§ 6-1.30. Inhumane treatment and cruelty to animals.

(a)

Physical and emotional abuse. It is unlawful to: (1) willfully or maliciously kill, maim, disfigure, torture, beat, mutilate, burn, scald, overdrive, physically or emotionally mistreat or otherwise treat cruelly any animal; to (2) burden the animal with heavy chains or leashes, padlocks or weights around any part of the body of the animal; or to (3) expose the animal to extreme temperatures.

(b)

Care and maintenance. It shall be the duty of any person to provide any animal in his charge or custody, as owner or otherwise, with adequate food, drink, care and shelter.

(c)

Animals in vehicles. It shall be unlawful to carry or confine any animal in or upon any vehicle in a cruel or inhumane manner, including but not limited to carrying or confining such animal without adequate ventilation or for an unusual length of time.

(d)

Abandonment of animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon any animal within the City. "Abandonment" includes neglect, whether intentional or otherwise, whereby an animal becomes a stray.

(e)

Animal poisoning. Except as otherwise provided herein for the destruction of animals, it shall be unlawful to make accessible to any animal, with intent to cause harm or death, any substance which has in any manner been treated or prepared with any harmful or poisonous substance. This provision shall not be interpreted so as to prohibit the use of poisonous substances for the control of vermin in furtherance of the public health when applied in such a manner as to reasonably prohibit access to other animals.

(f)

Injury to animals by motorists.

(1)

Aid. Every operator of a vehicle upon the streets of the jurisdiction shall immediately upon injuring, striking, maiming or running down any domestic animal give such aid as can reasonably be rendered. In the absence of the owner, he shall immediately notify the City Police Department, furnishing requested facts relative to such injury.

(2)

Remaining at scene. It shall be the duty of such operator to remain at or near the scene until such time as the appropriate authorities arrive, and upon the arrival of such authorities, the operator shall immediately identify himself to such authorities. Alternatively, in the absence of the owner, a person may give aid by taking the animal to the animal control facility or other appropriate facility and notifying the City Police Department. Such animal may be taken in by the animal control facility and dealt with as deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

(3)

Emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles are exempted from the requirements of this provision.

(4)

Violation. Violation of this section is an infraction. Each such act or repetition thereof shall constitute a separate violation.

(h)

Animals for fighting. It shall be unlawful to raise, train, keep or use any animal, fowl or bird for the purpose of fighting or baiting; and for any person to be a party to or be present as a spectator at any such fighting or baiting of any animal or fowl; to knowingly rent any building, shed, room, yard, ground or premises for any such purposes as aforesaid, or to knowingly suffer or permit the use of his buildings, sheds, rooms, yards, grounds, or premises for the purposes aforesaid.

(i)

Killing of birds. It shall be unlawful to kill any bird(s), or to rob or destroy any nest, egg or young of any bird in violation of the laws of the State of California.

(j)

Malicious impounding. It shall be unlawful for anyone not authorized by the City to hide or impound the animal of another.

(§ 1, Ord. 666, eff. April 6, 2002)