- “Adequate feed” means the provision at suitable intervals for the species, of a quantity of wholesome food suitable for the species, physical condition and age, sufficient to maintain an adequate level of nutrition of an animal, such foodstuff to be served in a clean receptacle, dish or container.
- “Adequate shelter” means a physical structure or place suitable for maintaining the health and life of an animal and protection from the weather.
- “Adequate water” means an adequate supply of clean, fresh, potable water provided at suitable intervals for the species, physical condition, health and age of the animal provided at least once every twelve (12) hours.
- “Animal” means every living creature except humans.
- “Animal Services” means the facility authorized by the Carson City Board of Supervisors for receiving, impounding, care and disposal of animals that come into the custody of Carson City Animal Services.
- “Animal Services Manager” means the person in charge of Animal Services, officers and personnel.
- “Animal Service Officer” means any person, including the animal services manager, in Carson City responsible for the enforcement of this chapter and regulations promulgated hereunder and authorized to possess and administer a controlled substance in accordance with applicable regulations of the state board of pharmacy as specified in NRS 453.375 and working at the direction and under the supervision of the health and human services director.
- “Bite” means a puncture or tear of the skin inflicted by the teeth of an animal.
- “Confined” means a condition whereby an animal is restricted by enclosed lot, leash, cord, cage or container, chain of suitable length or size for the type of animal, except as provided for in section 7.13.090 subsection 1 and so placed that the animal has free access to food, water and shelter and further so affixed as to preclude the animal from becoming entangled on any obstruction. The cage, coop, stable, leash, container, cord, chain or fence barrier shall be of such size and length to permit the animal to stand upright and lie down, and of such further dimensions as shall be deemed adequate by the Animal Services Officer.
- “Cruelty or torture” means every act of omission or commission that results in unjustifiable physical pain, suffering or death to any animal.
- “Enclosed lot” means a parcel of land or portion thereof around the perimeter of which is a fence or wall adequate to contain the animals kept therein.
- “Estray” means any livestock running at large upon public or private lands in the State of Nevada, whose owner is unknown in the section where the animal is found.
- “Health Director” means the Carson City Health and Human Services Director.
- “Humanely Destroyed” means any euthanasia method that quickly induces loss of consciousness followed by death, while ensuring the death is as free from pain, distress, anxiety, or apprehension as possible.
- “Impound” means the act of taking or receiving into custody by the animal services officer, any animal for the purpose of confinement at Animal Services facility consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
- “Livestock” means all cattle or animals of the bovine species; all horses, mules, burros and ass or animals of the equine species; all swine or animals of the porcine species; all goats or animals of the caprine species; all sheep or animals of the ovine species; and all poultry or domesticated fowl or birds.
- “Motor vehicle” means every self-propelled device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a road or highway except devices powered by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
- “Owner” means any person owning, keeping, possessing, harboring, or having the care, custody or control of any animal, or permitting any animal to be or remain on, or be lodged or fed within such person’s house, yard or premises or furnishing a medical certificate, bill of sale, or other indicia of ownership or possession.
- “Person” means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock company, corporation, association, trust, estate or other legal entity.
- “Rabies Control Authority” means the person designated by the Carson City Board of Supervisors to administer rabies control program.
- “Rabies Vaccination” means the inoculation of a dog, cat or ferret with rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and included in the latest Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines of the Public Health Service of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Such vaccination must be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
- “Sheriff” means the Sheriff of Carson City, his or her deputies or any person designated by the sheriff to act herein.
- “Stray animal” means any domestic animal at large, excluding livestock, whose owner is unknown, who has no owner, or no apparent home.
- “Vaccine” means any preparation intended for active immunologic prophylaxis.
- “Veterinarian” means a member of the profession of veterinary medicine as described in chapter 638 of NRS, or the term as defined by the applicable veterinary practice act in any state of the United States.
- “Wildlife” means any animal found naturally in the wild state, whether indigenous to the State of Nevada or not and whether raised in captivity or not.
Click on a Code to Reveal It's Description
- There is established Carson City Animal Services which is and shall be maintained in such place or places as provided for by the board of supervisors. The operation, direction, supervision and necessary control of Carson City Animal Services shall be duties delegated by or contracted for by the board of supervisors.
- To enforce all provisions of this chapter and all laws of the State of Nevada relating to the licensing, permitting, control, care, treatment, impoundment, confinement, maintenance, safekeeping, identification and destruction of animals; except wildlife.
- To keep records, accounts, receipts, and reports in accordance with provisions of this chapter and the laws of the State of Nevada.
- To receive and respond to complaints or violations of this chapter or the laws of the State of Nevada per applicable sections of the NRS, and prepare, sign and serve written citations to persons violating the provisions of this chapter or applicable laws of the State of Nevada.
- To collect any costs, charges, or fees provided in this chapter.
- To seize, impound or take custody of animals found to be in violation of the provisions of this chapter or the laws of the State of Nevada.
- To destroy in a humane manner, any animal lawfully seized, or impounded which is determined to be by reason of abandonment, injury, disease or other cause, unfit for further use, or which is determined to be dangerous or inimical to human life or public safety.
- To destroy in a humane manner at the owner’s expense any animal whose owner requests said destruction, if the Animal Services Manager or his/her designee agrees that the destruction is the most humane action for the animal.
- To determine the adoptability of any animal that is seized, impounded or that comes into the custody of Animal Services after a 5 day holding period.
- To vaccinate, microchip, and offer for adoption unclaimed or unredeemed animals as deemed appropriate.
- To provide chargeable services such as microchip, vaccines, rabies vaccinations, euthanasia, and disposal.
- To maintain, operate, and collect fees/charges associated with the pet cemetery.
- It is the duty of the Carson City Sheriff and his/her deputies, while on duty, to assist when needed in carrying out the provisions of this chapter including locating, impounding, documenting and reporting violations of this chapter.
- It is unlawful for any person to resist, obstruct or interfere with an Animal Service Officer, Animal Services Manager, Health Director, or the Carson City Sheriff/Deputies, while engaged in the performance of their duties as imposed by this chapter.
- The Animal Service Officer, Animal Services Manager, Health Director or the Carson City Sheriff/Deputies, for probable cause, shall have the right to enter upon any private or public property in Carson City in order to examine or impound any animal thereon or therein; provided, however, that such person shall not have the right to enter a house or structure which is in use as a residence without having first secured a search warrant.
- The Animal Service Officers shall have the authority to utilize a tranquilizer gun or any other device or substance on an emergency basis, with the permission of the Health Director, to apprehend, capture, impound, control or subdue any animal considered to be a threat to persons or property.
- The Animal Services Officers or the Carson City Sheriff/Deputies may break and enter any motor vehicle, if necessary, to remove and impound any animal endangered by extreme heat, cold, or under any such conditions affecting the health or well being of such animal due to heat, cold, lack of food, water, or such other circumstances as may reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability or death to the animal.
- All money collected pursuant to this chapter shall be paid into the general fund of Carson City and all expenses and disbursements incurred carrying out and enforcing the provision of this chapter shall be paid out of the same fund.
- Under documented hardship, fees required by this chapter may be waived by approval of the Animal Services Manager or Director.
- The fee schedule listed below shall apply to all sections of this chapter as approved by the Carson City Board of Supervisors.
Altered Cat/Dog Adoption | $50.00 (dog) $50.00 (cat) |
Kitten/Puppy Adoption | $60.00/$100 |
Altered License | $8.00 per year |
Unaltered License | $25.00 per year |
Expired License | $10.00 |
Replacement License | $5.00 |
1st Impound Reclaim | $40.00 |
2nd Impound Reclaim | $80.00 |
3rd Impound Reclaim | $120.00 |
4th Impound Reclaim | $160.00 |
Livestock Impound Reclaim | $100.00 |
Boarding/Quarantine | $20.00 per day |
Permit Application/Inspection | $50.00 one-time/non-refundable |
Permit | $50.00 per year |
Cat/Dog Disposal | $35.00 |
Owner Release Cat/Dog | $25.00 altered/$50.00 unaltered |
Owner Release kitten/puppy litter | $20.00 per kitten/puppy |
Microchip Implantation | $15.00 |
Vaccination | $10.00 |
Rabies Vaccination | $15.00 |
- No person shall keep more than three (3) dogs over six (6) months of age or three (3) cats over six (6) months of age, at any place, or on any premises, or in any one (1) residence without first obtaining a permit to have more than the allowed number of animals from Animal Services.
- Animals used for formal educational purposes, such as 4H or Future Farmers of America, may apply for permits to have livestock on residential lots.
- Animals used in law enforcement are exempt from such permits.
- No person shall keep any livestock or farm animals except as provided below:
- Horses, swine, fowl, sheep or other animals of a similar nature shall not be maintained on any lot or parcel other than a lot or parcel zoned agriculture (A), conservation reserve (CR), single-family one-acre (SF1A), single-family two-acre (SF2A) or single-family five-acre (SF5A).
- On residentially zoned properties requiring less than one (1) acre in land area, a maximum of two (2) rabbits, two (2) potbelly pigs, that weigh less than one hundred fifty (150) pounds each and four (4) female chickens or female ducks may be kept. The keeping or raising of livestock and other farm animals as allowable under this section shall be permitted in accordance with the table of animal units and density standards described as follows:
ANIMAL TYPE ANIMAL UNIT EQUIVALENT (A.U.E) 1-Horse, Mule or Donkey 1.00 1-Cow, Steer, or Bull 1.00 1-Pig, Llama, or Alpaca 1.00 1-Pony or Burro 1.00 1-Sheep, Goat or Mini Horse 0.50 1-Rabbit or Fowl 0.20 Livestock and farm animal numbers will be established at the density of one (1) animal unit for each seven thousand (7,000) square feet of lot area. All fractional densities are to be rounded down to the nearest whole number. For example: On a one (1) acre parcel (forty-three thousand five hundred sixty (43,560) square feet), six (6) A.U.E’s would be allowed. For every residential parcel larger than one (1) acre and zoned single-family two-acre (SF2A) or single-family five-acre (SF5A), only two (2) A.U.E’s may be added per additional acre up to five (5) acres.
Calculations for allowable animals may be combined to total an allowable animal unit density. For example: On a one (1) acre parcel where six (6) animal units are allowed, 3 horses (3×1.00) = 3.00 A.U.E + 4 sheep (4×0.50) = 2.00 A.U.E + 5 chickens (5×0.20) = 1.00 A.U.E, for a total of 6.00 animal unit density.
No person shall keep more than the allowable livestock or farm animals on any premises, or on any one (1) property without first obtaining a permit to have more than the allowed number of animals from Animal Services.
- Every person must possess a current license for every dog he/she owns, keeps, harbors or possesses. The owner of any dog over the age of three (3) months shall maintain a current and valid license issued by Animal Services.
- Every owner shall securely fasten about the neck of the dog, a collar with the license attached thereto. If such dog cannot wear a collar, it shall be implanted with a microchip. It is unlawful for any person to remove any license from any dog not owned by him/her, or to place on any dog a counterfeit, imitation, or altered license.
- It shall be the duty of the owner of any dog to procure a replacement license and pay the replacement license fee if such license is lost.
- Every person applying for or renewing a license must exhibit a current certificate of rabies vaccination, as required by the NRS, if applicable, and issued by a licensed veterinarian.
- Animal Services may, upon acquiring ownership of any animal, humanely destroy said animal or adopt such animal.
- Every person seeking to adopt an animal from Animal Services shall sign an adoption contract containing the provisions set forth in NRS 574.645.
- The rabies control authority is designated as the County Health Officer or his/her designee in accordance with NAC441A.410(1). The rabies control authority is responsible to administer the rabies control program. Any person authorized by him/her to act on his/her behalf in accordance with NAC441A.410(1). The rabies control authority is responsible to administer the rabies control program.
- An owner of any dog, cat or ferret shall maintain such animal currently vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the provisions of this section and the recommendation set forth in the current “Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control” published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. which is hereby adopted by reference.
- Any owner of a dog, cat or ferret over the age of three (3) months shall cause such animal to be vaccinated with rabies vaccine.
- Any owner of a dog, cat or ferret shall provide Animal Services with a current certificate of rabies vaccination and pay any fees due, prior to reclaiming custody of said animal.
- Animal Services may administer other vaccinations for any animal impounded at Animal Services. All fees for other vaccinations shall be paid by the owner or owner’s representative prior to reclaiming the animal.
- Animal Services, on advice from a licensed veterinarian, may exempt any animal from alteration or vaccination requirements.
- Every veterinarian who vaccinates an animal with rabies vaccine shall issue the owner a certificate of rabies vaccination in accordance with NAC 441A.440, and shall provide a copy of said certificate to the Health Director.
- Animal Services shall investigate all reports of an animal bite in accordance with all applicable sections of the NAC 441A.410 through NAC441A.430 and the current Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention Control.
- Every stray animal impounded shall be held by Animal Services for a minimum of five (5) days. If within the five (5) days an owner comes forth, provides proof of current rabies vaccine, a current license (if applicable), a reclaim fee, a boarding fee (if applicable), and any other vaccination fee, such animal shall be released to its owner. The fees in this section may be imposed or waived in accordance with the provisions of 7.13.040.After 5 days, any stray animal, that has not had an identified owner, come forth to claim an ownership right in such animal, it will become the property of Carson City Animal Services. If an owner has asserted ownership rights to a stray animal, but has failed to claim their animal after five (5) days, the animal will be kept for up to five (5) additional days as a possibly abandoned animal as provided in section 6 of this subsection.After 5 days, the stray animal will become the property of Animal Services.
- Any stray shall be impounded at Animal Services as pursuant to NRS 569.005 through 569.130.
- Impound fees shall be increased for each additional impoundment of an animal and a boarding fee shall be assessed for each day over twenty-four (24) hours from the time of impound.
- At the owner’s expense, any dog or cat impounded for the second time shall be required to be implanted with a microchip prior to release.
- Any animal impounded at Animal Services suspected of having or having been exposed to rabies or showing any other signs of disease shall be held for inspection by a certified veterinarian at the owner’s expense.
- Any animal impounded as a result of the owner’s arrest, hospitalization, protective shelter, death, or possible abandonment shall be kept under protective custody. Animal Services will board such animal for up to ten (10) days at the owner’s expense. At the time of impound, written notice shall be posted upon the property from which the animal was taken or served upon the owner. If such animal is not reclaimed within ten (10) days of date and time of impound, Animal Services shall have legal ownership of such animal.
- Every person, who is the owner of, or has the care, custody or control of any dog, shall keep such dog properly restrained by leash, chain, cord or effective restraint as demonstrated by signal or voice command when not confined to the property on which it is kept. This does not apply on public property that is designated and legally posted to allow dogs off leash.
- It is the responsibility of the owner of any animal to provide and maintain adequate food and water for the animal. It is the responsibility of the owner of any animal to provide adequate shelter for the animal although exceptions may apply for livestock.
- It shall be unlawful for any owner or person having custody or control of any animal to permit any animal to excrete any solid waste upon any sidewalk, street, park, or private property, without promptly removing and properly disposing of such waste.
- No person shall keep, maintain, possess or permit on any property, animals in such a manner as to cause damage, hazards, offensive noise, dust, odor, waste, or any other offensive condition.
- Any person owning, possessing or having custody or control of any animal, after observing or learning of such animal having any disease, injury, or health issue, shall immediately notify a veterinarian for an examination of such animal at the owner’s expense. Such owner shall immediately notify Animal Services if such examination result is positive for rabies virus.
- It shall be unlawful for any owner or person having custody or control of any dog to use a tether, chain, tie, trolley or pulley system or any other device to restrain such animal on any property that is less than 12 feet in length, fails to allow such animal to move at least twelve (12) feet, allows such animal to reach a fence or object which could endanger such animal in any way or by entanglement or strangulation, or use of prong, pinch, or choke collar with such constraint, or for more than fourteen (14) hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to torture, inflict pain or harm in the course of any ritual, kill in an inhumane method, or engage in any sexual conduct or contact with any animal.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to overdrive, overload, cruelly beat, injure, maim, mutilate, kill or willfully instigate, engage in, or in any way further an act of cruelty to any animal, or any act to produce such cruelty, whether said person is the owner or not and whether on private or public property.
- It shall be unlawful to deprive any animal of necessary sustenance, food, drink, or shelter, or expose the animal to the elements of the weather and to the extremes of heat or cold.
- It shall be unlawful to refuse to obtain veterinary medical care for illness, injury, disease or infirmity, or willfully instigate, engage in, or in any way further an act of cruelty to any animal, or any act to produce such cruelty.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to overcrowd any animal in any crate, box, enclosure, or other receptacle.
- It shall be unlawful for any person owning, possessing or having the care, custody or control of any animal, living or dead, to abandon such animal on any property whether private or public. An animal is considered abandoned when not claimed on or by a specified date after having been impounded, boarded, groomed, trained, handled or cared for by any person.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully throw, drop or place any glass, nails, metal or any other substance or device on any property, private or public, calculated to wound, disable or injure any animal.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to carry or enclose, or cause to be carried or enclosed, in or upon any vehicle or conveyance, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner. It is unlawful for any person to transport or convey any animal in the bed of an open pickup truck, or similar open vehicle, without making adequate provisions to prevent the animal from jumping or being thrown from the vehicle or conveyance.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to place, confine or allow to remain, any animal in a motor vehicle during periods of extreme heat or cold or any conditions for such period of time as may endanger the health of such animal due to heat, cold, lack of water or food or any other circumstance as may reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability or death to such animal.
- It shall be unlawful for any person selling an animal to dye or color any animal with the intent to defraud another.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, use, or be in any manner connected with financially interested in, the management of, or to wager on or receive money or other things of value for the admission of any person to public or private property or place used or occupied for baiting or fighting of any animal; or to instigate, promote, arrange, or carry on, or do any act as assistant, umpire, principal, spectator or otherwise, a fight between animals, or in aid of or calculated to encourage or further any fight between animals.
- It shall be unlawful for any person not engaged in training a dog for field trial or hunting, a club, staging a field trial or training class, to fire upon any animal, unless hunting pursuant to authority granted from the U.S. Government or the State of Nevada.
- Any person, who intends to trap any wildlife on private or public property, shall notify the Nevada Department of Wildlife in accordance with NRS Title 45.
- Any person, who intends to trap any dog or cat on private property within the Carson City limits, shall notify Animal Services prior to such trapping.
- Dangerous dogs shall be declared dangerous based upon the definition and procedures as provided in NRS 202.500. The owner of a dog declared dangerous shall comply with the mandates and requirements of state law.
- Vicious dogs shall be declared vicious based upon the definition and procedures as provided in NRS 202.500. The owner of a dog declared vicious shall comply with the mandates and requirements of state law.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to display, for sale, offer to sell, barter, give away or otherwise dispose of any animal on any street, sidewalk, public building, public park, or any public place or commercial establishment. This does not apply to individuals or businesses licensed to sell animals.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to steal, relocate or dispose of any animal belonging to another person.
- It shall be unlawful for any person finding any dog or cat to refuse to contact Animal Services and to relinquish such animal to Animal Services if requested.
- Any person found guilty of a misdemeanor for violation any provision of this chapter shall be punished by confinement in the Carson City jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by a fine not to exceed one thousand ($1000.00) or by both fine and imprisonment. In accordance with NRS 244.359, an ordinance enacted pursuant to this title that creates an offense relating to bites of animals, vicious or dangerous animals or cruelty to animals must impose a criminal penalty for the offense.
- In addition to any other penalty, if in Judge’s discretion, the dog poses a threat to public safety, the judge may order the animal to be humanely destroyed.
- If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase in this chapter or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this chapter or any part thereof. The Board of Supervisors of Carson City hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more section, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrased be declared unconstitutional, invalid or ineffective.
- All ordinances or parts of ordinances, sections in the Carson City Municipal Code in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.