HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 2028 �1
_ ORDINANCE NO. C
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE LICENSING OF ALL
DOGS 17ITHIN THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEY.A.S, AND
PROVIDING A FEE THEREFOR; PROVIDING THAT ALL DOGS
BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES; PROVIDING FOR A CITY
DOG POUND, AND PROVIDING REGULATIONS FOR ITS OPERA—
TION; PROVIDING FOR TEE APPOINTMENT OF h POUND
°PASTER, ASID PRESCRIBING HIS POWERS A1M DUTIES;
REQUIRING THE DETENTION OF DOGS HAVING BITTEN A
PERSON; PROVIDING AN OFFENSE FOR REMOVAL OF LICENSE
TAGS; PROVIDING AN OFFENSE FOR DOGS RUNNING AT LARGE
UNLESS.LEASHED; REPEALING CONFLICTING OPDINANCES;
PRESCRIBING A PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATICN THEREOF; AND
PROVIDING A SAVING CLAUSE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT WORTH:
Section 1. —-
It shall be unlawful for any person within the limits of the City of Fort
Worth, Texas, to own, keep, possess, harbor or to allow to remain upon premises
under his control, any dog, male or female without having paid a license therefor
as hereinafter provided.
Section 2.
The fee for such license shall be One Dollar ($1.00) per year for each
dog, payable in advance. All licenses mall expire December 31st, and shall not
be issued for less than one (1) year.
Section 3.
No license shall be issued for any dog owned, kept, possessed, harbored
or allowed upon the premises of any person and under his control unless said dog
shall have first been vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian duly licensed
to practice in the State of Texas, within twelve (12) months prior to the issuance
of such license. There shall be delivered to the Tax Assessor—Collector of the
City of Fort Worth, Texas, prior to the issuance of such license, a certificate
signed by a veterinarian duly licensed to practice within the State of Texas,
that said dog has been duly vaccinated, giving the date of the vaccination
thereof, and thereafter upon payment of the fee as provided herein, the City
Tax A ssessor-Collector shall then issue license for said dog.
Section 4•
Upon the payment of such license as provided herein, the City Tax Assessor-
Collector shall issue a receipt, license and numbered metal tag. S uch metal tag
shall be securely fastened in some manner to such dog. The City Tax Assessor-
Collector shall keep a register of all licenses issued in which shall be enter-
ed the name of the applicant, description of the dog, the number of the license
and the tag issued and the date of issuance and expiration.
Section 5.
The City Manager shall appoint for a period to be terminated at his pleasure,
a qualified person to act in the capacity of Pound Master, whose duty it shall be
to see that the provisions of the ordinance are enforced. For his services the
Pound Master shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the City Council.
Section 6.
It shall be the duty of the Pound Master or any police officer of the City
of F ort Worth, Texas, to take up any dog or dogs found running at large, and con-
fine such dog or dogs in the City Pound for seventy-two hours, during which time
the owner,upon satisfactory proof to the Pound Master of ownership, may redeem his
dog upon the payment of a pound fee of One Dollar ($1.00), and all other fees pro-
vided by this ordinance. Upon the payment of such fees, the Pound Master shall
issue official receipt for the amount paid. Such fees shall be delivered to the
City Secretary-Treasurer and credited to the general fund of the City. The Pound
Master shall provide at the cost of the City suitable and necessary sustenance
for all dogs so impounded.
Section 7.
If the owner of any dog so impounded shall not apply to the Pound Master,
and pay such fees as herein provided within seventy-two hours from the time such
dog is confined in the City Pound, the Pound Master is hereby authorized to sell
such dog at private sale, and the proceeds of such sale shall be deposited with
the City Secretary-Treasurer and credited to the general fund of the City. In
the event the owner fails to claim such dog within the time provided by this ordi-
nance, and the Pound Master is unable to sell such dog, it shall be the duty of
the Pound Master to destroy same.
Section $.
The Pound Master shall monthly, or at such other times as may be required
by the City Manager, account to the City of Fort Worth for all moneys received
by him by virtue of his official duties, and he shall at the same time render to
the City Manager a fall statement of all dogs received into the Pound during said
month, showing the name of the owner, if known, the date when received, all of the
dogs redeemed, the date of redemption, all of those sold and the date of sale,
all of those destroyed, all of the moneys expended by him during said month for
the maintenance of said Pound, and he shall attach to said statement, a receipt
for all such moneys; forms for such reports shall be furnished by the Commissioner
of Accounts of the City of Fort Worth, Texas.
Section 9.
Should any person be bitten by any dog, upon written complaint to the Pound
Master or any police officer, such dog shall be immediately placed in the City
Pound, or confined in some reputable boarding kennel or animal hospital for a
period of ten (10) days for observation.
Section 10.
It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any metal tag issued under
the provisions of this ordinance from any dog without the written consent of the
owner of such dog.
Section ll.
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any dog, possessed, kept
or harbored by him to be at large unless leashed, on the streets, alleys or public
places or on private premises not under the control of the said owner, within the
limits of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, whether a license for such dog shall have
been secured or not.
Section 12.
This ordinance shall be and is hereby declared to be cumulative of all ordi-
nances of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, and shall not operate to repeal or affect
arT such ordinance or ordinances except in so far as the provisions of such ordi-
nance or ordinances are inconsistent or in conflict with the provisions of this
ordinance, in which instance or instances, those provisions shall be and they are
hereby repealed.
Section 13.
Should any section, provision or part of this ordinance be declared to be
unconstitutional and void by a Court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall
in no way affect the validity of any of the remaining parts of this ordinance, un-
less the parts held unconstitutional or void-are inseparable from and indispensable
to the operation of the remaining parts. The City Council hereby declares that it
would have passed those parts of this ordinance which are valid, and omitted any
parts which may be unconstitutional if it had knoym that such parts were unconsti-
tutional at the time of the passage of this ordinance.
Section 24.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance, shall upon
conviction, be fined in any sum of money not to exceed Two Hundred Dollars
($200.00).
Section 15.
This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect from and
after the date of its passage and publication as provided by law.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney