It is the duty of all persons owning or keeping a dog over four months of age, or a cat over four months of age, to have such animal vaccinated against rabies. The rabies vaccination shall be given in an amount sufficient to provide immunities from rabies for one year and shall be administered by a licensed veterinarian. A certificate from a licensed veterinarian shall be furnished the City Clerk or, upon request, shown to an Animal Control Officer or police officer. If the rabies inoculation is effective for a period in excess of one year, the certificate shall so state.
The Police Department shall cause to be investigated reports of animal bites. If an animal has bitten a person, the Police Department shall notify the owner of the animal and the animal shall be delivered promptly to a licensed veterinarian, who shall confine or cause to be confined such animal as provided in the Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 510/1 et seq.).
Every owner of an animal in the City shall comply with the Animal Control Act of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (510 ILCS 5/1 et seq.).
Any person in control of a female dog or cat in heat shall confine such dog or cat in an enclosed area so as to preclude other dogs or cats from coming in contact with such female except for planned breeding. Any cat allowed to run at large shall be neutered at the expense of the owner.
[Amended 3-9-2004 by Ord. No. 3-2004]
(A) 
Any person owning any dog or cat four months of age or older within the City limits shall obtain a license for each such animal prior to the commencement of the upcoming license year or, if such animal is acquired or becomes subject to licensure after the commencement of the license year, then no later than 10 days thereafter. Animal licenses shall be valid from each July 1 of a calendar year to June 30 of the following calendar year. A written application for such license shall be made to the City Clerk and shall state the name, address, and telephone number of the owner, and the name, breed, color, age and sex of the animal, the applicable rabies inoculation certificate number, and any other information deemed necessary by the City Clerk. A current rabies inoculation certificate shall be required at the time of the application which shall certify that the inoculation is effective upon payment of a license fee. The City Clerk shall issue a memorandum of registry and tag for each animal licensed. No tag issued shall be transferable.
[Amended 5-12-2015 by Ord. No. 3-2015]
(B) 
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal required to be licensed to keep such animal within the City unless it wears a collar with the animal license tag for the current license year attached at all times the animal is off the premises of the owner.
(C) 
The City Clerk shall keep a complete registry of all licensed animals, describing the same by name, species, breed, color, and sex; the name, address, and telephone number of the owner as given; and the number of the rabies inoculation certificate and license tag.
(D) 
Animals belonging to nonresidents keeping animals temporarily within the corporate limits of Hometown shall be exempt from this section; provided, however, that such animals have a license from the jurisdiction of the owner, if required, and that all the other provisions of this chapter are complied with.
(E) 
The annual license fee applicable to each animal shall be as set forth in Chapter 11, Article 1, § 11.17, of the City Code. There shall be imposed a late fee in the amount of 100% of the annual license fee on those persons purchasing a license after the commencement of the license year, or after the ten-day period referenced in Subsection (A), as may be applicable. Replacement tags may be purchased from the City Clerk at a cost as set forth in Chapter 11, Article 1, § 11.17. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no license fee shall be charged to an owner of a police dog or a dog used to assist the visually impaired.
[Amended 5-12-2015 by Ord. No. 3-2015[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 30, General Provisions, Art. 2).
(A) 
Each owner shall provide for each of his animals:
(1) 
Sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and water.
(2) 
Adequate shelter and protection from the weather.
(3) 
Veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering.
(4) 
Humane care and treatment.
(B) 
No person shall leave any animal unattended in a motor vehicle or enclosed trailer when the outside temperature shall exceed 30° C. (86° F.) or contain any animal in such manner that said animal does not have proper air circulation while confined in a motor vehicle, trailer, kennel, dog house, or any type of container or structure in which an animal may be confined.
No owner shall permit or suffer his animal to:
(A) 
Molest persons or vehicles by chasing or barking or biting.
(B) 
Attack other animals.
(C) 
Damage property other than that of the owner.
(D) 
Bark, whine, or howl excessively.
(E) 
Create noxious or offensive odors.
(A) 
It shall be unlawful for any owner or person in control ("owner") of a dog, cat or other domesticated animal to:
(1) 
Allow the animal to run at large or upon any public premises within the City. Any animal in public shall be on a leash no longer than eight feet in length controlled by a responsible party. Any animal illegally running at large shall be impounded by the City or its designee.
(2) 
Allow any animal in any park or area used for recreational purposes.
(B) 
Removal of waste.
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, keeps, maintains, harbors or walks a dog or cat to be on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such person unless such dog or cat is accompanied by a person who has in his possession a device for the removal of excrement and a depository for the transmission of excrement to a receptacle located upon property owned or possessed by such person.
(2) 
It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, keeps, maintains, harbors or walks a dog or cat to fail to immediately remove excrement left by such dog or cat on property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such person. The excrement shall be removed to a proper receptacle located on property owned or possessed by such person.
(3) 
No person shall allow cat or dog excretion to accumulate in any yard, pen, or premises in or upon which a cat or dog shall be confined or kept to the extent that the stench becomes offensive to those residing in the vicinity or results in a health hazard or nuisance.
(C) 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the blind and visually impaired, persons who are subject to epilepsy or other seizure disorders, or persons with any other physical disability or a trainer of support dogs, guide dogs, seizure-alert dogs, seizure-response dogs, or hearing dogs shall have the right to be accompanied by a support dog or guide dog, especially trained for that purpose, or a dog that is being trained to be a support dog, guide dog, seizure-alert dog, seizure-response dog or hearing dog, in public places or as otherwise allowed by the provisions of the Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq.) and the White Cane Law (775 ILCS 30/1 et seq.).
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 30, General Provisions, Art. 2).
(Reserved)
It shall be unlawful to keep any pigs, swine, sheep, cattle, horses, goats, or similar animals, or any naturally wild animals, within the City, except in zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions, educational institutions, veterinary hospitals, or animal shelters.
(A) 
No person shall keep more than two of the following in the City: guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, or white mice, except under those circumstances enumerated in Subsection (D) or in pet shops.
(B) 
No person shall keep or permit more than two dogs to be or remain in or about any single-family residence, building or lot, or more than one dog in any unit of a multifamily residence within the City, except for the permitted exceptions in § 17.39, Prohibited animals.
(C) 
No person shall keep or permit more than two cats to be or remain in or about any single-family residence, building or lot or more than one cat in any unit of a multifamily residence where cats are allowed out-of-doors. Where cats are not allowed out-of-doors, no more than four shall be allowed in a single-family residence, building or lot, and no more than two in any unit of a multifamily residence, except for the permitted exceptions enumerated in § 17.39, Prohibited animals.
(D) 
The limit on the total number of animals, counting dogs and cats, allowed in a single-family residence is four and a unit of multifamily residence is two.
(A) 
Any animal that repeatedly violates the provisions of this chapter is hereby declared a public nuisance and said animal may be destroyed in a humane fashion.
(B) 
Any dangerous dog or other animal is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. The owner of any dangerous dog or other animal shall keep the same confined in a secure enclosure, or on a leash controlled by the owner or his or her agent at all times, and the owner shall not permit such dog or other animal to be at large within the City.