Sec. 3-9. - Certain dogs and other animals to be confined; keeping of wild animals.

(a)

The owner of every fierce, dangerous, aggressive, or vicious dog or other animal shall confine such animal within a building or secure enclosure and not take it out of such building or secure enclosure except as provided in G.L. 1956, § 4-13.1-4.

(b)

Every female dog or other animal in heat shall be kept confined in a building or secure enclosure or in a veterinary hospital or boarding kennel in such manner that such female dog or other animal cannot come in contact with another dog or animal, except for intentional breeding purposes.

(c)

Any animal described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section found at large shall be impounded by the animal control officer and may not be reclaimed by the owner, keeper or person having charge or custody of the animal until payment to the clerk, or animal control officer, at the animal control center has been made as provided in section 3-8. Any dog or other animal may, the first time it is impounded for being a public nuisance, be reclaimed as provided in section 3-32, but such animal may not be reclaimed when so impounded on the second or subsequent occasions, unless such reclamation is authorized by a court having jurisdiction in the matter, provided that when in the judgment of the animal control officer or any police officer in the city an animal should be destroyed for humane reasons, such animal may not be reclaimed.

(d)

No wild animal may be kept within the city limits, except under such conditions as shall be fixed by the animal control officer, provided that wild animals may be kept for exhibition purposes by circuses, zoos and educational institutions in accordance with such regulations as shall be established by the animal control officer. Any wild animal that escapes and is found at large may be destroyed by the animal control officer or any police officer of the city.

(e)

Any owner, custodian or person harboring any fierce, dangerous or vicious animal that shall bite or otherwise inflict any injury on any person shall be subject to a fine of $125.00 for the first offense, a fine of $150.00 and ten days in jail for the second offense, and a fine of $175.00 and 30 days in jail for the third and any subsequent offense.

(Ch. 449, § I, 5-6-08)