§ 7-1-3. Dog Licenses Required; Issuance of Dog Licenses.

(a)

Licensing of Dogs.

(1)

It shall be unlawful for any person in the City of Verona to own, harbor or keep any dog more than five (5) months of age after July 1 of the license year without complying with the provisions of this Chapter and Wis. Stat. §§ 174.05 through 174.10 relating to the listing, licensing and tagging of dogs.

(2)

The owner of any dog more than five (5) months of age on January 1 of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year, shall annually, or on or before the date the dog becomes five (5) months of age, pay a license tax and obtain a license.

(3)

The license tax under this Section shall be per the City Fee Schedule, Title 3, Chapter 6. These amounts shall be reduced by one-half (½) if the animal became five (5) months of age after July 1 during the license year. The license year shall commence January 1 and end December 31.

(4)

Upon payment of the required license tax and upon presentation of evidence that the dog is currently immunized against rabies, as required by Section 7-1-2 of this Chapter, the City Treasurer shall complete and issue to the owner a license for such dog containing all information required by state law. The City Treasurer shall also deliver to the owner, at the time of issuance of the license, a tag of durable material bearing the same serial number as the license, the name of the county in which issued and the license year.

(5)

The owner shall securely attach the tag to a collar and the collar with the tag attached shall be kept on the dog for which the license is issued at all times, except as provided in Section 7-1-2(e).

(6)

The fact that a dog is without a tag attached to the dog by means of a collar shall be presumptive evidence that the dog is unlicensed. Any City law enforcement or humane officer shall seize, impound or restrain any dog for which a dog license is required which is found without such tag attached.

(7)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, every dog specifically trained to lead blind or deaf persons is exempt from the dog license tax, and every person owning such a dog shall receive annually a free dog license from the City Treasurer upon application therefor.

(b)

Kennel Licenses.

(1)

Any person who keeps or operates a kennel may, instead of the license tax for each dog required by this Chapter, apply for a kennel license for the keeping or operating of the kennel. Such person shall pay for the license year a license tax per the City Fee Schedule, Title 3, Chapter 6. Upon payment of the required kennel license tax and, if required by the City, upon presentation of evidence that all dogs over five (5) months of age are currently immunized against rabies, the City Treasurer shall issue the kennel license and a number of tags equal to the number of dogs authorized to be kept in the kennel. Kennels may only be located in commercial and/or residential areas following a public hearing and approval by the Common Council utilizing the conditional use procedures prescribed in the City's Zoning Code; the Council may attach conditions to such approval as a conditional use under the City's Zoning Code.

(2)

The owner or keeper of a kennel shall keep at all times a kennel license tag attached to the collar of each dog over five (5) months old kept by the owner or keeper under a kennel license, but this requirement does not apply to a show dog during competition, to a dog securely confined indoors or to a dog securely confined in a fenced area. These tags may be transferred from one dog to another within the kennel whenever any dog is removed from the kennel. The rabies vaccination tag or substitute tag shall remain attached to the dog for which it is issued at all times, but this requirement does not apply to a show dog during competition, to a dog securely confined indoors or to a dog securely confined in a fenced area. No dog bearing a kennel tag shall be permitted to stray or to be taken anywhere outside the limits of the kennel unless the dog is on a leash or temporarily for the purposes of hunting, breeding, trial, training or competition.

(3)

The term "kennel" means any establishment wherein or whereon three (3) or more dogs are kept.

(4)

No kennel license shall be issued to the keeper or operator of a kennel who fails to provide proper food and drink and proper shelter for the dogs in said kennel or who neglects or abandons said dogs. The Chief of Police or other designated official shall investigate any complaints regarding the failure to maintain proper standards or investigate any kennel premises upon his own initiative. Expressly incorporated by reference in this Section as minimum standards for kennel keepers or operator are the relevant provisions of Chapter 948 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

(Ord. No. 03-662, 10-13-03; Ord. No. 18-924, § 5, 10-8-18 )

State law reference

Wis. Stats. § 174.053.