§ 14-43. Licensing of dogs and cats.

(a)

Required; payment of license fee. Except as specifically exempted in this section, every ferret, dog and cat, four months of age or older, kept by an owner in any municipality over which Volusia County has animal control jurisdiction or in the unincorporated area of Volusia County shall be licensed annually. All owners shall be issued a county license certificate and tag for their animal by the animal control services division upon presentation of reasonable proof of current rabies inoculation or an exception certificate from a licensed veterinarian, or by a licensed veterinarian at the time of inoculating or issuing an exception certificate for an animal. The owner shall pay to the animal control services division, or a person or entity designated by the county to receive such funds, a license fee in an amount recommended by the animal control board and established by resolution of the county council, which the division or county designee shall collect immediately and issue a receipt. License fees shall not be required for seeing eye dogs or governmental police dogs.

(b)

Duration; renewal. Any license issued pursuant to this section shall expire, and become null and void, one year after issuance. The license shall be renewed annually by the person owning the ferret, dog or cat, or exempted therefrom by other sections of this article.

(c)

Issuance of tag. The county license tag issued by the animal control division or veterinarian shall be serially numbered, bear the year of issuance, and be attached to the collar or harness of the animal.

(d)

Use of fees collected. The license fees collected from the owners of sterilized and unsterilized animals be used on a first-come, first-serve basis, by the animal control division or county designee for purposes of the county's mobile spay/neuter clinic program.

(e)

Animals exempt from wearing license tag. Racing greyhounds; hunting dogs, while engaged in a hunt; show dogs; or dogs engaged in obedience or K-9 training, while under the command or presence of the owner, trainer or other responsible custodian directly related to the racing, hunting, show or training activities, respectively, are exempt from wearing the license tag, if tattooed. A dog having an identifying tattoo registered with the animal control officer is also exempt from the requirement of wearing a license tag.

(f)

Duplicate tag. In the event of loss or destruction of the original tag, the owner of the domesticated animal may obtain a duplicate tag from the animal control officer at the established fee for same.

(g)

Animals exempt from licensing. The licensing provisions of this article shall not apply to greyhounds kept, maintained or brought into the county for the purpose of racing at licensed greyhound tracks; to animals used as part of entertainment acts when properly controlled; to animals remaining in the county for a period of less than 30 days; or to purebreds kept, maintained or brought into the county for the purposes of training or competition; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit the demand for proof of vaccination done in another state or county; and failure to provide said proof upon demand shall require said animal to be vaccinated under the provisions of this article.

(h)

Conflict. An ordinance of any municipality covering the same subject matter as this section shall be considered in conflict herewith.

(i)

Penalty. Any person who violates a provision of this section is subject to the penalties prescribed in section 14-32.

(j)

Enforcement procedures. Subject to approval of the county council, the animal control division or county designee shall establish procedures for the enforcement of this section.

(k)

Intent. The county shall not use the rabies vaccination certificate information submitted to the animal control division by licensed veterinarians for any purpose other than enforcement of the licensing and rabies programs.

(Ord. No. 91-33, § V, 10-10-91; Ord. No. 93-25, § V, 11-4-93; Ord. No. 2002-16, § II, 9-5-02; Ord. No. 2006-09, § I, 4-27-06; Ord. No. 2009-35, § III, 11-19-09)