Cedar Rapids is suggesting some changes in the Pet Ordinance laws.
Why do they always wait until the day before the meeting to make this stuff known? Is is so people have plans and can not attend? It sure seems that way to me.
The meeting is tonight Friday in the community room of
Cedar Rapids police headquarters, 505 First St. SW, beginning at 6:30. It's a two hour meeting. There is also one scheduled for Tuesday 7/27 - Location and time isn't available at this time.
For many of us outside the Cedar Rapids area, this may not seem like it impacts us. IT DOES!! Please read the BLUE Section 4 - 23.05.Many of us leave our dogs in our vehicles when we go to train or show our dogs. We provide sun screens, fans and anything else our dogs may require to keep them comfortable. So,
if you train or show in Cedar Rapids, this impacts YOU!!!The way this reads, you can not take your pet along for any trip if you will be leaving it alone in the vehicle. I'm pretty sure this does NOT mean we will now be able to take our dogs into the "Road Ranger" with us to get a soda! G
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Chapter 23 Ordinance Revision - Summary of Changes
A public hearing has been scheduled for the July 27, 2010 City Council meeting to adopt revisions to Chapter
23, Cats, Dogs and Other Animals. In anticipation of that public hearing, the following is provided as a
summary of the changes proposed within the Ordinance revision.
Licensing
Most municipalities and counties require that its citizens pay a licensing fee for their pets. Some reasons for animal
licensing include Public Health and Safety concerns (licensing requires proof of a valid rabies vaccination), a greater
likelihood of reuniting lost pets with their owners, and a reduction in pet overpopulation through the use of a differential
licensing fee structure.
Outsourcing administration of the licensing program will provide a turnkey solution to managing all functions of an animal
licensing program, thus freeing up animal control personnel to spend time serving citizens and increasing the services
provided to citizens while saving the agency valuable time and money.
Licensing administration services typically consist of the following:
Processing licensing mail
Depositing licensing revenue
Entering licensing and vaccination data
Mailing license tags
Providing customer service to citizens, veterinarians, and agency staff
Collecting and processing tag sales reports from authorized registrars
Maintaining privacy of data according to applicable laws
In order to increase animal licensing and compliance, a licensing administrator can also provide the following services:
Mailing licensing notices and follow-up notices to citizens
Offering online licensing with credit card payment, provided that all documentation requirements can be met
Customizing a website with licensing information and customer service for the citizens of the municipality
Proper licensing results in a reduction in the number of animals which enter animals shelters, and therefore eliminates the expense that would have been associated with the care, feeding, and disposition of these licensed animals. Enforcement of licensing helps to ensure compliance with rabies vaccination requirements, which in turn reduces the probability of an
outbreak of rabies in the local animal population.
Finally, proper education on the benefits of licensing and vaccination generally promotes more responsible pet ownership, resulting in a safer, more informed community.
Recommended licensing fees for both dogs and cats 4 months of age and over are:
$10 annually for altered dogs and cats
$35 annually for unaltered dogs and cats
Exception:Persons sixty-five or older may obtain permanent licenses for spayed or neutered cats or dogs which are valid for the lifetime of the cat or dog; provided, such cat or dog must permanently reside with the license applicant; provided further, no person or persons residing in the same household may obtain more than three such senior citizen pet licenses.
Licenses not renewed by the designated renewal date shall be assessed an additional license fee of $10.00.
Handling fee. Where license application is made to the authorized pet licensing agent, such agent may charge a handling fee, not to exceed $5.00 per license. Where written application is made to the authority's
designees, such
designees may charge a handling fee, not to exceed $5.00 per license. Provided, however, that such fees shall not apply to a blind owner, keeper or
harborer of any dog or cat of a hearing-impaired owner, keeper or
harborer of a hearing-aid dog or other service dog.
Definitions
Some of Chapter 23 definitions needed updating:
1. Use of "dangerous´ or 'vicious´ was often confusing. Not all dogs that bite are 'dangerous´ or 'vicious´. Some bite incidents are accidents. Redefining and clarifying bites into either 'Potentially Dangerous´ or 'Dangerous´ allows officers the latitude to make the appropriate call based on individual situations. It also allows officers to impose certain restrictions on dogs declared 'potentially´ dangerous, such as requiring the animal to where a muzzle when off
the owner¶s property, microchip implantation and registration, or requiring animal behavior or obedience training.
2. The use and reference to Wild and/or Exotic is also clarified, and referenced only in terms of wild animals. While the current ordinance defines Wild/Exotic, it did not prohibit them or provide for a disposition of wild/exotic, thereby defining what a lion, tiger or bear was, but not disallowing the ownership of them within city limits. This has been corrected.
3. Includes definition of Urban Chicken to correspond with new Chapter 23A.
Miscellaneous Updates include:
1. Edits ordinance to 'Manager´ vs. 'Director´
2. Includes 'venomous and constricting snakes´ to list of Wild and Exotic. We currently ban
crocodilians, but do not include venomous and constricting snakes, which are often more of a problem than the
crocodilians. Iowa Code 717F bans most venomous and constricting snakes.
3. Updates of 23.02 Rabies Vaccination and 23.04 Veterinarian Requirements to include that licensed veterinarians shall provide copy of vaccination certificates to animal control division. This will aid in licensing compliance.
4. Section 23.05 Duty of Owner. (i) Prohibits unattended animals left in cars. Animal Control receives dozens of these calls regularly, especially during the summer months. It takes only minutes for a pet left in a vehicle on a warm day to succumb to heatstroke and suffocation. On a 78 degree day, temperatures in a car parked in the shade can exceed 90 degrees -- and hit a scorching 160 degrees if parked in the sun!(j) addresses abandonment.
(k) prohibits ownership of fowl within the city limits without first obtaining a permit.
5. New Section 23.07 Animal Noise. Clarifies what is considered a disturbance, limitation on time and
frequency of noise, and how it will be enforced.
6. Section 23.12 Updates 'Manager´ and enforcement of power to include Animal Control Officers and Police
Officers.
7. Sections 23.20 and 23.21 updates Wild or Exotic and Dangerous language, and provides for a disposition.
8. Section 23.22 is amended by removing 23.22(b)(2) there from. City Attorney¶s office recommends that if alternative relief is sought, such as prohibiting a person from owning animals or putting an animal up for adoption,a municipal infraction should be considered.
9. Section 23.33 Citations for Violations. Authorizes Animal Control Officers to issue citations for violations of
Chapter 23.
10. Sections 23.34 and 23.35 Schedule of Offenses and Fines, and Fees. Per recommendation by City Attorney and City Clerk, removes table of fees from the ordinance, and provides for updates to be passed by resolution.
.JPG)
