§ 5-43. Neglect of animals prohibited.

(a)

Neglect of animals is a violation of this article and occurs if the owner or keeper of an animal commits any one (1) of the following prohibited acts or omissions:

(1)

Fails to provide food, water, shelter, adequate ventilation, protection from the elements, or other care generally considered to be normal, usual and accepted for an animal's health and well-being;

(2)

Confines any animal without providing wholesome exercise;

(3)

Abandons any animal and neglects the responsibility to provide for the animal;

(4)

Leaves a dog, cat, or other animal unattended in a parked vehicle with inadequate or no ventilation.

(b)

Any person who unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments or deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or carries in or upon any vehicle or otherwise, any animal in a neglectful or contemptuous manner, is in violation of this article.

(c)

The operator of a motor vehicle who strikes a domestic animal shall stop at once, render such assistance as may be possible, and immediately report such injury or death to the animal's owner if such can be found. In the event the owner cannot be found, the operator shall at once report the incident to the animal services division or the appropriate local law enforcement agency. Behavior in violation of this subsection constitutes "neglect" as defined hereinabove.

(Ord. No. 91-8, § 19, 4-2-91; Ord. No. 95-32, § 16, 9-26-95; Ord. No. 2005-07 , § 17, 7-12-05)