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(1) Every owner or keeper of an animal kept in the town shall see that such animal:

(a) Is kept in a clean, sanitary and healthy manner and is not confined so as to be forced to stand, sit or lie in its own excrement; the person(s) responsible for animal(s) shall regularly and as often as necessary to prevent odor or health and sanitation problems, maintain all animal areas or areas of animal contact;

(b) Has food that is appropriate for the species in adequate amounts to maintain good health, fresh potable drinking water where appropriate, shelter and ventilation, including quarters that are protected from excessive heat and cold and are of sufficient size to permit the animal to exercise and move about freely;

(c) Shall not be tethered by use of a choke collar, or on any collar too small for the size and age of the animal, nor by any rope, chain or cord directly attached to the animal’s neck, nor by a leash less than 12 feet in length, or of such unreasonable weight as to prevent the animal from moving about freely;

(d) Is protected against abuse, cruelty, neglect, torment, overload, overwork, or any other mistreatment;

(e) Shall be provided the reasonably necessary medical care, in addition to the required rabies vaccination which shall include vaccinations as required by accepted veterinary standards, and if diseased or injured, or exhibiting symptoms of disease, receives proper care and is segregated from other animals so as to prevent transmittal of the disease;

(f) It shall be unlawful to leave any animal alone in a vehicle when weather conditions would cause the animal to overheat to such as extent as to endanger the health and safety of the animal; and

(g) Is maintained and/or housed in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.

(2) It shall be unlawful for a person to beat, starve or otherwise mistreat any animal in the town, or to fail to comply with any requirement of subsection (1) of this section.

(3) In the discretion of the enforcement authority, a person who violates any provision of this section for the first time may be given written notice of the practices or conditions which constitute the violation, and the enforcement authority shall in such instance direct remedies to such person where appropriate and provide a time period of no longer than 30 days within which to correct the violation(s). Failure of the person to correct the violations within the specified time period shall constitute prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.

(4) It shall be unlawful to throw or deposit poisoned meat or any poison or poisoned or harmful substance in any public place or on any private premises for the purpose of destroying any dog or other animal. However, this section does not prevent prudent use of commercially prepared toxins by an authorized public animal control or health officer, or by a private individual upon his own premises for purposes of eradicating rats, mice, or other vermin. [Added during 2020 recodification.]