§ 14-61. License.

(a)

Required. Any person owning, keeping, harboring or having custody of any dog over five months of age within the village must obtain a license as provided in this section.

(b)

Application. Written application for licenses shall be made to the village, which shall include the name and address of the applicant, description of the animal, the appropriate fee, and a rabies certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian or antirabies clinic.

(c)

Period of validity. If not revoked, a license for the keeping of dogs shall be for a period of one year.

(d)

Deadline for application. Application for a license must be made within 30 days after obtaining a dog over five months of age, except that this subsection will not apply to a nonresident keeping a dog within the municipality for not longer than 30 days.

(e)

Exception; Seeing Eye dogs. License fees shall not be required for Seeing Eye dogs for blind or deaf persons, mobility impaired persons or governmental police dogs. Every person owning such a dog shall receive annually a free dog license upon application.

(f)

Issuance; tags. Upon acceptance of the license application and fee, the licensing authority shall issue a durable tag stamped with an identifying number and the year of issuance. Tags should be designed so that they may be conveniently fastened or riveted to the animal's collar or harness.

(g)

Tags to be worn at all times. Dogs must wear license and rabies vaccination tags at all times when off the premises of the owner. Exceptions would include show dogs during competition.

(h)

Recordkeeping. The licensing authority shall maintain a record of the identifying numbers of all tags and shall make this record available to the public.

(i)

License year. The license year commences on January 1 and ends on the following December 31. Application for a license may be made 30 days prior to the license year. Persons applying for a license during the licensing year shall be required to pay 50 percent of the fee stipulated in this section if the animal becomes five months of age after July 1 of the licensing year.

(j)

Late fee. The finance director/treasurer, or agent, shall assess and collect a late fee set by resolution of the board if the owner fails to obtain a license prior to February 1, of each year, or within 30 days of acquiring ownership of a licensable animal, or if the owner failed to obtain a license on, or before, the animal reaches licensable age.

(k)

Issuance; fees. A license shall be issued after showing evidence of rabies vaccination and payment of the applicable fee:

(1)

For each dog not sterile: a fee set by resolution of the board.

(2)

For each dog rendered sterile: a fee set by resolution of the board.

Evidence of neutering, spaying or other method of rendering the animal sterile, from a licensed veterinarian, will be required.

(l)

Duplicate license. A duplicate license may be obtained upon payment of a replacement fee set by resolution of the board.

(m)

Use for other animal. No person may use any license for any animal other than the animal for which it was issued.

(Code 1991, § 12.10(3)(a); Ord. No. 827-14, § 1, 12-22-2014)