Ordinance Number 2024-1118

Town of West Blocton, Alabama

​

WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of West Blocton desires to amend Ordinance No. 2017-03 to allow for the Town of West Blocton to enforce animal control provisions to all animals within the town limits and to create additional limits and procedures to prevent Town nuisances and make the Town more sanitary.

​

​

THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF WEST BLOCTON, ALABAMA that Ordinance No. 2017-03 is hereby amended as follows:

​

​

Identification.

a) Every animal kept or maintained by any individual within the town limits of West Blocton shall affix by collar or other suitable means a tag or other means of identification to allow upon inspection an individual to ascertain the ownership of the inspected animal. The identification tag shall contain sufficient information such that the police department or other similar agency can identify the address of the owner of the animal. The owner or person in charge shall, at all times, keep the tag affixed to the animal. It shall be unlawful for any owner or person in charge to fail to comply fully with all requirements of this section by failing to obtain an identification tag for any animal within town limits.

b) Failure of the animal owner to affix identification shall provide cause for seizure of the unidentified animal by the town or county animal control, police officer, or any other designated officer of the Town.

​

Animals to be under control when off owner's premises.

a) It shall be unlawful for the owner or person in charge of any premises to cause, permit or allow any animal residing there, either temporarily or permanently, to be off of such premises or property unless such is under the control of a competent person, either by leash, cord, chain, or other restraint sufficient to physically control said animal at all times.

b) It shall be unlawful for the owner or person in charge of any animal to cause, permit or allow such animal to be off the premises or property of the owner or person in charge unless under the control of a competent person either by leash, cord, chain or other restraint sufficient to physically control said animal at all times.

c) Proof that an animal is not properly restrained, whether on or off the premises of the owner or person in charge, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation. Negligent failure to provide or maintain effective restraint shall not be a defense.

​

Written warning to owners of animals found off its premises.

a) When an animal is found by an animal control officer or designated officer for the Town to be off its premises in violation of this Ordinance and the owner or person in charge is determined by the animal control officer or Town's designated officer, he or she may issue a written warning to the owner or person in charge for said violation.

If the owner or person in charge violates this Ordinance for a second time, the animal control officer or Town's designated officer will issue a citation requiring the payment of a twenty-five dollar ($25) fine, payable to the municipal court.

A third violation by the same owner of person in charge will result in a citation requiring a fifty dollar ($50) fine, payable to the municipal court.

A fourth and all subsequent violations by the same owner or person in charge will result in confiscation of the animal by the animal control officer or the town's designated officer, in addition to a two hundred and fifty ($250) fine, payable to the municipal court. For all confiscated animals, the Town shall charge and collect fees from the owner including but not limited to the costs of impounding the animal and daily boarding costs. These charges and fines will be in addition to any redemption charges, rabies charges and/or any other charges.

The defendant shall have all rights secured to persons charged in the town with violations generally. If the Defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty by the municipal court, the court may impose the fine or imprisonment or both and court costs.

​

Restrictions on the number of animals.

a) Not more than five animals shall be allowed in or on any residence of the owner or the person who has custody of the animals, except by special approval of the town council, or except for a mother animal temporarily nursing a larger litter of recently born baby animals. The police department or designated officer for the Town shall investigate the residence applying for a variance to this section before the presentation of the special application to the council.

​

Sheltering of stray or abandoned animals.

a) Any stray animal within city limits taken to the shelter for confinement shall be cared for in the shelter for not less than five (5) working days. If the animal is not claimed by its rightful owner, the shelter shall place the animal for adoption or shall transport the animal to an adoption agency, or otherwise dispose of the animal.

b) Animals claimed within the five-day period shall be returned to the rightful owner after the owner has provided proof of rabies inoculation and paid all required fees and fines.

c) Animals not claimed within the five-day period shall become the property of the shelter.