I will abridge some of the ordinance here to touch upon the keypoints of interest to me. You can see the full text online, as I pointed out earlier.
Sec. 4-27. Keeping fowl--Generally.
Up to four (4) fowl may be kept on a single lot or tract within the town limit...
(1) The fowl will not be permitted to run at large and must be maintained in a house or coop of suitable construction and size for the number of fowl maintained in it.
(3) No house or coop may be located any nearer than one hundred (100) feet from any dwelling, hospital, eating establishment or school.
Wow, I don't see that one enforced. Just ride down Anderson Street past Selma Cotton Mill sometime and turn the corner towards Brack Wilson Park. Some days, it is a chicken safari.
Sec. 4-51.5. License and registration required.
All dogs kept, harbored or maintained by their owners in the town shall be licensed and registered if over four (4) months of age and shall have evidence showing vaccination by a licensed veterinarian. Dog licenses shall be issued by the town clerk upon payment of a license tax of two dollars ($2.00). The owner shall, at the time application is made for such license and upon printed forms provided for such purpose, put his name and address, and the name, breed, color and sex of each dog owned or kept by him
Other towns have abandoned this requirement, since it was costing more to enforce and run the dog tag requirement than they were taking in. Why tax my dog? What does the town care if I have a dog, anyway? She is mine, is well cared for, and bothers nobody except us. I have always had a problem with the concept of taxing a family pet.
Sec. 4-51.6. Tag and collar.
Upon payment of the license tax, the clerk shall issue to the owner a license certificate and a metallic tag for each dog so licensed. The shape of the tag shall be changed every year and shall have stamped thereon the year for which it was issued and the number corresponding with the number of the certificate. Every owner shall be required to provide each dog with a collar to which the license tag must be affixed, and shall see that the collar and tag are constantly worn
It is my dog, and if I don't put a collar on her, that is my business. We do put a collar on her for taking her for walks or while in public, which is appropriate. It is appropriate to keep a dog leashed in public, but on my property, that is my choice. I think I will take my Pekingese outside right now to poop on my front lawn (without a collar).
OK, now I'm back inside from violating town ordinance and can continue writing.
Sec. 4-59. Notice to owner and redemption.
Not later than two (2) days after the impounding of any dog or cat, the owner shall be notified, or if the owner of the dog or cat is unknown, written notice shall be posted for three (3) days on the bulletin board at the town hall and police station, describing the dog or cat and the place and date of taking. The owner of any dog or cat so impounded may redeem such dog or cat by:
(1) Paying for and procuring a dog license, if he does not have one for such dog;
(2) Having such dog or cat duly vaccinated for rabies if it has not been currently vaccinated before the redemption date;
(3) Paying a capture and notice fee and paying such other costs and charges imposed by the town for impounding and maintaining such dog or cat in the pound.
Sec. 4-60. Disposition of unclaimed dogs or cats.
It shall be the duty of the animal control officer to keep all dogs or cats so impounded for a minimum period of three (3) days. If, at the expiration of the third day from the date of notice to the owner or the posting of notice, such dog or cat has not been redeemed, it may be disposed of by turning it over to the county animal control officer to be destroyed in a humane manner, under the direct supervision of the county animal control officer.
We have had the displeasure of having a cat put in "kitty prison" and had to bail her out. A gray and white cat adopted us some time ago. She was most likely abandoned here in the neighborhood. She started coming around and we started feeding and loving on her. Since we didn't know her name or to whom she belonged, we gave her the generic name of Fluffy, even though she wasn't really fluffy. We took the responsibility of getting her spayed, vaccinated, and supplied with food, water, and shelter. She spends most of her time outdoors, but we try to keep her inside as much as possible. She was an outdoor cat from birth, it appears. She is feral to most people, but tame with us. She is actually rather sweet and loving.
One day, she went missing. After two days, I went to the animal shelter in Smithfield. There she was. We paid the $25 and got her out of kitty prison.
In the many times I have been in town hall, I have never seen notices of captured animals. Maybe I am just missing it, but I have never seen a notice posted as ordinance requires. I have looked. If the town is not following its own ordinance, how can it expect town residents to do the same? I would be rather angry if my pet is destroyed because of a lack of compliance. Furthermore, we had better comply with the time frame as a MINIMUM. By the way, the county animal control agency does not dispose of animals in a humane way, nor do they have a good track record of following time lines with impounded animals.
Sec. 4-65. Number of dogs or cats.
It is unlawful for any person to have or keep more than three (3) dogs or cats, six (6) months or older, on any lot or tract of land in the corporate limits of the town, except when such keeping is in a district and in conjunction with a business, such as pet stores or kennels, that is a permitted, special or conditional use in that district.
What business is it of the town's how may pets I have in my home? If I want six cats, five dogs, a dozen parakeets, three lizards, fifty fish, a snail, and a partridge in a pear tree, that is my business. That ordinance is obviously not enforced. And I don't have to look any further than the other side of my fence or in my living room. And that is MY business, not the town's. There is no public nuisance, no public health issue, and no noise issue at my home. So what does Selma care?
I realize that there are many stories in the news about houses found with 120 cats, fifty dogs, etc. that are a health problem. I am not talking about that. We have cats and a dog. Who cares except us?
OK, this post is getting long, so I will truncate it here.
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