Mentor on the Lake, Ohio
Additional Restrictions above and beyond State Law
(a) No person owning, harboring or having the care of a vicious dog shall suffer or permit such animal to go unconfined on the premises of such person.
(b) No person owning, harboring or having the care of a vicious dog shall suffer or permit such dog to go beyond the premises of such person, unless such dog is securely leashed and muzzled or otherwise securely restrained.
(c) A vicious dog is "unconfined," as the term is used in this section, if such dog is not securely confined indoors or confined in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure upon the premises of the person described in division (a) of this section. Such pen or structure must have secure sides. If the structure does not have a secure top, the sides shall extend to a height of six feet above the ground. If the pen or structure has no bottom secured to the sides, the sides must be embedded in the ground not less than two feet. The fence must be made of adequate material to restrain the dog.
(d) As used in this section, "vicious dog" means:
(1) Any dog with a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack, to cause injury to or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or other domestic animals;
(2) Any dog which attacks a human being or another domestic animal one or more times without provocation, which attack results in any substantial injury to such human being or domestic animal; or
(3) Any pit bull terrier, which means any Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed of dog or any mixed breed of dog which contains as an element of its breeding the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier so as to be identifiable as partially of the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier by a qualified veterinarian duly licensed as such by the State.
(e) Division (a) and (b) of this section are necessary controls on the unrestrained activity of vicious animals which threaten the safety of streets, parks, sidewalks, yards and all areas of the City. Lack of knowledge or lack of intent is not a defense to a violation of this section.
(f) (1) Whoever violates division (a) or (b) of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned not more than 60 days, or both.
(2) In addition, any vicious dog which attacks a human being or another domestic animal may be ordered destroyed when, in the Court's judgment, such vicious dog represents a continuing threat of serious harm to human beings or other animals. Any person found guilty of a violation of division (a) or (b) of this section shall pay all expenses, including shelter, food, veterinary expenses for the identification or certification of the breed of the animal, boarding and veterinary expenses necessitated by the seizure of any dog for the protection of the public and such other expenses as may be required for the destruction of any such dog.
(Ord. 84-O-16. Passed 6-12-84.)
(a) Any person having the custody, ownership or control of any vicious dog, as defined in Section 618.16(d), must register such dog with the Police Department on a form to be provided by the City. Such form shall require the following information: the name, address and telephone number of the dog's owner; the address where such dog is harbored, if different from the owner's address; the dog's sex and color; the Lake County rabies certificate and tag number; other distinguishing physical characteristics of the dog; and proof of public liability insurance of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).
(Adopting Ordinance)
(b) The registration required by subsection (a) hereof shall be made annually, not less than thirty days from the date of the initial registration. The fee for registration shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) per year, for each person required to register any dog, irrespective of the number of dogs registered by such person.
(c) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 84-O-16. Passed 6-12-84.)