such dog, cat or other animal is under restraint on a leash securely fastened to a collar or harness. The overall length of the leash including the handle shall not exceed six feet and it shall be held by its owner or other person able to control such dog, cat or other animal, and while lawfully on the premises of the owner, shall not be allowed to come in contact with any person who is not a member of the immediate household.

Guide dogs, support dogs for persons having a disability and guard or police-owned dogs are exempt from this Section; provided that any attack or injury to a person occurs while the dog is performing duties as expected, and further provided that each such dog has been currently inoculated against rabies. It shall be the duty of the owner of such exempted dog to notify the City Clerk of changes of address. In the case of a guard dog, the owner shall keep the City Clerk advised of the location where such dog will be stationed. The City Clerk shall provide the City's Police and Fire Departments with a categorized list of such exempted dogs, and shall promptly notify such Department of any reported address changes.

(k)

To keep or maintain an animal which has been found to be a vicious animal unless such animal is at all times kept in an enclosure or on a run line. Such a vicious animal may be allowed out of the enclosure or off the run line only if it is necessary for the owner or keeper to obtain veterinary care for the vicious animal or to comply with the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and then only if such vicious animal is securely muzzled and under restraint with a chain having a tensile strength of three hundred (300) pounds and not exceeding three feet in length, and is under the direct control and supervision of the owner or keeper of the vicious animal.

(l)

To sell or give away a vicious animal.

(m)

To permit any dangerous animal to leave the premises of its owner when not under control by leash or other recognized control methods.

(n)

To willfully or maliciously torture, beat, kick, strike, mutilate, injure, disable or kill any dog used by the Police Department of the City in the performance of the functions of such Department, or to interfere with or meddle with any such dog while being used by said Police Department or any officer or member thereof in the performance of any of the functions or duties of said Department or of such officer or member.

(o)

To keep, harbor or maintain more than four dogs or four cats or any combination thereof upon any property within the City, provided that a litter may be kept for a period of time not exceeding four months from birth, and further provided that these provisions shall not apply to persons who are licensed to engage in the business of operating a kennel, pet shop, shelter, pound, animal hospital, carnival animal exhibit, circus, or petting zoo or animal ride.

(p)

To keep any stable, poultry yard or other place for the housing of any farm animal except that farm animals may be as part of a licensed circus or petting zoo.

(q)

To keep, harbor, or maintain any non-domesticated animal within the City except as provided herein.

(r)

To keep, harbor, or maintain any pot bellied pig within the City, except that the owner of any potbellied pig who registers ownership of such potbellied pig with the City Clerk on or before August 30, 2000, the name and address of the owner and a description of the pig, including its name, height and weight, may keep, harbor or maintain such potbellied pig within the City, subject to the following conditions:

(1)

Only one potbellied pig may be kept, harbored or maintained in any one residence.

(2)

No such potbellied pig shall be permitted outdoors other than for evacuation of waste material on the premises; during exercise periods on the premises, which exercise periods may not exceed two hours per day; or for transporting such pig to and from the veterinarian and other necessary places. During any such transporting, the pig shall be leashed and under the control of the person in charge of the pig.

(3)

Such potbellied pig shall receive, no less than annually, animal vaccinations for erysipelas and any other appropriate vaccinations from a veterinarian licensed by the State of Illinois. It shall be the responsibility of the owner of such pig and of the property to forward to the City Clerk an erysipelas vaccination certificate and certificates for any other required vaccinations from the veterinarian which shall include the following information:

(A)

Name and address of pig owner;

(B)

Description of the pig, including its weight and height; and

(C)

Date and type of vaccination.

(4)

Such potbellied pig shall be subject to the provisions regarding dangerous and vicious animals and animal bites in Sections 13.21 and 13.31.

(5)

Such pig shall wear a tag which shall identify the name of the owner and the address where the pig is kept.

(6)

Such potbellied pig shall nor be permitted to weigh more than one hundred fifty (150) pounds or to exceed twenty-two (22) inches at the shoulder. When the annual vaccination certificate from the veterinarian is submitted, as required in Subparagraph (3) hereof, the veterinarian shall also provide documentation as to the height and weight of such pig.

(7)

If the owner and the potbellied pig leave the City for a period of six months or more, the keeping, harboring or maintaining of such potbellied pig within the City, shall thereafter be prohibited, and the owner shall be deemed to have abandoned the rights to keep, harbor or maintain such potbellied pig within the City hereunder.

(s)

To cause or permit an animal to be on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by the person in control of such animal, unless such person removes excrement and disposes of same in a proper waste receptacle.

(t)

To hunt and/or trap any animal within the City limits, without first obtaining a license from the Department of Natural Resources or Conservation Officer, unless the homeowner or tenant obtains approval from a Police Department representative for use of City-provided trapping and removal services.

(u)

To place, deposit or bury any dead animal within the City limits, unless the animal weighs under fifteen (15) pounds and then only with the permission of the property owner.

(v)

To keep, harbor or care for any animal which may endanger the safety of persons or property, including but not limited to lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, poisonous reptiles, non-poisonous snakes in excess of three feet length, poisonous insects, wild animals and all animals designated as an endangered species, under state or federal law or regulation, except at a properly maintained zoological park, federally licensed exhibit, circus, scientific or educational institution, research laboratory, veterinary hospital or animal refuge in an escape-proof enclosure. It is no defense to a charge hereunder that the keeper of such an animal has attempted to domesticate it.

(w)

To hinder, molest or interfere with any authorized person or any person empowered to perform any duty required by this Chapter.

(x)

To abandon an animal by failing or refusing to retrieve an animal from a pound.

(Ord. 13-2000 § 1 (part); Ord. 15-2001 § 2)