Know Your Local Pet Laws
We often discuss, cuss and marvel at the animal laws in effect throughout the various local communities in the United States.
Some are comical. Some are virtually unenforceable. Moreover, some are surreal.
I recently took a closer look at the statue in effect for the county where I live and was surprised at the number of easy and perhaps normal ways that animal owners can inadvertently violate the law.
Ordinance No. 93-56. SECTION TEN: GENERAL VIOLATIONS.
1. It shall be unlawful for the owner of an animal to allow or permit his or her animal:
A. To be upon the beaches of the County, whether fettered or unfettered, unless the area has been designated by the Board as suitable for use by such animals, except a certified seeing-eye or hearing-ear dog actually in use by handicapped person, or animals used by law enforcement officers or County ordinance enforcement personnel.
B. To run at large in or upon any public street, road, sidewalk, other public place, or upon private property without the expressed or implied consent, subject to zoning, of the owner or any lessee of such private property.
C. To be within any park or upon public school grounds or public playground in the County, including the exercising of any animal, whether fettered or unfettered, for the purpose of elimination of wastes.
D. To enter any place where food is stored, prepared, served or sold to the public, or any other public building or hall; provided however, that this provision shall not apply to any blind or deaf persons using seeing-eye or hearing-ear dogs, to public building used for animal shows or exhibitions, or to dogs used for enforcement by any law enforcement officer or code enforcement officer.
E. To trespass upon private or public property so as to damage or destroy any property or thing of value, or to defecate and create a sanitary nuisance thereon, including defecating upon roadways, road rights-of-way, sidewalks, or other property so as to create a sanitary nuisance thereon. A sanitary nuisance exists whenever the feces are not immediately removed and properly disposed.
F. To chase, run after, or jump at vehicles or bicycles using any road or road right-of-way.
G. To snap, growl, snarl, jump upon, or otherwise threaten persons lawfully using any road right-of-way.
H. To bark, whine, howl, or cause other objectionable noise, which is offensive and of such a continuous duration of time so as to create a nuisance.
I. To be abandoned and thereby relinquish control of an animal with the intent or purpose of setting the animal at large.
J. To be confined in an unattended motor vehicle without sufficient ventilation or under other conditions for such periods of time as may endanger the health and/or physical well-being of the animal due to heat, lack of potable water, or such other circumstances as may reasonably cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal.
Many of these activities are everyday and ordinary.
Perhaps you should check your local laws to make sure that you are in compliance with your pet and your community.
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