[R.O. 2014 §215.010; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
Off of the premises of the owner of the dog and not under
the control of the owner or a member of his/her immediate family,
either by leash or otherwise.
All animals of the canine species, both male and female.
Any person, firm, partnership or corporation owning, harboring
or keeping a dog.
[R.O. 2014 §215.020; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983; Ord. No.
876 §1, 3-25-1999; Ord. No. 1777 § 1, 9-14-2017]
No person shall keep or harbor more than the aggregate total of four (4) adult dogs and/or cats within the City limits of the City of Marshfield, Missouri; provided, however, that in no event shall a dog owner keep or harbor more than one (1) dog determined to be presumptively dangerous pursuant to Section 215.175 of this Code. No dog owner shall keep or harbor any dog above the age of four (4) months within the City limits of Marshfield, unless a license has first been secured. Licenses shall be issued by the City Administrator of the City of Marshfield upon proper application and proof as herein set forth by the owner, at any time during the year to an owner of a dog, and such license shall be required for said dog either immediately after the owner becomes the owner of the dog, or upon said dog attaining the age of four (4) months, whichever comes first. Licenses shall expire on the thirty-first (31st) day of December next following their issuance. Dog licenses and dog tag evidencing said licenses are not transferable.
[R.O. 2014 §215.030; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
Each dog owner shall be responsible to acquire their dog license
on or before the first (1st) day of January of each year. The owner
shall be issued a dog tag upon securing the license. The owner shall
cause the tag to be affixed by a permanent metal fastener to the collar
of the dog so licensed in such a manner that the tag may be easily
seen by officers and employees of the City of Marshfield. The owner
is responsible for seeing that the dog tag is worn by such dog at
all times.
[R.O. 2014 §215.040; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
To be eligible for licensing, each dog within the City limits
of Marshfield, must have been vaccinated against rabies. Prior to
securing a license, the owner shall show proof from a licensed veterinarian
that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies for the period covered
by the license. Upon proof of rabies vaccination the City Administrator
shall keep a listing of licensed dogs by owner and shall procure a
sufficient number of suitable metallic tags, the shape or color of
which shall be different for each year; the City Administrator shall
deliver one (1) appropriate tag to the owner of the dog upon proof
of rabies vaccination and completion of appropriate application form.
Duplicate tags can be provided upon proof of loss of current tags.
[R.O. 2014 §215.050; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to let such dog
run at large, whether bearing a license or not, at any time, within
the City limits of Marshfield, and any dog or dogs found to be running
at large may be impounded by any Police Officer of the City of Marshfield,
or any other designated City official or employee of the City of Marshfield,
or contractor of the City of Marshfield, at the facility used by the
City of Marshfield, for the impounding of dogs. In effecting the capture
of such dogs, the officer aforesaid are authorized and directed to
use traps, nets, tranquilizer guns, or any other humane method.
[R.O. 2014 §215.060; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
Upon taking up and impounding any dogs as herein provided, the
Police Officer, designated City official, or City employee or contractor
who takes up and impounds any dogs shall promptly post on the City
Hall bulletin board a notice of impounding.
[R.O. 2014 §215.070; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983; Ord. No.
876 §2, 3-25-1999]
The date of destruction and disposal of the dog shall be one (1) week after the posting of the notice as set forth in Section 215.060. If a dog is impounded wearing a Marshfield City dog license, a copy of the foregoing notice will be served at the address of the owner as listed on the application for that dog license and an attempt will be made to notify the owner listed on the application for that dog license by telephone.
[R.O. 2014 §215.080; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983; Ord. No.
876 §3, 3-25-1999]
A.
Any
dog may be redeemed from the licensed veterinary facility used by
the City of Marshfield to impound dogs by the owner of the dog within
the time stated in the notice by payment to the City Administrator,
or his/her duly authorized representative, of an impounding fee of
ten dollars ($10.00) plus the boarding charges accrued at the veterinary
facility. There is an additional ten dollars ($10.00) redemption surcharge
for unspayed female dogs.
B.
Upon the presentation of a correct license tag and for the above fees provided in Subsection (A) above, the City Administrator, or his/her duly authorized representative, shall release to any owner the dog claimed by him.
C.
Any dog impounded which is not claimed as provided in Subsections (A) and (B) above, on the fifth (5th) day after impounding, shall be transported and delivered to the Greene County Humane Society in Springfield, Missouri, for adoption and/or destruction as determined by said Greene County Humane Society.
[R.O. 2014 §215.090; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983; Ord. No.
876 §4, 3-25-1999]
A.
It
is hereby made unlawful for any person to take from any dog a tag
legally placed upon it with the intent to place it upon another dog.
B.
It
shall be unlawful to keep or harbor more than the aggregate total
of four (4) adult dogs and/or cats, being dogs or cats above the age
of four (4) months, within the City of Marshfield, or to harbor or
keep any unlicensed adult dog.
[Ord. No. 1803, 6-14-2018]
C.
It
shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to break open the facility
used by the City of Marshfield for the impounding of dogs, or to attempt
to take from any officer, Police Officer, designated City Official,
employee or contractor any dog taken up by him/her in compliance with
this Chapter, or in any manner to interfere with or hinder such officer,
Police Officer, designated City Official, employee or contractor in
the discharge of his/her duties under this Chapter.
D.
Any person, firm, partnership or corporation violating Section 215.050 or any of the provisions of this Section 215.090 of the Marshfield Municipal Code is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
[R.O. 2014 §215.100; Ord. No. 458, 12-22-1983]
The place where dogs are kept or impounded as herein provided
shall be open to inspection during normal business hours by any person
who believes he/she might be the owner or keeper of a dog there impounded.
[R.O. 2014 §215.110; Ord. No. 737 §230.100, 5-25-1995]
A.
The
owner of any dog or cat which, through biting or scratching, breaks
or abrades the skin of any person, regardless of the circumstances
or whether the animal is vaccinated and registered or not, shall be
required to place the animal in a veterinary hospital maintained by
a licensed veterinarian for a period of ten (10) days following the
evening of the day of the bite for clinical observation.
B.
All
expenses shall be borne by the owner of the animal. If such animal
develops symptoms suggestive of rabies, it shall be allowed to die
a natural death or, if the animal should die while in confinement
for any reason, the head of such animal shall be removed and submitted
to any qualified official laboratory. When the Mayor or City Administrator,
or their duly authorized representatives determine that an immediate
examination of animal is proper, in order to provide for adequate
protection of human life or safety, then the animal may be euthanized
for purposes of examination before the lapse of ten (10) days. If
at the end of the ten (10) day period, the animal is alive and in
good health, it may be released to its owner.
C.
All
dogs under clinical observation for rabies must fulfill all other
conditions of this Chapter prior to release.
[R.O. 2014 §215.120; Ord. No. 737 §230.200, 5-25-1995]
A.
Pursuit. Whenever a City Animal Control Officer or Police
Officer of the City shall have reasonable grounds to believe that
a person has been bitten or scratched by a dog, and shall have reasonable
grounds to believe that a particular dog is guilty of having inflicted
the bite or scratch, then such Officer shall be authorized to pursue
such dog onto or into the property of any person whomsoever for the
purpose of taking up such animal and impounding the same, and shall
be authorized to enter any place, building or property of another
when the Officer has reasonable grounds to believe that such dog is
thereon or therein for the purpose of taking up such animal and impounding
the same. Provided however, no Officer shall enter the dwelling place
of another without first giving opportunity to the occupant thereof,
if he/she can be found, to deliver such animal. It shall be unlawful
for any person to interfere with any Officer proceeding in accordance
with the provisions of this Section.
B.
Impoundment And Notification Of Owner. When any such Officer
shall have impounded any dog, it shall be the duty of the Animal Control
Officer of the City of Marshfield, Missouri, to immediately notify
the owner, if he/she is known, of such dog and it shall be the duty
of such owner to comply with the provisions of this Section.
C.
Search Warrant. Whenever the Animal Control Officer of the
City of Marshfield, Missouri, or a Police Officer of the City of Marshfield
shall have probable cause to believe that an animal has bitten or
scratched a person, such Officer may, in addition to other remedies
provided in this Section, request that a warrant be issued to search
for and seize such animal pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.
[R.O. 2014 §215.130; Ord. No. 737 §230.300, 5-25-1995]
Any dog which exhibits clinical symptoms suggestive of rabies
as determined by any licensed veterinarian, the City Administrator,
the City Animal Control Officer, or any Police Officer of the City
of Marshfield, Missouri, shall be impounded on or off the property
of the owner. This animal shall be held for ten (10) days in an impoundment
from which it cannot escape and from which it cannot make physical
contact with any other animal. All expenses of said impoundment shall
be borne by the owner of the animal. If the animal is alive and in
good health at the end of said ten (10) day period, it shall be returned
to the owner after payment by the owner of all costs associated with
said impoundment.
Whenever any dog has been bitten by, fought with, or has been
substantially exposed to any dog affected with rabies, it shall be
the duty of the owner, or person in charge thereof, forthwith to kill
such exposed dog or have it immunized against rabies at the owner's
or custodian's expense, by the administration of antirabic virus by
a licensed veterinarian.
Whenever rabies becomes prevalent in the City, the Mayor and/or
City Administrator shall, according to the necessity of the case,
issue a quarantine order, requiring every owner or person in charge
of any dog or dogs within the limits of the City, to either kill or
impound his/her dog or dogs, or to have such dog or dogs immunized.
Said order shall be published once in the paper officially publishing
the business of the City; and in the absence of such paper, shall
be posted as in case of sales of personal property. The Mayor and/or
City Administrator is authorized by proclamation, to terminate any
such quarantine whenever, in his/her judgment, the necessity for it
no longer exists.
