§ 5-77. Trapping and shooting.

(a)

General prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any person, other than animal control officers, to set, trigger, activate or otherwise use, or cause to be set, triggered, activated or used, any steel-jawed, leg hold trap, or any other trapping device, not to include live traps and rodent traps for the capture of any animal. This subsection is not intended to prohibit the prudent use of traps on one's own property to control rodents.

(b)

Use of live traps. Consistent with the provisions herein, the animal control division is authorized to utilize humane "live traps" and may conduct trapping operations and provide such devices' use to property owners as may be needed throughout the city. The citizen is allowed to use their own live traps to trap on their property and is responsible for the humane treatment of the animal consistent with state law.

(c)

Loan of live traps. Live traps may be loaned to citizens within the city limits by the animal control division for no more than 14 days. The citizen shall sign a trap agreement prior to the loaning of a live trap. If the trap is damaged, lost, or stolen while in the citizen's possession, the citizen shall pay the city a fee of $50.00.

(d)

Hunting prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, shoot, intentionally injure or kill any wild bird, animal, mammal or reptile within the corporate limits of the city. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, shoot or kill, within the city, any domestic bird, animal, mammal, reptile or pet that is not owned by such person. Except this subsection shall not be construed or interpreted to prohibit the destruction of poisonous snakes or to prohibit the animal control division from utilizing certain firearms in emergency field conditions where such actions are provided for by law or policy.

(e)

Domestic animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot a domestic animal within the corporate limits of the city. It shall be a defense to prosecution that the domestic animal shot was a vicious animal and presenting an immediate threat to personal or public safety. Except this subsection shall not be construed or interpreted to prohibit the animal control division from utilizing certain firearms in emergency field conditions where such actions are provided for by law or policy.

(Ord. No. 287-1, § 66, 2-1-2005; Ord. No. 713 , § 1, 11-20-2012; Ord. No. 931 , § 1, 2-7-2017)