Gulfport, Mississippi

Sec. 7-66. – Conditional permits for domesticated animals (dogs and/or cats).

(a) The chief of police shall have the authority to issue permits, renewable annually, to persons within the city to house and maintain domesticated animals (dogs and/or cats) in excess of six (6) at their residence.

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(5) No person(s) shall be allowed to breed such domesticated animals (dogs and/or cats) for profit and sale purposes without this permit. Any such person(s) found in violation of this provision of the division shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, in addition to having any future permit denied, shall be subject to the general penalty provision of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Gulfport, Mississippi.

Sec. 7-67. – Sale of animals; prohibitions, exemptions and enforcement.

It shall be unlawful to sell, trade, barter, lease, auction, give away or display a live animal on a roadside, public right-of-way, sidewalk, street, parkway or any other public property or any property dedicated to public use, a commercial parking lot, or at an outdoor special sale, swap meet, flea market, parking lot sale or similar event. This section shall not apply to the Humane Society of South Mississippi, Inc., animal welfare organizations designated as a 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service, established businesses whose sole purpose is related to the care and maintenance of pets or entities who have both a valid business license issued by the city and a valid conditional permit as required in subsection 7-66(b)(5) provided that prior to release of the animal it has been administered all necessary vaccinations as required by law and has been spayed or neutered. A violation of this section shall be considered a misdemeanor. Any person or entity authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter shall have the authority to impound any animal found in violation of this section. The impounded animal may be reclaimed within five (5) days of impoundment upon payment of the costs incurred in confining and keeping of such animal during impoundment.

Sec. 7-101. – Impoundment and notice to owner.

The police officer, animal officer, or other person as may be designated by the city council may seize or caused to be seized any cat whose owner, keeper, or harborer is found to be in violation of any part of this division, and shall impound or cause to be impounded such cat in the local animal shelter. The police officer, animal control officer, or any other person designated by the city to enforce these provisions shall scan impounded cats for the presence of a microchip and shall make reasonable efforts to notify the owner of any cat with a microchip or with any other form of identification that the cat has been impounded and inform such owner of the procedure and conditions for redeeming the cat. An impounded cat is a cat which is tagged or microchipped and shall be held for a period not to exceed five (5) days, and if reasonable corrections are not made by the owner, keeper, or harborer of the cat so that the owner, keeper, or harborer is no longer in violation of this division, then the cat shall be released to the local animal shelter. Cats which are not properly tagged or microchipped shall be released to the local animal shelter upon delivery to the shelter. The animal officer shall designate to the owner, keeper, or harborer of the cat what corrective action is required to be in compliance with this division. Thereupon, the impounded cat may be reclaimed within five (5) days of impoundment upon payment of the costs incurred in confining and keeping of such cat during impoundment, payment of the cost of inserting a microchip in the cat, and where applicable, payment of the cost for spaying or neutering the cat, and upon showing proof of current rabies vaccination. All cats shall be microchipped prior to being returned to an owner or released for adoption. Cats impounded for a second or subsequent time shall be spayed or neutered prior to being returned to an owner or released for adoption. The cost of inserting a microchip and the cost of spaying or neutering shall not exceed the actual reasonable cost incurred by the Humane Society of South Mississippi, its agents or any other agency authorized by law to perform these procedures.

Sec. 7-118. – Impoundment; registry and notice to owner.

(c) The police officer, animal officer, or other person as may be designated by the city council may seize or caused to be seized any dog whose owner, keeper, or harborer is found to be in violation of any part of this division, and shall impound or cause to be impounded such dog in a designated shelter. An impounded dog is a dog which is three (3) months of age or older or a dog which is tagged or microchipped and shall be held for a period not to exceed five (5) days, and if reasonable corrections are not made by the owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog so that the owner, keeper, or harborer is no longer in violation of this division, then the dog shall be released to the local animal shelter. Dogs which are under three (3) months of age or are not properly tagged or microchipped shall be released to the local animal shelter upon delivery to the shelter. The animal officer shall designate to the owner, keeper, or harborer of the dog what corrective action is required to be in compliance with this division. Thereupon, the impounded dog may be reclaimed within five (5) days of impoundment upon payment of the costs incurred in confining and keeping of such dog during impoundment, payment of the cost of inserting a microchip in the dog and where applicable, payment of the cost of spaying or neutering the dog and upon showing proof of current rabies vaccination. All dogs shall be microchipped prior to being returned to an owner or released for adoption. Dogs impounded for a second or subsequent time shall be spayed or neutered prior being returned to an owner or released for adoption. The cost of inserting a microchip and the cost of spaying or neutering shall not exceed the actual reasonable cost incurred by the Humane Society of South Mississippi, its authorized agents, or any other agency authorized by law to perform these procedures.

Sec. 7-124. – Keeping, maintaining for breeding purposes, prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep and maintain dogs on their premises for breeding purposes within the city, except as allowed and provided by Chapter 7, Article III, Division 1, section 7-66 of this chapter.