It shall be unlawful for the owner, keeper or harborer of any dog or cat to permit such dog or cat to run at large in the City of Riley, Kansas at any time. Any such animal shall be presumed to be running at large and the owner shall be presumed to have permitted it to be at large, when found off the premises of the owner, keeper or harborer of such dog or cat. Provided, that it shall be a defense for a person charged under this section that such dog or dogs was merely passing along the streets, sidewalks, avenues or parks of the city, or upon any private property, while such dog was held upon a leash, chain, rope or harness by its master or keeper, or was controlled in some manner that effectively restrained the dog from interfering with, damaging, or injuring the person or property of others. It shall be lawful for an officer or animal control officer of the City of Riley, employee of the City of Riley, or officer of the Riley County Police Department or an official of the City of Riley, Kansas, to pursue and capture such dog or cat running at large. If the dog or cat appears to be vicious or if it appears that the dog or cat cannot be captured without endangering some person, the officer, animal control officer, or authorized official of the city, is authorized to use that force reasonably necessary to restrain or kill the dog or cat.

(Ord. 1032; Ord. 1192; Ord. 1239; Ord. 1416; Ord. 1524; Code 2021)

Any dog found running at large, as the term is defined herein, may be caught and impounded by any officer, employee, designee or official of the City of Riley, Kansas, and taken to an appropriate dog pound or animal shelter. Any cat found running at large, as that term is defined herein, may be caught and impounded by any officer, employee, designee or official of the City of Riley, Kansas, and taken to an appropriate location.

(Ord. 1416; Code 2021)

Before any owner of any cat or dog shall be entitled to recover or receive a dog or cat that was captured or taken into control under the authority of this article, that owner, or the owner’s representative, shall be required to pay for all pick-up charges or fees, all travel or transportation charges or fees, all boarding charges and fees and related charges and fees, and any other direct costs, charges and expenses associated with the enforcement of this article. Before the owner or the owner’s representative shall be entitled to recover the dog or cat, he or she must show a copy of a receipt to the appropriate boarding facility or clinic, establishing that all charges costs, fees, and expenses have been paid directly to the City of Riley under this section, and such receipt must have been signed by the Riley City Clerk or Clerk’s representative.

(Ord. 1416; Code 2021)

An animal at large is a public nuisance. In addition to the remedies in this article the City of Riley may use the remedies and procedures found in Chapter 8 to address animals at large.

(Ord. 1416; Code 2021)

Any dog or cat that is caught and impounded pursuant to this article shall be held at the dog pound, animal shelter or other appropriate facility at which it has been deposited for a period of 3 calendar days following its capture and deposit at such facility. The owner, keeper or harborer of such a dog or cat may inquire of the Riley City Clerk at which facility such dog or cat is being held and within the 3 day period following the capture and deposit of such dog or cat may, upon establishing his or her ownership of and/or legal right to keep or possess such dog or cat and payment of all charges costs, fees, and expenses prescribed by Section 2-103, recover, receive, claim and take possession of such dog or cat directly from the facility at which such dog or cat is being held. All dogs or cats which are not claimed and taken possession of by their owners, keepers or harborers within the 3 calendar day period following their capture and deposit at a facility pursuant to this article shall immediately become the property of the City of Riley and may subsequently be disposed of by the City of Riley or its designee either by adoption or euthanasia. In the event that a former owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog or cat which has become the property of the City of Riley wishes to recover, receive, claim and take possession of such dog or cat by adopting said dog or cat, no such reclamation by adoption may occur until all charges, costs, fees, and expenses prescribed by Section 2-103 have been paid and a receipt evidencing such payment has been presented to the facility at which such dog or cat is being held.

(Ord. 1524; Code 2021)