Ord 10-2014 3/18/2014ORDINANCE NO. 10-2014
Ordinance amending Sections 14-10 and 14-11 to the Code of
Ordinances of the City of Wichita Falls to provide animal adoption
policies; amending Section 48-94 to add adoption fee; providing a
penalty not to exceed $500 upon conviction; and providing for
codification
WHEREAS, there is an abundance of unclaimed animals in our community, and
a goal of the City of Wichita Falls Animal Services Center is to reduce the number of
animals euthanized in our community; and
WHEREAS, the Animal Services Center works towards finding a permanent
home with a responsible animal owner for every animal in our community, and an
adoption program targeted toward responsible animal ownership will reduce the amount
of irresponsible pet ownership, rabies danger, and excessive animal reproduction in our
community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, THAT:
1. Amendment to add Sections 14-10 and 14-11
Article I of Chapter 14 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Wichita Falls is
hereby amended to add the following sections thereto:
Sec. 14-10. Animal Adoption Policies.
(a) An individual seeking to adopt an animal through the City’s Animal Services program must comply
with the following requirements:
(1) Applicants may not have a history of complaints of cruelty or neglect or have reclaimed their
current animal(s), if any, from Animal Services more than once in the previous 12-month period.
(2) All animals in the home must be spayed or neutered and current on vaccinations and City
licenses prior to the applicant being approved for adoption.
(3) Once an applicant has been approved by Animal Services to adopt an animal, the applicant
must make an appointment with the veterinarian of their choice to have the animal spayed or
neutered. Proof of the paid appointment must be submitted to Animal Services prior to adoption
of the animal.
(b) Once all of the requirements for adoption have been met, Animal Services staff will deliver the adopted
animal to the chosen veterinary clinic the morning of the spay/neuter appointment. Animal Services staff
will microchip the animal prior to the animal leaving the building and enter that information into the
PetPoint System. While the animal is at the veterinary clinic being spayed or neutered, they will also
receive a rabies vaccination provided by the veterinarian and paid for by the approved applicant. The
applicant may pick up the animal from the veterinary clinic after the animal has been spayed or neutered
and all additional actions have been undertaken by Animal Services and the designated veterinarian.
(1) No later than 10 days from the date of the animal being spayed or neutered, proof of the
operation must be returned to Animal Services.
(2) Proof of rabies vaccination along with proof of the purchase of a City license must be returned
no later than 10 days after the animal has been adopted.
(3) If the animal is deemed too young to be spayed or neutered, the adopter shall schedule and
prepay for a spay/neuter appointment at the veterinarian of their choice and bring in proof of the
appointment and paid services to Animal Services no later than 10 days following adoption. It
shall be unlawful for a person who has adopted an animal from the City to fail to provide proof of
spaying or neutering to Animal Services within 90 days after adoption.
(4) If under 4 months of age at time of adoption, the puppy or kitten must receive a rabies
vaccination at approximately 4 months of age. Animal Services staff will approximate age and
timeline for rabies vaccine to be given. The adopter shall return the proof of vaccination to
Animal Services no later than 10 days from the date that the animal receives the vaccination. It
shall be unlawful for a person who has adopted an animal from the City to fail to provide proof of
rabies vaccination to Animal Services within 90 days after adoption.
Sec. 14-11. Barn Cat Adoption Program.
An individual seeking to adopt barn cats through the City’s Animal Services Barn Cat Adoption Program
must comply with the following requirements in addition to the requirements of Section 14-10:
(a) Barn cats must be adopted in pairs.
(b) Applicants must agree to provide a safe, permanent outdoor home with one or more areas of
weather proof shelter plus daily food and water, and to provide for any ongoing veterinary costs
associated with ownership prior to being permitted to adopt any barn cat.
(c) Applicants must provide an escape-proof room or enclosure for each cat for a minimum of a 2-
week period after adoption to allow the barn cat to acclimate to its new location. This enclosure
can be a tack room, garage, coop or XXL dog crate. Applicants must relocate each barn cat to the
enclosure immediately following picking up the animal from the veterinarian in accordance with
the requirements of Section 14-10 and keep the animal in the enclosure for the designated period.
2. Adoption Fee – Amending Section 48-94
Subsection (k) of Section 48-94 of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Wichita
Falls is hereby amended to read as follows:
(k) Miscellaneous fees:
(1) Adoption fee: $50.00 per animal.
(2) Duplicate city tag: $7.00.
(3) Microchipping: $15.00.
(4) Microchipping with purchase of a city license: $8.00.
(5) Rabies voucher: $12.00.
(6) Rabies specimen shipping: $35.00.
(7) Reapplication: $17.00.
(8) The health district is hereby authorized to pass along the cost of any veterinary services
incurred for the care of an animal to that animal's owner, possessor, or harborer.
3. Penalty
Violations of this Ordinance shall be punishable by a penalty of up to $500 per
violation and as provided by Section 1-14 of the Wichita Falls Code of Ordinances.
4. Codification
The sections of this Ordinance that amend the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Wichita Falls are intended to be parts of said Code, and said sections of this Ordinance
may be renumbered or relettered to accomplish such intention.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 18th day of March, 2014.
______________________________
M A Y O R
ATTEST:
____________________
City Clerk
Affidavit of Publication
ORDINANCE THE STATE OF TEXAS #301564
Ordina ce amending COUNTY OF WICHITA
Sections 14-10 and
14-11 to the Code of
Ordinances of the
City of Wichita Falls
to provide animal
adoption policies;
amending Section On this 240h day of June 2014 A D...
48-94 to add adoption
fee; providing a pen- personally appeared before me,the undersigned authority
not to exceed
; P Y PP g tY
$500 upon conviction; Kathy Salan, Sales Assistant for the Times Publishing
and providing for
codification Company of Wichita Falls, publishers of the Wichita Falls
ORDINANCE
Ordina ce Amending Times/Record News, a newspaper published at Wichita Falls in
The Code Of Ordi-
nances Of The City Wichita County, Texas, and upon being duly sworn by me, on
Of Wichita Falls To
Add Division 6 To Ar- oath states that the attached advertisement is a true and
title III Of Chapter
14 Thereof to Regu- correct copy of advertising published in 1 day (1) issues hereof
late Breeding, Sale,
And Transfer Of on the following date:
Dogs And Cats, To
Modify Section 14-147
To Alter The Defini-
tion Of A Pet Shop, June 21, 2014
To Modify Section
14-310 To Require
Spaying Or Neutering
For Retrieving Previ-
ously Reclaimed Ani-
mals,
A48 To Modify
Section 48-94 To Pro-o- ! G f ,d'a!_
vide Fees For Added
Permits; Providing A
Penalty Not To Ex-
ceed $500 Upon Con- Sales Assistant for Times Publi ing Company of Wichita Falls
viction; And Provid-
ing For Codification
ORDINANCE
NO.17-2014 Subscribed and sworn to before me this the day and year first above written:
Ordinance Amending
Sections 106-185 and
106-186 of the Code of
Ordinances of the
City of Wichita Falls '///►,/
to Establish Modified
W ater Conservation (/
Drought Contingency ^A
Rules; providing a
penalty not to exceed
$2,000 per violation;
providing for codifi-
cation; declaring an
emergency; and de-
claring an immediate P
effective date � S- YPtikts,, PAM BURKS
ORDINANCE �� *. NOTARY PUBLIC
NO.26-2me NOTARY PUBLIC
Ordinance amending �/�� '`, OF TEXAS
the Code of Ordi-
nances " ' s STATE
of the City of of 19.4 My Comm.Cv�
Wichita Falls to "r'•03'22'201
modify Article IV of
Chapter 58 thereof,
which regulates
smoking in public
places; providing a
penalty not to exceed
$500 upon conviction;
and providing for
codification