A. If any owner of a domesticated animal is found in violation of any part of this article, a penalty will be executed. The penalty will be as follows as determined by the City Council and may be subject to change.

B. Violation a misdemeanor.

(1) Every person who violates any portion of this article when he or she performs an act thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, or fails to act when such failure is thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished for a misdemeanor except as otherwise stated in specific provisions hereof. Editor's Note: See Ch. 1, Art. III, General Penalty.

(2) First time violators of this article shall receive a letter from the City Clerk/Treasurer, along with a copy of this article. The City Clerk/Treasurer's letter will outline the process to follow should they be in violation. Two verbal complaints in a two-month period will be considered a first complaint. Verbal complaints will be documented at the Clerk/Treasurer's office. Any written complaint will be considered a first complaint. If it is discovered that a first-time violators' animal is not licensed, the owner will have 10 days to license it at the regular fee. If the animal is not licensed within 10 days of violation notice, the fee will be $100.

(3) Second-time violators of this article will be issued a citation from the City Clerk/Treasurer's office. Any complaint after the first complaint within a two-month period to the same animal owner, whether verbal or written, will be considered a second complaint. The citation will inform the animal owners that the animal's license has been revoked. The owner can have a hearing on the matter before the City Council if the owner contacts the Clerk/Treasurer's office within 10 days after receiving the citation. The owner will be fined a reissue fee of $50 for licensing the animal. Should the Clerk/Treasurer's office discover that the animal is not currently licensed; the Clerk/Treasurer's office will charge a fee of $100 for issuance of the license. The animal's owner will have 30 days to comply with the licensing requirements. Should the owner not comply with the licensing requirements, prosecution could occur.

(4) Third-time violators will have the violation handed over to the City Attorney's office for prosecution. Any complaint received within one year after the first violation, will be considered a third violation.