6.04.120 Uniform dog control citation.
A. A uniform dog control citation, conforming to the requirements of this section, shall be used for all dog control violations committed in the presence of the complainant and which occur within the areas of the city which are covered by this chapter.
B. The uniform dog control citation shall consist of three parts, and such additional parts as may be inserted for administrative use.
1. The required parts are as follows:
a. Complaint;
b. Dog control officer’s record of violation;
c. Summons;
2. Each of the parts shall contain the following information or blanks in which the information shall be entered:
a. Name of the court,
b. Name of the person cited,
c. Section of the dog control ordinance violated,
d. Brief description of the violation of which the person is charged, in such a manner as can readily be understood by person making a reasonable effort to do so, the date, the time and the place at which the violation occurred, the date on which the citation was issued and the name of the complainant,
e. The time and place set for the person cited to appear in court,
f. The bail, if any, fixed for the violation.
C. Any error in transcribing the information in the blanks provided on the uniform dog control citation form, when determined by the court to be non prejudicial to the defendant’s defense, may be corrected at the time of trial or prior to trial, with notice being given to the defendant.
D. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, the complaint shall be set aside by the court only upon the motion of the defendant before plea, if it does not conform to the requirements of this section.
E. A dog control officer or police officer may issue a uniform dog control citation when the violation occurred within the city and when the violation was committed in his presence. A private person may commence an action for a dog control violation by reporting the incident to the dog control officer or a city police officer and signing a complaint in the presence of the clerk of the municipal court for the city.
F. A dog control citation filed under this chapter shall be personally served upon the defendant.
G. The defendant shall appear in the court at the time mentioned in the citation, and shall not be allowed to forfeit bail if he is charged with any of the following:
1. Owning a vicious or dangerous dog;
2. Owning a dog not vaccinated for rabies;
3. Owning a dog that has injured other domestic animals.
H. If the defendant is charged with any other violation of this chapter, he shall either appear in court at the time indicated in the citation, or prior to such time shall deliver to the court the citation together with a check or money order or cash in the amount if the bail set forth in the citation unless specifically required to appear as set forth in subsection G of this section.
I. If the defendant fails to comply with the provisions of this section, or if he fails to appear at the time fixed by the court, a warrant for his arrest may be issued by the municipal court of the city.
J. Bail schedule, if any, shall be set by the municipal court of the city.
K. The dog control officers shall impound a dog or the animal involved in a violation of this chapter in all cases where the owner or keeper of the animal is not available to assume custody and control of it. Further, in all cases where the animal is in violation of the sections of this chapter providing for keeping a vicious dog, licensing, or rabies control, the animal may be impounded regardless of whether the owner is available to assume control of the animal. (Ord. 4420 §1 (part), 1988).