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Running at Large
Section 2.101.Running at large.A person commits an offense if he owns, keeps, harbors or otherwise has control over any animal within the City and allows or permits such animal to run or be at large within the City. The terms of this section shall not apply to working or herding animals when they are in the performance of their assigned tasks.
Section 2.101.1 An animal, off the premises of its owner, shall be deemed to be running at large under circumstances where the animal is not either restrained by means of a leash, chain or other physical restraint of sufficient strength to control the animal while off the premises of its owner or is not under the immediate control of the owner or other responsible person present with the animal and immediately obedient to that person’s commands. An animal shall be deemed to be running at large, on its owner’s premises, under circumstances where the animal is not confined within a secure enclosure as defined in this ordinance or is not restrained by a leash, rope, chain or other tethering device sufficient to restrain the animal to the owner’s premises. An animal shall be deemed to be running at large if the animal is left unattended in a motor vehicle or the bed of a pickup truck and is not tethered or confined, in compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, so as to prevent the animal from exiting the vehicle of its own volition or posing a risk to passersby.
An animal is not considered to be running at large, either on or off the premises of its owner, if the animal is being physically held by the owner or other responsible person or is in the immediate presence of the owner or other responsible person and is immediately obedient to that person’s command. An animal is not considered to be running at large if it is confined within a motor vehicle or secured within the confines of the bed of a pickup truck, in compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, in such manner that it cannot exit the vehicle by its own volition.
Section 2.101.2 The Animal Control Authority may impound any animal observed to be at large, whether the animal is on public or private property, subject to applicable provisions of the law. If the Animal Control Authority observes an animal to be at large and observes the same animal to return to the property of its owner, the Animal Control Authority may impound the animal for the observed violation and may issue a citation to the owner for the animal running at large. The Animal Control Authority is specifically authorized to enter onto private property, other than a private dwelling, for the purpose of impoundment of an animal observed to be or to have been running at large or for the purpose of issuance of a citation to the owner of the animal or both.
Section 2.101.3 In a prosecution under this section, evidence that an animal was found running at large in violation of this ordinance together with proof that the defendant was the owner of such animal at the time of the violation, shall constitute prima facie evidence that the defendant allowed or permitted the animal to be running at large.
Section 2.101.1 An animal, off the premises of its owner, shall be deemed to be running at large under circumstances where the animal is not either restrained by means of a leash, chain or other physical restraint of sufficient strength to control the animal while off the premises of its owner or is not under the immediate control of the owner or other responsible person present with the animal and immediately obedient to that person’s commands. An animal shall be deemed to be running at large, on its owner’s premises, under circumstances where the animal is not confined within a secure enclosure as defined in this ordinance or is not restrained by a leash, rope, chain or other tethering device sufficient to restrain the animal to the owner’s premises. An animal shall be deemed to be running at large if the animal is left unattended in a motor vehicle or the bed of a pickup truck and is not tethered or confined, in compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, so as to prevent the animal from exiting the vehicle of its own volition or posing a risk to passersby.
An animal is not considered to be running at large, either on or off the premises of its owner, if the animal is being physically held by the owner or other responsible person or is in the immediate presence of the owner or other responsible person and is immediately obedient to that person’s command. An animal is not considered to be running at large if it is confined within a motor vehicle or secured within the confines of the bed of a pickup truck, in compliance with the provisions of this ordinance, in such manner that it cannot exit the vehicle by its own volition.
Section 2.101.2 The Animal Control Authority may impound any animal observed to be at large, whether the animal is on public or private property, subject to applicable provisions of the law. If the Animal Control Authority observes an animal to be at large and observes the same animal to return to the property of its owner, the Animal Control Authority may impound the animal for the observed violation and may issue a citation to the owner for the animal running at large. The Animal Control Authority is specifically authorized to enter onto private property, other than a private dwelling, for the purpose of impoundment of an animal observed to be or to have been running at large or for the purpose of issuance of a citation to the owner of the animal or both.
Section 2.101.3 In a prosecution under this section, evidence that an animal was found running at large in violation of this ordinance together with proof that the defendant was the owner of such animal at the time of the violation, shall constitute prima facie evidence that the defendant allowed or permitted the animal to be running at large.