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5.1. SR 09-11-2000Police Department Memorandum To: Mayor and City Council From: Thomas D. Zerwas, Chief of Police Date: September 6, 2000 Subject: AI'vlENDING ANIMAL ORDINANCE Item 5.1. Several months ago the city council received a request from a citizen to mend the animal ordinance to regulate animal feces on city trails. This citizen reported that a dog's owner refused to clean up after his dog deposited feces on a city trail. We have researched what some other cities have done to regulate animals and have found suitable language to address this issue. Also, I found additional language addressing dogs on leashes in public places such as in city parks and on city trails. I included language with the amended ordinance that addresses leash requirements. My rationale for this is because of complaints from walkers on city trails who have been confronted and scared by unleashed dogs walking with their owners. We have received numerous complaints about the above two (2) issues. If you, as the city council, want to adopt the mended ordinance, we will have the ability to enforce these issues of concern. If you don't agree with the language or wish to drop the leash law language, that isn't a problem. Please give me a call with any comments or questions. TDZ/krna 13065 Or0n0 Parkway · P.O. Box 723 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-2324 · Fax (612) 441-8937 ORDINANCE 00- AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 502 OF THE ELK RIVER CITY CODE ENTITLED "DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS" The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1. Section 502 of the City of Elk River Code of Ordinances titled "Dogs and Other Animals" is hereby amended as follows: Section 2. Section 502.00, titled "Definitions" is hereby amended by deleting the definition "Under Restraint" as follows: 502.00 - DEFINITIONS Section 3. Section 502.07 titled "Removal of Animal Feces" is hereby added as follows: 502.07 - REMOVAL OF ANIMAL FECES 1. Any person having the custody or control of any dog or domestic animal shall have the responsibility for cleaning up any feces of the animal and disposing of such feces in a sanitary manner. It shall furthermore be the duty of any person having custody or control of any dog or domestic animal on or about any public place to have in such person's possession suitable equipment for the picking up, removal, and sanitary disposal of animal feces. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a guide dog accompanying a blind person or to a service dog accompanying a disabled person or to a dog when used in police or rescue activities. Every person convicted of a violation of this provision shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00). 2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the ownership or use of seeing eye dogs by blind persons, dogs used in police activities of the city, such as the canine corps, or tracking dogs used by or with the permission of the city's police department. Section 4. Section 502.08 (2) "Running At Large" is hereby amended as follows: 502.08 - RUNNING AT LARGE PROHIBITED No dog, cat, or other animal shall be allowed by its owner to run at large and every owner of a dog shall cause the same to be: 2. While in any public place such as a school, playground, or park, to be on a leash, chain, or cord of not more than six eight (~) (8) feet in length and in the custody of a person of sufficient age to adequately control the dog at all times. 4. Every person convicted of a violation of this provision shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00). Section 5. That this ordinance shall take effect upon publication as provided by law. Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 11th day of September, 2000. ATTEST: Stephanie A. Klinzing, Mayor Sandra A. Peine, City Clerk .POoper S.cooPer ..Ordi,na. nce may, soon-trail,inconsiderate dog owners by Jim Boyle Staff .writer Elk River city officials may soon work on a pooper scooper ordinance. The impetus behind talk of a possible' baggy law is incon- siderate dog oWners who let their animals poop along city trails without 'cleaning. up' after them. Jeff Bulgar, who lives along Mississippi Road where a trail 'was installed a few. years ago, is pushing for the city to do sOmething.. Bulgar has gotten used to having the trail. In fact, he says he has met a lot of nice people. He doesn't even mind picking up litter along the trail. But when it gets to dogs leaving droppings behind for residents to clean up, he says it's getting to be too much. "I think the city needs to adopt something," he told council members at the April -17 cpuncil'meeting. . Bulgar said'one of his r~eigh- bors. brought a' shovel out to one woman whose dog had left a mess, .and she refused to clean it up. Residents-along the Missis- sippi Road trail are not/the only ones concerned.. .The issue came up at a recent Elk River Park and Recreation Commission meet- ing, where it was noted that the problem was occurring ·at Woodland Trails Park, accord- ing to Michele McPherson, the city's directOr~ of planning. City Administrator 'Pat Klaers. agrees that the city should have an ordinance. "We have gotten by thinking people will be considerate and clean up after their own ani- mals,'' Klaers said.' "For the most part people have been considerate." City Attorney Peter Beck said other cities have institut- ed baggy ordinances, which require owners to clean up after their animals. Police Chief Tom Zerwas says an ordinance would give 'police a t0ol to deal with the. issUe, and could be effective.