2019-09ORDINANCE NO.2019-09
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REENACTING CHAPTER 6, ARTICLE III,
DIVISION 2, SECTION 6-81 AND 6-82 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX
VIRGINIA, RELATING TO THE LICENSING OF DOGS
BE IT ORDAINED, by the City Council of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, that Chapter6,
Article III, Division 2 of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, be and the same is hereby
amended and reenacted to read in its entirety as follows:
DIVISION 2. - LICENSE
Sec. 6-81. - Licenses generally.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog four months old or older in this city
unless such dog is licensed, as required by the provisions of this chapter. Any dog not
wearing a collar bearing a license tag of the proper calendar year or a lifetime license tad
shall prima facie be deemed to be an unlicensed dog and in any proceedings under this
chapter the burden of proof of the fact that the dog has been licensed, or is otherwise not
required to bear a tag at the time, shall be on the owner of the dog. No license tag shall be
issued for any dog unless there is presented to the city treasurer at the time the application
is made for such license, the certificate of rabies vaccination required in section 6-82.
(b) There is hereby provided and levied an annual a ten dollar ($10) lifetime license tax
upon dogs within the city four months old or older. eensisting ef the fellewing fees-
Slarling January 1. 2022 and henceforth said license tax levy will be twenty dollars
($20Z
Fenile females ..... $1_040
Fenile gales .....
infei4ile er neutered males ..... 5.00
(1) The lifetime license shall be valid onlyas as the animal's owner resides in the
City, of Fairfax and the dogs rabies vaccination is kepi current. A fee of one dollar
($1.00) will be charged for replacement ofa dog license that is lost or stolen.
(1) On januafy land net later- than jafiUffy 31 ef eaeh year-, the owner. efany deg -few
€er
the sueeeeding year- shall be paid by the owner- and this lieefise shall be valid
the date !he heense is purehased.
shall be taxed the fee leyied en fei4ile dogs-.
(3) (2) No license tax shall be levied on any dog that is trained and serves as a guide
dog for a blind person, that is trained and serves as a hearing dog for a deaf or
hearing -impaired person or that is trained and serves as a service dog for a mobility -
impaired person. As used in this section, the term "hearing dog" means a dog trained
to alert its owner by touch to sounds of danger and sounds to which the owner should
respond and the term "service dog" means a dog trained to accompany its owner for
the purpose of carrying items, retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair or other such
activities of service or support.
(c) Upon receipt of a proper application, a current certificate of vaccination as required by
this article, and payment of the license tax, the city treasurer shall issue a license receipt.
The treasurer shall record on the receipt the name and address of the owner, the date of
payment, the lieense yeaf-, the serial number of the tag, whether the dog is male, unsexed
female or female. The treasurer shall also issue a lifetime dog license tag, which tag shall
bear an assigned number, the eurfent lieense yeaf, sex of the deg and the name of the city.
(d) The treasurer shall place all money collected by him for dog license taxes in the general
fund of the city to be used for the purposes required by law.
(Code 1978, § 4-10)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, § 3.1-796.87.
Sec. 6-82. - Evidence showing inoculation for rabies prerequisite to obtaining license.
(a) No license tag shall be issued or existing tag deemed to be current for any dog unless
there is presented to the city treasurer evidence satisfactory to him showing that such dog
has been inoculated or vaccinated against rabies by a currently licensed veterinarian or
currently licensed veterinary technician who was under the immediate and direct
supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises.
(b) The vaccine used shall be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture for
use in that species. The certificate shall show the date of inoculation, the type of vaccine,
the rabies tag number, the sex and breed of the dog and the name of the owner. No
certificate or affidavit other than the certificate described in this section or a duplicate
issued by a licensed veterinarian shall be accepted by the city treasurer.
(Code 1978, § 4-11)
State Law reference— Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, § 3.1-796.97.
Sec. 6-83. - Displaying receipts; dogs to wear tags.
(a) Dog license receipts shall be carefully preserved by the licensees and exhibited
promptly on request for inspection by any animal control officer or other officer. Dog
license tags shall be securely fastened to a substantial collar by the owner and worn by
the dog. The owner of the dog may remove the collar and license tag required by this
section when:
(1) The dog is engaged in lawful hunting;
(2) The dog is competing in a dog show;
(3) The dog has a skin condition which would be exacerbated by the wearing of a
collar;
(4) The dog is confined; or
(5) The dog is under the immediate control of its owner.
(b) Any dog not wearing a collar bearing a valid license tag shall prima facie be deemed to
be unlicensed, and in any proceeding under this chapter the burden of proof of the fact
that such dog has been licensed, or is otherwise not required to bear a tag at the time,
shall be on the owner of the dog.
(Code 1978, § 4-12; Ord. No. 2009-28, 11-10-2009) Secs. 6-84-6-110. - Reserved.
This Ordinance shall become effective as provided by law.
INTRODUCED: July 9, 2019
PUBLIC HEARING: July 23, 2019
ADOPTED: July 23, 2019
Mayor
v .2 5 Zoe
ATTEST: Date
City Clerk
VOTE:
Councilmember DeMarco
Aye
Councilmember Lim
Aye
Councilmember Miller
Aye
Councilmember Passey
Absent
Councilmember Stehle
Aye
Councilmember Yi
Aye