Nuisance Calls

STRAY DOGS AND CATS

The following applies to stray dogs and cats within the city limits. The Clintonville Police Department will attempt to catch any stray cat or dog within the city limits. If the animal is caught it is usually placed in the City Pound. Animals placed in the pound are either put up for adoption or returned to their owners.

Sometimes it takes us a while to get there! When dispatchers prioritize calls stray cats and dogs usually come second. As you can imagine when we receive more calls than we have officers to respond to, you may end up waiting for a while.

This also applies to your animals. If police have to continually pick up your animal, you may be subject to a citation. Animals and poultry are not to run at large. You also may have to pay for a stay at the pound. After 24 hours at the pound you will be charged $15.00 per day for boarding.

CITY ORDINANCE 12.12 - Regulation of Dogs and Cats and Licensing of Dogs

REGULATION OF DOGS AND CATS AND LICENSING OF DOGS 

(Adopted 12-18-97)

  • LICENSE REQUIRED. It shall be unlawful for any person in the City to own, harbor or keep any dog or cat more than 5 months of age, without licensing the same with the City and affixing a tag to the animal's collar. The owners of dogs and cats must further comply with all requirements contained within Chapter 174 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

  1. LICENSE FEE. The license fee for a dog or cat shall be as follows:
    bullet Unneutered Male Dog or Cat $9.00
    bullet Unspayed Female Dog or Cat $9.00
    bullet Neutered Male Dog or Cat $4.00
    bullet Spayed Female Dog or Cat $4.00
    bullet Duplicate License $4.00 
  • LATE FEES. The Treasurer shall assess and collect a late fee of $5.00 from every owner of a dog or cat 5 months of age or older if the owner failed to obtain a license prior to April 1 of each year or within 30 days of acquiring ownership of a licensable dog or cat or if the owner failed to obtain a license before the dog or cat reached licensable age.
     
  • KENNEL LICENSE OPTION. The owners of kennels may opt to pay a kennel license fee of $35 for a kennel of 12 dogs or less plus $4 for each dog in excess of 12 in lieu of the fees provided in sub. (2) above the Treasurer shall issue tags for each dog owned by the kennel owners. No kennel may be located in a residential district. Revised 12-10- 91. 
     
  • RABIES VACCINATION REQUIRED. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep a dog in the City which is over 5 months of age and has not received a rabies vaccination as required by 95.21(2), Wis. Stats. No dog license shall be issued until a certificate of rabies vaccination issued by a veterinarian has been presented. A rabies vaccination tag shall be attached to the collar of all licensed dogs at all times, except as provided in 11 95.2 1(2)(f), Wis. Stats.

    It shall be unlawful for any person to keep a cat in the City which is over 5 months of age and has not received a rabies vaccination. No cat license shall be issued until a certificate of rabies vaccination issued by a veterinarian has been presented.

  1. DEFINITIONS. In this section, unless the context of subject matter otherwise require, the terms used shall be defined as follows: 

    bullet Owner. Any person owning, harboring or keeping a dog or cat and the occupant of any premises on which the dog or cat remains or to which it customarily returns daily for a period of 10 days is presumed to be harboring or keeping the dog or cat within the meaning of this section.
    bullet At Large. A dog or cat which is off the premises of the owner and not under the control of some person either by leash or otherwise, but an animal within an automobile of any other person with the consent of the animal's owner shall be deemed to be upon the owner's premises.
    bullet Kennel. Any establishment wherein dogs are kept for the purpose of breeding, sale or sporting purposes.
  2. RESTRICTIONS ON KEEPING OF DOGS. It shall be unlawful for any person within the City to own, harbor or keep any dog which: 

    bullet Habitually pursues vehicles upon any street, alley or highway.
    bullet Molests passersby or assaults or attacks any person without provocation.
    bullet Is at large within the limits of the City.
    bullet Habitually barks or howls to the annoyance of any person or persons. This paragraph shall not apply to hospitals conducted for the treatment of small animals or to the premises occupied or used by the City Pound.
    bullet Kills, wounds or worries any domestic animal.
  3. DOGS AND CATS RUNNING AT LARGE AND UNTAGGED DOGS. 

    bullet Dogs and Cats Running at Large.AA dog or cat is considered to be running at large if it is off the premises of its owner and not under the control of the owner or some other person, as defined in sub. (6)(b) above.
    bullet Untagged Dogs. A dog or cat is considered to be untagged if a valid license tag is not attached to a collar which is kept on the animal whenever the animal is outdoors unless the animal is securely confined.
    bullet Dogs and Cats Subject to Impoundment. Police officers shall attempt to restrain any dog or cat running at large or that is untagged.
    bullet Penalties. If the owner of a dog or cat, negligently or otherwise, permits the dog or cat to run at large or to be untagged, the owner shall forfeit $25 for the first offense and be subject to increased forfeiture for subsequent offenses.
  • DUTY TO REPORT ANIMAL BITES. Every person, including the owner or person harboring or keeping a dog, cat or other animal who knows that such animal has bitten any person shall immediately report such fact to the Police Department.
  1. QUARANTINE OR SACRIFICE OF ANIMALS SUSPECTED OF BITING A PERSON OR BEING INFECTED WITH RABIES. 
    bullet Quarantine or Sacrifice of Animal. The Health Officer or a police officer may order a dog, cat or other animal quarantined if he has reason to believe that the animal bit a person, is infected with rabies or has been in contact with a rabid animal. If a quarantine cannot be imposed because the animal cannot be captured, the officer may kill the animal. The officer shall attempt to kill the animal in a humane manner and in a manner which avoids damage to the animal's head.
    bullet Quarantine Order. If a quarantine is ordered, the owner of the dog or cat shall be subject to the provisions of 95.21(5), (6) and (8), Wis. Stats.
  • SETTING ANIMALS AT LARGE PROHIBITED. No person shall open any door or gate of any private premises for the purpose of setting any dog, cat or other animal at large, except the owner of such animal. 

  1. IMPOUNDING AND DISPOSITION OF DOGS AND CATS.
    bullet Impounding of Dogs and Cats. A police officer or other person restraining a dog or cat running at large shall take such animal to the City Pound. The police officer shall attempt to identify and notify the owner and shall keep a public record of all such dogs and cats impounded.
    bullet Release of Dog or Cat to Owner or Representative. The Police Officer may release the dog or cat to the owner or his representative if:
    bullet The owner or representative gives his name and address.
    bullet The owner or representative presents evidence the dog or cat is licensed and vaccinated against rabies.
    bullet When either dog or cat is picked up within 24 hours there shall be no fee.
    bullet If not picked up within 24 hours shall pay a fee of $15.00 plus a boarding fee of $2.00 per day.
    bullet Release of Dog or Cat to Person Other Than Owner. If the owner of the dog or cat is unknown or does not reclaim the dog or cat within 7 days, the police officer may release the dog or cat to a person other than the owner if such person:
    bullet Gives his name and address.
    bullet For dogs, signs a statement agreeing to license the dog and have the dog vaccinated against rabies.
  • NUMBER OF DOGS AND CATS PER HOUSEHOLD LIMITED. No person, except a kennel licensee, shall own, harbor or keep more than 3 dogs, and/or 3 cats that are more than 5 months of age except in a place or places where animals are impounded or restrained, as specified in this section. If a total of more than 3 dogs or 3 cats are owned, harbored or kept in or by any one household, the head of the household shall be deemed the person so owning, harboring or keeping such animals, notwithstanding that the dog license or licenses may be issued to other members of the household as owners of such dogs.

  1. PENALTIES: In addition to other penalties provided in this section, the following penalties are imposed: 
    bullet Failure to Obtain Rabies Vaccination. A dog owner who fails to have a dog vaccinated against rabies, as provided in this section, shall upon conviction, forfeit not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00.
    bullet Refusal to Comply With Quarantine Order. An owner of a dog, cat, or other animal who refuses to comply with an order issued under this section to deliver the animal to a police officer, the pound designated by the council or veterinarian, or who does not comply with the conditions of an order that the animal does not comply with the conditions of an order that the animal be quarantined, shall upon conviction, forfeit not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00.
  2. ANIMAL WASTE: 
    bullet The owner or person having immediate control of an animal shall promptly remove and dispose of, in a sanitary manner, any excrete left or deposited by, the animal upon public or private property.
    bullet It shall be unlawful for any person to permit a dog or cat, to be on such property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such person, unless such person has, in his immediate possession an appropriate means of removing animal excrete. This shall not be applicable in cases in which a person is being assisted by a seeing-eye dog.
    bullet All pens, yards, structures or area, where animals are kept, shall be maintained in a nuisance-free manner. Droppings and manure shall be removed regularly and disposed of properly so not to attract insects or rodents, become unsightly or cause objectionable odor.

HARASSING PHONE CALLS

The state of Wisconsin defines harassing phone calls as illegal use of telephone. Depending on the content of the harassing phone call the penalty can be as serious as a Class B misdemeanor.

Things you should do if you receive harassing or threatening phone calls:

  1. Write down the date and time immediately. Create a log or record of the phone calls and notes as to the nature of the call.
  2. If you are absolutely positive you know who the caller is note their name in the log.
  3. If you have Caller ID note the number received in the log.
  4. A phone tap will only be implemented after a certain number of calls are received and if all other means are exhausted.

LOUD NOISE

Loud and Unnecessary Noise is prohibited in the city of Clintonville. What this means is no person shall cause any sensible person to be disturbed, annoyed, or otherwise make unnecessary noises.

This includes PA (Public Address) systems, amplifiers, speakers, any noise devices and barking dogs. This also includes construction and machinery noise. With the exception of city employees, between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, no person shall operate any loud machinery.

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