Chapter 2 · Animal Control and Regulation

Article 5. Animal Licenses and Permits

Sections 2-501 to 2-514 · 14 sections

2-501 License.

Any person owning, keeping, or harboring any dog(s), cat(s), livestock, and/or fowl within the city older than minimum age of six (6) months must obtain a license or permit as provided in this chapter. Application shall be made to the city clerk or designated agent which shall include the name and address of the applicant owner, description of the animal, and the appropriate fee. License/permit fees shall not be required for seeing eye dogs or governmental police dogs. This requirement shall not apply to a nonresident keeping a dog or cat within the city for no longer than sixty (60) days.

Enforcement: For the purposes of discharging the duties imposed by this section and to enforce its provisions, any police officer or animal control officer is empowered to enter upon any premises upon which an animal is kept or harbored and to demand the exhibition by the owner of such animal or the license for such animal in accordance with the provision of this section, to include random city-wide canvassing and checks for compliance with this section. The owner of any animal is required to produce the license and vaccination information for each animal in his or her ownership upon demand by the animal control officer or police officer.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01)

2-502 Number of animals allowed.

No person in charge of a residence may own or harbor six (6) or more dogs or six (6) or more cats or any combination thereof without first obtaining a kennel license.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2025-01)

2-503 Vaccination required.

(a)Any person making application for a license/permit shall be required to present or exhibit to the city clerk or designated agent a statement or certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian showing that such animal has been vaccinated or inoculated with recognized anti-rabies vaccine and that the vaccination or inoculation of such animal will provide adequate protection for the entire licensing period for which the tag is issued. The city clerk shall maintain a record of the identifying numbers of all tags issued and shall make this record available to the public.

(b)All dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s), six (6) months of age or older within the city shall be vaccinated against rabies. Such vaccinations shall provide adequate protection for the entire licensing period for which the tag is issued.

(c)A veterinarian who vaccinates a dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s) against rabies shall issue to the owner of such dog(s) or cat (s)or horse(s) a vaccination certificate on a form approved by the Kansas Department of Health. The veterinarian shall also issue a metal tag with the veterinarian’s address and the year of the vaccination stamped thereon. Upon vaccination, the veterinarian shall execute and finish to the owner of the dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s) as evidence thereof, a certificate of vaccination. The veterinarian shall retain a duplicate copy of the certificate and one copy shall be filed with the owner. Such certificate shall contain the following information:

(1)The name, address and telephone number of the owner of the vaccinated dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s);

(2)The date of vaccination;

(3)The type of rabies vaccine used;

(4)The year and number of the rabies tag; and

(5)And the breed, age, color and sex of the vaccinated dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s).

(6)All animals are required to have a picture provided when providing rabies certification.

(7)All livestock must have a picture provided at the time license/permit is requested before one will be issued.

(d)Concurrent with the issuance and delivery of the certificate of vaccination, the owner of the dog or cat shall cause to be attached to the collar or harness of the vaccinated animal a metal tag, serially numbered to correspond with the vaccination certificate number and bearing the year of issuance.

(e)It is unlawful for any person within the city to own, keep, posses, harbor or allow to remain upon premises under his or her control any dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s) which have not been vaccinated as required herein. Any person establishing residence within the city shall comply with this title within ten (10) days of establishing such residency.

Proof of Vaccination-Dismissal-Fine. The failure of a dog or cat to wear a vaccination tag on a collar shall be prima facie evidence of the failure to vaccinate the animal as required by this section. To prove that a dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s) was vaccinated at the time of the offense, the owner of the dog(s) or cat(s) or horse(s) must present a copy of the vaccination certificate issued by the veterinarian that shows the date the vaccination was administered. The offense shall be dismissed upon verification that the animal alleged in the offense was vaccinated on the date of the offense with the payment of a fifty-dollar ($50.00) administrative fee.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01)

2-504 Licensing period and procurement.

All licenses shall be acquired at the office of the city clerk or designated agent. The licensing period shall begin January first and shall run for one year. Application for license may be made thirty (30) days prior to and not more than sixty (60) days after the beginning of the licensing period; provided, that if the license tag required for any such animal shall not be obtained prior to March first of any year, the owner or harborer shall pay a penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) per month for each month delay in obtaining the license required by this chapter. Persons making application for animals brought into the community or reaching minimum age on or after March first of the licensing year shall be required to get his/her animal to be licensed within ten (10) days of occupancy. The penalty hereinabove provided shall be in addition to that provided under this chapter.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01)

2-505 Tags.

It shall be the duty of the city clerk or designated agent to procure at the expense of the city such number of suitable city identification tags as may be necessary, numbered and showing the year for the purpose designated in this chapter. Upon presentation of the information required by this chapter, the city clerk or designated agent shall issue a current tag and receipt showing the name and address of the owner, a description of the animal for which the tag is issued, and the number of the identification tag.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-506 Licensing fees.

Upon receipt of an application meeting the requirements of this chapter, the city clerk or designated agent shall issue a yearly permit as follows:

(a)Dogs – no cost per year.

(b)Cats – no cost per year.

(c)Horses – no cost per year.

(d)Livestock – no cost per year.

(e)Domestic fowl – ten dollars ($10.00) per year per premises, covering up to twelve (12) total fowl.

All vaccination, identification, and documentation requirements remain in effect.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01; Ord. 2026-03)

2-507 Guard dogs.

(a)All dogs which are trained by a certified professional and kept solely for the protection of persons and property, residential, commercial or personal, shall obtain a permit from the animal control officer. The fee for this permit shall be according to the schedule established in Appendix A incorporated herein by reference. The area premises in which such dog is confined shall be conspicuously posted with warning signs bearing letters not less than two inches high, stating “Guard Dog On Premises.”

(b)The area of premises shall be subject to inspection by the animal control officer to determine that the animal in question is maintained and secured at all times in such a manner so as to prevent its coming in contact with the public.

(c)This section does not apply to dogs used by federal, state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies or correctional institutions.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-508 Use regulated.

Dogs and cats must wear identification tags at all times when off the premises of the owner(s). No person may use any license for any animal other than the animal for which it was issued. It is unlawful for any person or persons to counterfeit the license tags herein authorized, or to take or steal from any animal the tag duly purchased and be placed on such animal by the owner or harborer thereof. It is unlawful for the owner of any dog or cat to permit such dog or cat outside the dwelling of the owner without a collar or harness. The tag required shall be securely affixed to the collar or harness of each dog or cat registered.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-509 Kennels; permit requirements.

Any person maintaining or operating a kennel within the city must obtain a permit as provided in this chapter. Written application shall be made to the animal control division or designated agent, which shall include name and address of applicant, description and type of all animals kept or harbored on one premises for a period of longer than three months during the permit period. Permits will not be required for veterinary hospitals, animal clinics or public animal shelters.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-510 Permit period and issuance.

(a)Permit period shall begin January 1st and run for one year. Applications for permits may be made thirty (30) days prior to and up to sixty (60) days after the beginning of the permit period. Upon receipt of the permit application, city personnel shall inspect the premises, enclosures, and/or equipment of the applicant for compliance with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable laws. Following approval of the inspection and payment of the applicable fee hereinafter set out, a permit shall be issued.

(b)Annual Permit Fees:

(1)All permits are issued for a calendar year and must be renewed yearly.

(2)Kennel permit(s)-authorized to house 6 or more dogs or cats (or combination of either) - fifty dollars ($50.00).

(3)Livestock permit(s)-fifty dollars ($50.00) for horses, twenty-five ($25) dollars for goats, and ten ($10) dollars for hens (female chickens).

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01)

2-511 Kennels regulated- location.

(a)Any person operating a kennel within the city shall comply with all other sections of this chapter, including but not limited to animals at large, licensing requirements, and cruelty to animals.

(b)Kennel construction and location must comply with zoning regulations in effect in the city.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-512 Revocation.

The animal control division may revoke any permit or license if the person holding such permit or license refuses or fails to comply with this chapter or any law governing the protection and keeping of animals. Any person whose permit or license is revoked shall within ten days thereafter humanely dispose of all animals owned, kept or harbored by such person and no part of the permit or license fee shall be refunded. No person who has been convicted of cruelty to animals shall be issued a kennel permit. Any person having been denied a permit may not reapply for a period of thirty (30) days. Each reapplication shall be accompanied by a twenty-five ($25.00) fee.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-513 Requirements for sale.

(a)It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to sell or attempt to sell dogs or pups in the city without furnishing a certificate showing the date of birth of such dog or pup and its name and address, or a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian, which certificate shall be transferred to the purchaser of such dog from the person selling the dog.

(b)It is unlawful to sell any dog over six months of age unless the dog has first been inoculated against rabies and a certificate of vaccination issued.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018)

2-514 Violation; penalty.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in a sum not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than four hundred dollars ($400.00) for the first offense and a sum not less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) nor more than six hundred dollars ($600.00) for the second offense or any subsequent offenses.

(Ord. 536; Code 2018; Ord. 2024-03; Ord. 2025-01)