Fall River, Massachusetts

§ 6-1 Definitions.

Unless otherwise set out in this chapter, any term defined in MGL c. 140, § 136A shall have the same meaning in this chapter, and shall be expressly incorporated herein.

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KENNEL

Any premises wherein any person, partnership or corporation engages in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, selling for hire, training for a fee, selling dogs, or engages in training dogs for guard or sentry purposes, or every pack or collection of more than four dogs three months old or over owned or kept on a single premises irrespective of the purpose for which they are maintained.

§ 6-3 Kennel licenses.

A. Any person maintaining a kennel shall have a kennel license.

B. Any person who meets any requirement of the Code of the City of Fall River and MGL c. 140, § 137A, upon application and approved inspection, may obtain a kennel license from the City Clerk on a form prescribed and supplied by the City Clerk and for a fee as set forth in Chapter A110, Fee Schedule, of the City Code. The City Clerk shall, upon application and approved inspection, issue a license without charge to any domestic charitable corporation incorporated exclusively for the purpose of protecting animals from cruelty, neglect or abuse for the relief of suffering among animals. Prior to the issuance of any kennel license, an inspection shall be made by the animal control officer and the animal health inspector.

C. The provisions of MGL c. 140, § 137B, as amended, shall be expressly incorporated under this chapter.

D. The Chief of Police or dog officer may at any time inspect or cause to be inspected any kennel and if, in either or both opinions, the same is not being maintained in a sanitary and humane manner, or if records are not properly kept as required by law, shall file with the City Council a petition setting forth the facts, and the City Council shall upon this petition, or upon the petition of 25 citizens setting forth that they are aggrieved, or annoyed to an unreasonable extent, by one or more dogs at a kennel maintained in the City, because of excessive barking or the vicious disposition of said dogs or other conditions connected with such kennel constituting a public nuisance, within seven days after the filing of such petition, give notice to all parties in interest of a public hearing to be held within 14 days after the date of such notice. Within seven days after such public hearing said City Council shall make an order either revoking or suspending such kennel license, or dismissing said petition. Within 10 days after such order the holder of such license may bring a petition to the District Court in Fall River, as outlined in MGL c. 140, § 137C. Any person maintaining a kennel after the license therefor has been so revoked, or while such license is so suspended, shall be punished by a fine as set forth in § 6-12 of this chapter. The City Council may, in the case of any suspension, reinstate such license.