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12 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 Unified Animal Ordinance <br /> 3 BOCC Meeting Presentation <br /> 4 December 15, 2015 <br /> 5 Agenda Item 7-a <br /> 6 <br /> 7 What it does <br /> 8 • Takes away some of the inconsistency of having 3 separate (and varying)ordinances <br /> 9 • Adds clarity and consistency where needed based upon the experience of officers, <br /> 10 Animal Services staff, and legal proceedings over the years <br /> 11 • Where interpretations in readings differed, the unified version uses the most accurate, <br /> 12 legal, and clear interpretation and/or language <br /> 13 <br /> 14 What it doesn't do <br /> 15 • It does not ignore that there still remains a need to have some differences in different <br /> 16 areas (i.e.: livestock, tethering, township-specific laws) <br /> 17 • With only one exception, it does not add new law, but rather fills in gaps and provides <br /> 18 better clarity in the existing ordinances <br /> 19 • The exception is the different recovery fees for reproductive and sterilized dogs and cats <br /> 20 (including a sterilization deposit for animals recovered 3 or more times) <br /> 21 <br /> 22 History <br /> 23 • When the ordinance came before the BOCC last (April, 2014), four issues were <br /> 24 discussed with commissioners <br /> 25 • Our attorneys have resolved these and revisions have been guided by BOCC feedback <br /> 26 • In its final form, the ordinance has been adopted by Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and it has <br /> 27 the full support of Hillsborough <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Issues from 2014 <br /> 30 • Trespass <br /> 31 • Watchdog <br /> 32 • Livestock and Public Nuisance <br /> 33 • Administrative Appeal <br /> 34 <br /> 35 Annette Moore continued the presentation: <br /> 36 <br /> 37 Trespass <br /> 38 • Section 4-42 Control of Vicious Animal: Security Dog <br /> 39 • Issue: needed to be better defined <br /> 40 • Solution: moved into the exceptions portion of the ordinance, where exceptions include a <br /> 41 dog on a property that is posted with warning and/or no trespass signage; as well as a <br /> 42 dog that is on property and bites someone committing a `willful trespass' <br /> 43 o Willful trespass "which shall be determined by looking at the totality of <br /> 44 circumstances." <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Watchdog <br /> 47 • Section 4-37 Definitions: Security Dog <br /> 48 • Issue: needed to be better defined <br />