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Home My WebLink About2188 Amending Animal Control FeesORDINANCE NO. ~lF~ AN ORDINANCE MODIFYING LICENSE, KENNEL, IMPOUND, EUTHANASIA AND SURRENDER FEES FOR ANIltALS; PRO- VIDING FOR SENIOR CITIZEN FEE DISCOUNTS', WAIVERS OF IMPOUND FEES, AND MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER OF CERTAIN CATS AND DOGS; AMENDING SECTIONS 8.04.040, 8.046250, AND 8.04.340 OF THE PORT TOWNSEND MUNICIPAL CODE; ADDING NEW SECTIONS TO CHAPTER 8.04 OF THE PORT TOWNSEND MUNICIPAL CODE; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND, IN REGULAR SESSION ASSEMBLED, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Section 26 of Ordinance 1969, together with Sec-... tion 8.04.040 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code, are each here and hereby amended to read as follows: "8.04.040 Dog License - Fees - Waived when. A. The following fees shall be paid for licenses (upsn).under this chapter: 1. For each dog spayed or neutered (upon proof of spaying or neutering), (~ive) six dollars, except for such dogs owned by a senior citizen the fee shall be ~hree dollars. 2. For each dog not spayed or neutered, (~en) fif- teen dollars. B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, (P~e- ~ e wide~?-~hae) llcens s and tags shall be provided free of charge by the City to hearing aid dogs properly trained to assist the hearing-impaired, and to guide dogs properly trained to assist blind persons when such dogs are actually being 'used to assist the hearing-impaired or blind person in the home or in going from place to place; to dogs being currently trai'ned for such purpose in a school or program approved or accredited by a professional organization or association, either for profit or not for profit; and to young dogs being raised, to be trained on reaching matur- ity as guide dogs, under the 4-H program known as "Guide Dogs for the Blind." Licensing agents, in writing such licenses, shall insert the words "Hearing Aid" or. "Guide Dog" in the space allotted for, and in place of, a stated fee. C. For purposes of this Chapter 8.04, a "senior citi- zen'' means any person aged 62 years or older" ORDINANCE - 1 - Section 2. Section 15 of Ordinance 1969, together with Sec- tion 8.04.250 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code, are each here and hereby amended as follows: "8.04.250 Destruction of injured or diseased animals. (A.) Any animal suffering from serious injury or disease may be d~-~troyed by the impounding authority; provided, that the impound- ing authority shall notify the owner prior to destruction, if the owner is known, and if the owner is unknown, make all reasonable efforts to locate and notify the owner, prior to destruction. Reasonable veterinary consultation and treatment may be acquired at discretion of the impounding officer. B. At the request of the owner~ and'upon satisfactory proof of ownership, the~impounding authority may put to death o~ destroy any dog, cat or other pet suffering from serious injury," old age or disease. C. The followiD~ fees shall be pa~d by the owner of services d~scribed in subsections A and B of this the animal for Section: For each animal destroyed or put to death, twenty dol- l. ars, except for such animals owned by a senior citizen the fee shall be ten dollars." Section 3. Section 21 of Ordinance 1969, together with Sec- tion 8.04'340 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code, are each here and hereby amended as follows: "8.04.340 Redemption and disposition of'animals other than livestock. A. The owner of any animal, except livestock, which is impounded, may redeem it subject to the following condi- tions: 1. (Paymen~_e~_a- ~en- detta~- ~mpeund-~ee- ~ege~he~ wiEh_any_anpald_t~eense-gee-i~-~he-animat-is-a'dsg*) Upon the first impoundment of the animal: a. An impound fee of ten dollars .f~r spayed or neutered cats and dogs:. b. An impound fee of twenty dollars for cats and dogs which are not spayed or neutered. 2. (Paymen~_o~-~h~ee-dotta~s-pe~-~aY-s~-Pa~ ~he~eof_fe~_bea~d_ef_~he_amimat_du~ing_Ehe_impound_pe~ied=) Upon the second impoundment of the animal: a. An impound fee of twenty dollars for spayed or neutered eats and dogs. b. An impound fee of thirty dollars for cats and dogs which are not spayed or neutered. ORDINANCE - 2 - ~.[I% 3. Upon the third impoundment of the animal: a. An ampound fee of thirty dollars for spayed or neutered cats and dogs.~ b. An impound fee of fifty dollars for cats and dogs which are not spayed or neutered. 4. In addition to the impound fees, the owner shall also pay any and all unpaid license fee or fees in the case of a dog. 5. For all impounded animals, five dollars per day after the first twenty-four hours for board, care and feeding of the animal during the impound period shall also be charged a~d paid. B. If the animal is not redeemed by the owner within five days, the impounding authority, after complying with Section 8.04.330, may take the following action: for the owner; Hold the animal for an additional length of time 2. Sell the animal as a pet to another person; or 3. Destroy or otherwise dispose of the animal. C. If the animal is diseased such as to be an imminent threat to the public health or other animals, the animal may be im- mediately destroyed, provided the poundmaster has made a reasonable attempt to locate and notify the owner. Veterinary consultation at the discretion of the poundmaster may be provided. D. For dogs and cats impounded the first time, the pound- master may waiye the impound fee for any such animal which is not spayed or neutered if, prior to the release of the animal, the owner volunteers the animal for spaying or neutering, deposits the fees for the spaying or neutering with the poundmaster, and the animal is spayed or neutered on or before a date specified in writing by the poundmaster or its agent. E. For dogs and cats not spayed or neutered which are im- pounded a third time,' the poundmaster shall require that the animal be spayed or neutered as a condition to its release to the owner on or before a date specified in writing by the poundmaster or its agent, and the owner shall deposit with the poundmaster in addition to any other applicable fees, the fee for spaying or neutering of the animal. F. In connection with the impoundment and redemption of dogs and cats not spayed or neutered, the poundmaster shall also do the following: ORDINANCE - 3 - ~ ~ ~ 1. After the first impound and upon redemption, pro- vide the owner with a notice, in a form established by the pound- master, which shall include an acknowledgement by the owner that it does not want the animal spayed or neutered and have impound fees waived, if such is the case; that the animal will be required to be spayed or neutered upon the third impound of the animal within twelve months; and that the owner will have to pay all applicable fees and spay or neuter fees as a condition to redemption of the animal. Receipt of this notice shall be acknowledged'by the owner in writing prior to redemption of the animal. 2. After the second impound within twelve months of the first, and upon redemption, a copy of the notice set forth in subsection 1 above shall ~gain be provided"to ~the owner', sepcif~ing that this is the second impound within twelve months. The recezpt of' this notice shall be acknowledged by the owner in writing prioz to redemption. 3. After the third impound within twelve months of the first, and upon redemption, a copy of the notice described in subsection 1 and specifying that this is the third impound within sh~ll again be provided to the owner, and shall include a date by whzch the owner shall have the animal spayed or neutered. The re- ceipt of this notice shall be acknowledged by the owner in writing prior to redemption. G. Failure of an owner to have its animal spayed or neu- tered on or before the date specified by the poundmaster pursuant to this section, or failure by the owner to do so as may otherwise be required by this Chapter, shall be a violation and punishable as set forth in Section 8.04.390 of this Chapter. Section 4. There is added to Chapter 8.04 of the Port Town- send Municipal Code a new section to read as follows: "8.04.195 Mandatory spaying or neutering of adopted ani- mals. Any person adopting an unspayed or unneutered dog or cat from any animal shelter, pound, humane society or similar sheller or association in the City, shall have the animal s~ayed or neu- tered on or before the date to be specified in a wrmtten adoption agreement. However, if a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the date specified in the adoption agreement is inappropriate for the animal in question, the adoption agreement may be modified accordingly upon submission of a written statement from a licensed veterinarian to the officer at the shelter or pound who is respon- sible for ensuring compliance with this Section." Section 5. There is added to Chapter 8.04 of the Port Town- send Municipal Code a new section to read as follows: "8.04.255 Owner surrender fees. An owner of any dog, ORDINANCE - 4 - cat or other pet may surrender and relinquish to the poundmaster, and the poundmaster in its discretion may accept ~ny suc~ dog, cat or other'pet to be placed for adoption or other disposition. In the event that such a pet is surrendered to the poundmaster, the poundmaster shall request of the owner a donation'in the amount of twenty dollars per animal, or twenty-five dollars for a litter, to help in covering the costs of advertisement and processin~ of an adoption." Section 6. If any part of this ordinance is held or deter- mined to be invalid or unenforceable by any Court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect and not be affected by such determination of hold- ing. Section 7. This ordinance shall take effect upon its passage, approval and publication in the form and manner provided by law. Read for the first, second and third times, passed by the City Council for the City of Port Townsend and signed by the Mayor this S~ day of June, 1990. Attest: Davi~ve~, i~ty Clerk Appro~.ed as to form: Ke i~t ~C .~'~H~~ t~A t/~ torney Mayor Brent ~ Filed with the City Clerk: ~a~m Passed by the City Council: ~j~ Published: ~R7~' ~ , 1990 , 1990 , 1990 Effective Date: ~0~ /~ , 1990 ORDINANCE - 5 - ~lg{