HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 12193ORDINANCE NO. ,~p~ ~ 9~
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH
(1986), AS AMENDED, BY THE AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 6,
"ANIMALS AND FOWL," ARTICLE VI, "ANIMAL CONTROL
IMPOUNDMENT; FEES," SECTION 6-44, "TIMES; FEES;
IMPOUNDMENT; BITE; BOARDING; VACCINATION OR LICENSE," BY
THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION (7) TO PROVIDE FOR THE
STERILIZATION OF IMPOUNDED DOGS OR CATS IN LIEU OF
PAYMENT OF IMPOUNDMENT FEES; PROVIDING THAT THIS
ORDINANCE IS CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE
MAY BE PUBLISHED IN PAMPHLET FORM; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
WORTH, TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
That the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as
amended, is amended by the amendment of Chapter 6, "Animals and
Fowl," Article VI, "Animal Control Impoundment; Fees," Section 6-
44, Times; fees; impoundment; bite; boarding; vaccination or
license," by the addition of a new subsection (7) so that such
subsection shall hereafter read as follows:
(7) If the owner of an impounded dog or cat agrees to
have the dog or cat sterilized by the Animal
Control Center, the impoundment fee shall be waived
under the following conditions:
A. The sterilization shall be completed prior to
the dog or cat being reclaimed by its owner;
B. The owner shall be responsible for all costs
of the sterilization; and
C. The waiver shall not include the following
fees: daily board fee, rabies vaccination
fee, and city license fee.
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SECTION 2.
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of
ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986),
as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in
direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such
Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and
such Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3.
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council
that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of
this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase., clause, sentence,
paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared
unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of
competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect
any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and
sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted
by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of
any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or
section.
SECTION 4.
All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas are
expressly saved as to any and all violations of the provisions of
the ordinances amended and repealed in Section 1, which have
accrued at the time of the effective date of this ordinance and, as
to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil
2 -
and criminal, whether pending in court or not, under such
ordinances, same shall not be affected by this ordinance but may be
prosecuted until final disposition by the courts.
SECTION 5.
The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth, Texas is hereby
authorized to publish this ordinance in pamphlet form for general
distribution among the public, and the operative provisions of this
ordinance as so published shall be admissible in evidence in all
courts without further proof than the production thereof, as
provided in Chapter XXV, Section 3, of the Charter of the City of
Fort Worth, Texas.
SECTION 6.
This ordinance shall be in full force and effect after its
passage and it is so ordained.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
A SIST CITY A OR Y
TE : ~Q~~l~'~ ~0 ~~
ADOPTED: f~-'~~ _-~- EFFECTIVE:
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Caty of Fort Worth, Texas
Mayor and Council Communication
r DATE REFERENCE NUMBER LOG NAME PAGE
10/03/95 **G-11248 50ACPET 1 of 2
I SUBJECT I SPAY/NEUTER OPTION FOR IMPOUNDED ANIMALS
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the City Council amend the Animal Control Ordinance, Chapter 6,
"Animals and Fowls", Article VI, by including a provision that would allow a pet owner
to have their pet spayed/neutered in lieu of paying impoundment fees
DISCUSSION
On September 26, 1995, Informal Report No 7949 was presented to City Council This
report was developed at the request of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee which
seeks City Council support to amend the Animal Control Ordinance to provide waiver of
impoundment fees by allowing the pet owners to elect to spay or neuter their pet
Based on American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) estimates, the City of Fort
Worth has an estimated 225,022 owned pet population (107,869 dogs and 117,153
cats) The failure of pet owners to confine their unaltered animals to their properties has
contributed to an estimated 100,000 homeless animals The main cause contributing to
this problem of homeless animals is the unwillingness or failure of pet owners to take
responsibility for their pets and the litters they produce Stray and homeless animals
create numerous public health and safety problems by getting into trash containers,
transmitting disease, angering citizens, biting people and causing traffic accidents
To decrease the number of homeless animals in the City of Fort Worth, the Animal Shelter
Advisory Committee is recommending an incentive be introduced to encourage pet owners
to spay or neuter their pets and reclaim them Pet owners would be given the option of
paying the $65 00 impoundment fee or paying a S25 00 fee to have their animal spayed
or neutered By amending the Animal Control Ordinance, pet owners would be given the
following options to consider in reclaiming their pet
Current Fee
Impoundment Fee
City License Fee
Rabies Vaccination Fee
Total Fees
Spay/Neuter Credit
Altered Pet Unaltered Pet
w/city w/o city
Registration Registration
Oation A Option B
$ 65 00
- 10 00
- 10.00
$ 45 00
- 25.00
$ 20 00
$ 65 00
10 00
9.00
$ 84 00
Boarding Fees (2 days
~ $5/day)
TOTAL FEES
10.00
$ 30 00
10.00
$ 94 00
Proposed Spay/Neuter
Options For Owners
Pet W/O City
Registration
Oution C
$2500
10 00
9.00
$ 44 00
10.00
$5400
Pet W/City
Registration
Oation D
$ 25 00
0 00
0.00
$ 25 00
10.00
$3500
City ~~~`'~ort ~orth~ Tea~as
Mayor and Council Communicataon
DATE
10/03/95 REFERENCE NDMBER
**G11248 LOG NAME
50ACPET PAGE
2 of 2
svsJECT SPAY/NEUTER OPTION FOR IMPOUNDED ANIMALS
The attached ordinance provides for waiver of the impoundment fee
If impoundment fees are waived, the City would experience a slight decrease in revenue
REVENUE IMPACT
Projected Licensing Fees 5 5,110 00
(1 /2 of 1,022 pets at 510 00/animal)
Estimated Decrease in Impoundment Fees - 12,250.00
(Based on 25% of total impoundment ($ 7,140 00)
collections in FY 93-94)
The City, however, should experience a savings from kenneling costs because the pet
would be reclaimed and the boarding fees paid by the owner This savings on kenneling
costs would offset the decrease in impoundment collections
SAVINGS FROM KENNELING COSTS
Kenneling Cost Savings 517,629 00
(1,022 X 517 25/day)
Impoundment Fee Loss - 7,140.00
510,489 00
The Humane Society of North Texas will collect all applicable fees Pet owners who
choose the spay/neuter option will pay the 525 00 fee directly to the Humane Society
This fee will cover the cost of altering the animal The Animal Control Division of the
Public Health Department is responsible for monitoring the spay/neuter program This
program will become effective upon passage
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION
The Director of Fiscal Services certifies that funds are available in the current operating
budget, as appropriated, of the General Fund for this amendment
LW a
Submitte for City Managers ACCOUNT CE R AMOUNT CI SECRETAR
Office by: (to)
APPROV~n
1
~
~~ ~~~~~~~
Libby Watson 6140 °
Originating epartment ea n~
Dr Nick Curry 7201 (from) ~~~ ~ ~9~:3
or ittona ormahon ~~)
Contact: City Secsetsxy of the?
'
Dr Nick Curry 7201 ort3t,Texas
City of Fort W
Adooied Ordinance No. ~/