Sec. 3-8. Animal care.
(a) A dog, cat or ferret, three (3) months of age or older must have been vaccinated against rabies by a licensed and accredited veterinarian yearly.
(b) No owner shall fail to provide his animals with sufficient wholesome and nutritious food, water in sufficient quantities, proper air, shelter space and protection from weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering and humane care and treatment.
(c) No person shall beat, cruelly ill-treat, torment, overload, overwork or otherwise abuse an animal or cause, instigate or permit any dogfight, cockfight, bullfight, or other combat between animals or between animals and humans.
(d) No owner of an animal shall abandon such animal.
(e) No person shall crop a dog's ears or dock a dog's tail except a licensed veterinarian. In no event shall any person except a licensed veterinarian perform such an operation.
(f) Chickens, ducklings, or rabbits younger than eight (8) weeks of age may not be sold in quantities of less than twenty-five (25) to a single purchaser.
(g) No person shall give away any live animal, reptile or bird as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game or other competition, as an inducement to enter a place of amusement or as an incentive to enter into any business agreement whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade.
(h) No person shall expose any known poisonous substance, whether mixed with food or not, so that the same shall be liable to be eaten by an animal, provided that it shall be lawful for a person to expose on his property common rat poison mixed only with vegetable substance, or any other substance commonly sold commercially to the general public to eliminate moles, shrews, bees, wasps, etc.
(i) No person or persons shall confine any animal in a motor vehicle in such a manner that places it in a life or health threatening situation by exposure to a prolonged period of extreme heat or cold, without proper ventilation or other protection from such heat or cold. In order to protect the health and safety of an animal, an Animal Control officer, law enforcement officer or other investigator, who has probable cause to believe that this Section is being violated shall have authority to enter such motor vehicle by any reasonable means under the circumstances after making a reasonable effort to locate the owner or person. The animal's owner shall be liable for any cost incurred for removal of the animal.
(j) Facilities (outdoors).
(1) When sunlight is likely to cause overheating or discomfort, sufficient shade shall be provided to allow animals kept outdoors to protect themselves from the direct rays of the sun.
(2) Whenever animals are outdoors, they shall be provided with access to shelter to allow them to remain dry during rain or snow.
(3) In kennels where animals are housed exclusively outdoors, adequate shelter from the weather shall be provided when the atmosphere temperature falls below fifty (50) degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Sufficient clean bedding material or other means of protection from the weather elements shall be provided when the ambient atmosphere temperature falls below (that temperature to which an animal is acclimated) forty (40) degrees Fahrenheit. Each shelter shall be provided with a windbreak at its entrance.
(4) A suitable method shall be provided to drain surface water rapidly.
(5) Surfaces of outdoor enclosures of pet shops, shelters, and boarding kennels shall be constructed and maintained so that they are impervious to moisture and may be readily cleaned and disinfected; run off from outdoor enclosures shall be disposed of properly.
(k) Primary enclosures.
(1) Primary enclosures shall be structurally sound and maintained in good repair so as to:
a. Contain the animals.
b. Protect animals from injury.
c. Keep predators out.
d. Ensure that animals remain dry and clean.
e. Permit animal's convenient access to food and water as required by these rules.
f. Provide sufficient space for each animal to turn about freely and to stand, sit, and lie in a comfortable normal position.
g. Have no sharp edges accessible to the animals that could cause injury.
(2) In addition to the other provisions of this section, each dog in any primary enclosure shall be provided a minimum square footage of floor space equal to the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, plus six (6) inches, expressed in square feet.
(3) Animals housed in the same primary enclosure shall be maintained in compatible groups, with the following additional restrictions:
a. Females shall not be housed in the same primary enclosure with sexually intact males, except for breeding purposes.
b. Any animal exhibiting a vicious disposition shall be housed individually in a primary enclosure.
c. Immature animals shall not be housed in the same primary enclosures with adults other than their mothers, except when permanently maintained in breeding colonies.
d. Animals of different species shall not be housed in the same primary enclosures.
(4) The floors of primary enclosures shall be constructed so as to protect the animal's feet and legs from injury. Enclosures may have grid type flooring, provided that the grid material is of adequate gauge to prevent sagging under the weight of the animals and that the mesh is small enough to prevent their feet from passing through or to cause cutting injuries to the foot pad.
(5) Adult dogs confined in cages of less than double the minimum standard size as stated in subsection (2) above, shall be exercised in runs at least twice a day or walked on a leash for at least twenty (20) minutes per day.
(6) Animals shall not be tied to fences or cages or any other structure in lieu of being housed in primary enclosures.
(7) Animals shall not be kept in any vehicle in lieu of being kept in a suitable primary enclosure.
(l) Structures.
(1) Weatherproof. Shelter must be of solid construction. There shall be no cracks or openings other than the entrance. The shelter shall not have any metal or plastic primary interior surfaces. Commercially made shelters with insulation material between the inner and outer layers of fiberglass/plastic construction are generally acceptable.
(2) Elevated. Floor must be off the ground by at least two (2) inches.
(3) Door flap. Entrance must be covered with a flexible flap and/or entrance placed down wind when necessary to protect the animal from the elements of the weather.
(4) Bedding. Bedding must be dry. Straw, leaves, hay, cedar chips or other material must be provided as needed during cold and inclement weather.
(5) Size. Large enough to allow the animal to enter, stand, turn around and lie down comfortably. Small enough to allow the animal to warm the interior with its body.
(6) If a chain, rope or other such item is used to restrain the animal, it shall be of sufficient length to safely and humanely allow the animal freedom of movement without becoming entangled with obstructions. It must be of sufficient length to allow the animal access to shelter at all times.