(a) No person shall own, harbor, keep, or shelter a dog more than four months of age within the City without purchasing a license for the dog, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, from the Animal Care and Control Division, from a City agency or department authorized to accept payment for a City dog license, or from a non-profit organization authorized to accept payment for a City dog license. A person must be 18 years of age or older to obtain a City dog license.
(b) In accordance with Section 6-5-4(a) of this Code, the Animal Care and Control Division, or any City agency or department authorized to accept payment for a City dog license, or a non-profit organization authorized to accept payment for a City dog license, shall not issue more than two dog licenses for a residence within the City unless the applicant for a license presents a signed notarized statement indicating whether one or more dogs previously licensed at the residence:
(1) Has died;
(2) Has been sold or has been permanently transferred to a person not at the same residence or to an agency or organization; or
(3) Has escaped or reported stolen and has not been located by the owner for at least a two-month period.
(c) The Animal Care and Control Division is authorized to impound, sell, euthanize, or dispose of any unlicensed dog consistent with the Michigan Dog Law of 1919, being MCL 287.261 et seq., and this chapter. Where any stray dog is captured by the Animal Care and Control Division and is duly licensed in compliance with this chapter, the dog may be released to the owner upon payment of any fees, including impoundment charges, if any, which are established and approved in accordance with Section 6-1-4(k) of this Code, provided, that the dog has not been declared a public nuisance under Section 6-1-7 of this Code, or issued a potentially dangerous animal, dangerous animal or vicious animal determination pursuant to Article III of this Code, and the release of the dog to the owner would be consistent with protecting public health and safety.
(d) Where any stray dog is captured by the Animal Care and Control Division and is not duly licensed in compliance with this chapter, the dog shall only be released to its owner upon settlement of any other violation or penalty that is provided for in Section 6-1-3 of this Code, payment of license fee, and either:
(1) Proof of rabies vaccination as described in Section 6-5-2 of this Code; or
(2) Payment of costs associated with vaccination performed by the Animal Care and Control Division.
(e) An animal owner, harborer, keener or person who has custody of an animal shall update the information provided on a license application in the event any of the information changes, including but not limited to the street address where an animal is located. The updated information shall be filed with the Animal Care and Control Division, or with any authorized City agency or department, or with a nonprofit organization authorized by the City to issue a dog license.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).
(a) Any dog over the age of four (4) months that is owned, harbored, kept, or sheltered within the City shall at all times be vaccinated against rabies, unless a written statement, renewable each year by a veterinarian is produced by such owner showing that the dog should not be vaccinated. Any owner or person harboring keeping, or sheltering a dog within the City shall have the duty, upon demand by the Animal Care and Control Division or by any authorized agent of the Animal Care and Control Division, to produce a proof of vaccination against rabies. A proof of vaccination against rabies shall consist of a written certificate or statement signed by a licensed veterinarian, and shall state the owner’s name and address, a description of the dog, including the breed, sex, and age of the dog, the date of vaccination, the type of vaccine used, and the date re-vaccination is due. One copy of the certificate or statement shall be forwarded by the veterinarian signing such document to the Animal Care and Control Division in a manner as prescribed by the City.
(b) The Animal Care and Control Division shall provide a licensed veterinarian to vaccinate a dog, without payment of a fee, where:
(1) The owner, as determined by the Animal Control Division, is an indigent person who is unable to pay;
(2) The owner presents proof of the current receipt of state or local public assistance; or
(3) The owner’s income consists entirely of benefits under the Social Security Act or the Railroad Retirement Act, or benefits from, the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, provided, that waiver of payment for a dog vaccination shall apply to only one dog per residence.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).
(a) An application for a City dog license may be filed with the Animal Care and Control Division, or with any authorized City agency or department, or with a nonprofit organization authorized by the City to issue a dog license, by a person 18 years of age or older who presents a valid government issued identification card.
(b) The application for a dog license shall state:
(1) The full name of the owner of the dog;
(2) The age, breed, color, markings, name, and sex of the dog; and
(3) The name and address of the last previous owner of the dog, if applicable.
(c) The application for a dog license shall be accompanied by a license fee that is established and approved in accordance with Section 6-1-4(k) of this Code and a valid certificate of a current vaccination for rabies with a vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture that is signed by a licensed veterinarian. A license for a dog may only be issued without such certification in accordance with Section 6-5-2 of this Code.
(d) Where the required application for a dog license has been completed and the license fee paid, the Animal Care and Control Division, or any authorized City agency or department or non-profit organization authorized by the City, shall cause to be issued to an applicant an annual license to harbor, keep, or shelter a dog within the City for the term commencing at the date of the issuance of the license and expiring one year from the date of the rabies vaccination.
(e) All dog licenses, which are required under this article for any dog that is a service animal, shall be issued for the life of the dog.
(f) The Animal Care and Control Division may transfer a license from an animal in the care of a rescue organization under Article VI of this Chanter to a person upon proof of adoption of the animal.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).
(a) The Animal Care and Control Division, any authorized City agency or department, or any non-profit organization authorized to issue a City dog license, shall at the time of and before issuing a dog license and for each renewal, collect from each applicant a license fee, which is established and approved in accordance with Section 6-1-4(k) of this Code, for each altered dog with a surcharge to be established for each dog not altered. Licenses renewed more than 30 days after expiration or obtained more than 30 days after newly acquiring a dog shall incur a penalty of double the applicable license fee. When the license is issued from a non-profit organization authorized to issue a City dog license, the organization is authorized to deduct a portion designated by the City for each license so issued to pay the organization for the administrative costs inclined, before forwarding the balance of the license fee to the Animal Care and Control Division.
(b) A schedule that contains the license fees shall be posted at locations where City dog licenses are issued.
(c) A dog license for a dog that is a service animal shall be issued without any charge to the owner.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).
(a) The dog license issued by the Animal Care and Control Division shall consist of a metal tag which shall have stamped or engraved thereon the year issued. The license tags delivered shall be approved by the Animal Care and Control Division before delivery. The shape and style of the license tags shall be changed annually. License tags will be attached to a substantial collar harness of durable material. Other than those provided for in this section or required by Section 6-3-2(a)6 or(7), no official license tags shall be used on the collar or harness of any dog. This requirement does not prohibit the placement of private identification tags on any animal.
(b) No person shall remove the collar or harness, with the license tag attached, from any dog without consent of the owner or the party to whom the license for the dog is issued, provided, that an animal control officer may remove a collar or harness from an impounded dog for the purpose of identification, or for the safety, of the dog.
(c) A collar or harness, with license tag attached, shall be worn at all times by a dog, when the dog is on any street, highway, or public place within the City.
(d) Upon satisfactory proof that the license tag, as required in this section, has been lost, the Animal Care and Control Division, or other agency authorized by the City to issue dog licenses, is authorized to issue a duplicate license tag upon the payment of a license replacement fee that is established and approved in accordance with Section 6-1-4(k) of this Code.
(e) Dog licenses or license tags issued under this section are not transferable between dogs or between owners.
(f) The Animal Care and Control Division is authorized to implant and utilize microchips to identify licensed dogs and to collect a fee that is established and approved in accordance with Section 6-1-4(k) of this Code for such services.
(g) Any person owning any a dog which has been implanted with a microchip pursuant to this section shall transfer in writing the microchip registration with the Animal Care and Control Division upon the barter, gift, sale, trade or other transfer of the dog.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).
(a) No person shall breed or own an unaltered female dog that produces a litter of puppies without obtaining a breeders permit from the Animal Care and Control Division.
(b) The Animal Care and Control Division shall issue a breeders permit upon receipt of a completed application form, verification of current licensing and vaccination records, and payment of the applicable fee.
(c) The breeders permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and allow for a maximum of two litters per female dog.
(d) The Animal Care and Control Division may revoke a breeders permit for failure to adhere to this Section.
Codified by Ord. No. 28-19 (JCC. 7/23/19, Pass. 9/10/19, App. 9/11/19, Pub. 9/20/19, Eff. 10/1/19); Amended by Ord. No. 2020-5 (JCC. 1/28/20, Pass. 2/25/20, App. 2/26/20, Pub. 3/25/20, Eff. 9/27/20).