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Pet Information and Requirements
No more than three adult dogs or four adult cats may be kept in any dwelling unit within the city. A mix of dogs, cats, or any other type of creature (excluding pigeons, chickens, and fish) may not exceed four total. Offspring of the creatures currently owned may be kept in excess to this number until they reach the age of three months.
Chickens can be kept as long as the animals do not constitute a nuisance to the occupants of adjacent property. See City Municipal Code Sec 8-11 through 8-14 for more information.
Only pigeons commonly known as "fancy pigeons" may be kept. See City Municipal Code Sec 8-5 for more information.
Pets must have adequate shelter from the weather, a steady supply of water, adequate food and medical care.
Prohibited animals
Wild and exotic animals such as monkeys, alligators or such type of creature are not allowed. “Wild and Exotic Creature” means any mammal, reptile, insect, bird, fish, or amphibian which is naturally inclined to do harm and/or capable of inflicting harm upon human beings. Snakes, spiders, and such require very good containment and are not allowed to run loose.
Livestock, classified as ungulates, are also prohibited.
- Licensing
- Leash Laws/At Large
- Disturbing the Peace
- Impounded Animals
- Pet Waste
- Dangerous/Vicious Animals
All dogs and cats within the City limits and over the age of six months must be licensed and display a license tag at all times.
A license can be purchased at City Hall at the City Treasurer's Office. For additional information call 605-626-7026.
In addition, proof of a current rabies vaccination by a registered veterinarian is required for all dogs and cats and must be presented to the City Treasurer's Office at the time of license application. All dog or cat licenses shall expire upon the expiration date of the rabies inoculation as shown on the furnished rabies certificate.
Per City Municipal Code Sec 8-32
Any mammal, reptile, insect, bird or amphibian in the city or in any area controlled by the city shall be deemed to be running at-large when such creature is not confined on the premises of its owner, or where the owner of the animal is an invitee or guest, or the animal is restrained by:
- A nonretractable leash no greater than six feet in length; or
- A retractable leash no longer than 16 feet in length, provided that such retractable leash is retracted to six feet in length whenever the creature is within 32 feet of any other human or creature, or in the hands of some attendant. This provision shall not apply in city-designated off-leash dog parks.
Per City Municipal Code Sec 8-35
No person owning and no person keeping, harboring or having on property occupied by him or her any creature, licensed or unlicensed, confined on the premises or otherwise, shall suffer or permit such creature to disturb the peace and quiet of a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities by persistent or constant barking, howling, whining, snarling or growling or any such sound that disturbs his or her neighbors.
Upon complaint being made to the city police department, a law enforcement officer or animal control officer shall be empowered to immediately take possession of said creature and to impound said creature if the owner or caretaker is not present or is unable or unwilling to immediately quiet the creature.
If the officer does not hear the alleged disturbance, but the complaining citizen is willing to sign a statement attesting to the disturbance with times and descriptions of such disturbance, the officer may use that statement to judge if the disturbance is severe enough to impound the creature. If the owner or caretaker is not at home, the officer will leave a notice informing him of the impoundment.
Penalty
The owner or caretaker will be responsible for all costs. In addition to the impounding of such creature, the owner or caretaker shall be subject to a fine. The total number of offenses within the past three years shall serve as the multiplier of the standard fine in determining the total fine. This graduated fine system does not prevent the imposition of jail or any other penalty as authorized under the general penalties of these ordinances.
Animals picked up for being at large or for other reasons by the Animal Control Officer or police officer are taken to the City Animal Shelter (Aberdeen Area Humane Society) at 2511 385th Ave, Aberdeen SD.
You may call 605-226-1200 to check if your pet is at the City Animal Shelter between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Before driving out to the shelter, call first. If there is no answer, leave a message with your contact information, and someone will return your call.
When you pick up your animal, there will likely be fees that are required to be paid before the animal is released. Also, you may be required to provide documentation of rabies vaccination prior to the animal’s release.
Per City Municipal Code Sec 8-42
No person shall allow any mammal, reptile, insect, bird or amphibian to defecate or urinate on any property in the City other than his own. If such a creature does defecate upon public or private property, the person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of such creature shall immediately and thoroughly clean the fecal matter from such property.
Any person accompanied by any creature in public or private property other than his or her own must carry with him or her visible means of cleaning up any fecal matter left by their animal. Service animals, animals used by law enforcement and animals used in parades are exempt from these provisions.
No person will allow creature fecal matter to accumulate on his or her property to a point where it allows a foul odor or attracts insects.
A City police officer or animal control officer may initiate an investigation into the dangerousness of any mammal, reptile, insect, bird, fish or amphibian based on his observations upon the official complaint of any adult person, deemed credible, who has observed such behavior or by an attending physician who has treated an individual for animal caused wounds.
In addition, no person may keep within the City any potentially dangerous creature, as per section 6-39, or any creature that has been declared dangerous/vicious under section 6-36 unless such creature is registered yearly with the City and a permit fee in the amount of $150.00 is paid to the City. Such permit for maintaining a dangerous/vicious animal shall be presented to any law enforcement officer or animal control officer upon demand.