Animal Control
- animal control FAQ
How Many Pets Can I Have?
The keeping of more than five (5) dogs or cats in the aggregate (that is, in any combination) on any one (1) lot in the corporate limits is prohibited. This limit does not apply to litters of pups or kittens less than five months of age.
What types of Animals Does The City Allow?
The keeping of livestock within the corporate limits of the City is prohibited except where permitted by the City's Zoning Ordinance. The keeping of undomesticated animals within the City limits is strictly prohibited.
Are Rabies Inoculations Required?
Every dog or cat which is four months of age or older must be inoculated against rabies every year. When inoculated, you will receive a tag from your veterinarian that must be attached to a collar or harness worn by the dog or cat at all times.
Do I Have To Purchase A Tag?
Each owner or keeper must purchase annually a metallic tag suitable for attaching to your pet's collar. The purpose of the tag is to certify that your pet has been innoculated against rabies.
Where Can I Get A Tag and How Much Does It Cost?
You can purchase a tag from Stevens Veterinary Clinic or from City Hall for two dollars ($2.00) each.
Can I Let My Pet Roam Freely?
No, owners and keepers of dogs, cats and other animals shall keep them under restraint at all times and shall not permit them to be at large.
Any animal found running at large may be apprehended and impounded.
I Was Told My Pet Was A Nuisance. What Does That Mean?
If you allow your pet to bark, howl, cry or make other distressing or loud or unusual noises then your pet is disturbing the peace. The disturbing of any neighborhood or persons by an animal is a nuisance.
As an owner, you are in violation of the City's Animal Control Ordinance if you permit your dog to bark in a substantially continuous manner for a period of more than fifteen minutes or if you allow your animal to bark, howl or cry for numerous periods of time, regardless of duration, so as to disturb the quiet of the neighborhood or of particular neighbors.
What Does Unreasonably Offensive Mean?
You cannot keep animals in any pen, stable, yard, confinement structure, or any other place in such a manner that associated debris or odors are unreasonably offensive to persons residing in the vicinity or passing along any nearby street or alley, or constitute a hazard to the health of persons residing nearby.
Am I Responsible For My Pet Biting Someone?
No owner or keeper of an animal shall suffer, permit, or fail to permit an animal from biting or attacking a person or another animal resulting in injury to the person or animal attacked, provided that such attack on a person who is or reasonably appears to be in the commission of a criminal act is not prohibited if the animal is acting in the defense of the owner or keeper of his or her family or premises, and the animal remains on its premises.
Is It True That I Have To Warn Others That My Pet Is Not Nice?
No person shall own, keep, or harbor within the City an animal known to be dangerous or vicious, unless such person shall keep such animal safely and securely confined so as to protect from injury any child or other person who may come on the premises in the vicinity where such animal may be located.
Adequate warning by sign, or otherwise, shall be given to all persons coming on the premises in the vicinity of any such vicious or dangerous animal.
It is unlawful for any person to knowingly or recklessly permit any dangerous dog to leave the premises of its owner when not under control by leash or other recognized control methods.
Can You Give Me Some Examples Of Cruelty To Animals?
No person shall commit acts of cruelty to animals. The following acts shall be deemed to be examples of cruelty to animals and are not intended to be a complete list of acts which may constitute cruelty.
- Overloading, over driving, overworking, beating, torturing, tormenting, mutilating, or killing any animal or causing or knowingly allowing the same to be done.
- Cruelly working any old, maimed, injured, sick, or disabled animal or causing or knowingly allowing the same to be done.
- Failure to provide any animal in one's charge or custody, as owner or keeper, with proper food, drink, shelter, air, sanitations or medical care.
- Abandoning any animal without making provisions for its care and feeding.
Is Cock Fighting Or Dog Fighting Allowed In Galva?
No person shall use or keep animals or be in any way connected with the management of any place kept or used for the purpose of fighting or baiting nay dogs, cocks or other animals or permit such a place to be kept or used on premises owned or controlled by such persons.
