Every owner of a dog which is over the age of four months, and which is kept in the City, shall obtain an identification tag and annual license for such dog and shall pay the annual fee imposed by Section 7-12.020.

An annual dog license fee set by resolution of the City Council is imposed upon every dog over the age of four months which is kept in the City by any person who is an owner as defined in Section 7-04.010. If a certificate is presented from a licensed veterinarian that the dog has been spayed or neutered, the annual license fee imposed shall be reduced by the sum set by resolution of the City Council. The license fee is due and payable on the day upon which the dog is four months old, or the day upon which the dog, if over the age of four months, is first owned by a resident of the City, and thereafter on the annual anniversary of the rabies vaccination. If the license fee is not paid on or before the annual rabies vaccination anniversary date, the license will be considered delinquent and the owner shall pay the delinquency penalty set by resolution of the City Council in addition to the assessed dog license fee and shall pay the penalty when the license is issued. However, any dog which first becomes subject to these licensing provisions solely by reason of annexation to the City of Santa Rosa of the territory in which the owner resides, is exempt from this section for the balance of the annual period for which such dog is properly licensed by the County of Sonoma.

Upon each application for a license, the owner shall furnish to the Poundmaster in writing his or her name, the address where the dog is kept, the name, breed, age, sex and color of the dog, and proof of current vaccination. The Poundmaster shall furnish registration forms for such purpose and upon payment of the fee, and penalty, if any, shall issue a serially numbered license certificate and a metallic identification tag or device. The identification tab or device shall be issued once and serve over the life-time of the dog.

Service and assistance dogs are exempt from the license fee while so owned and used, but are not exempt from registration on the license application form, or from obtaining any required vaccination or identification tag or device.

If an identification tag or device is lost, the Poundmaster may issue a duplicate or other tag in lieu thereof upon receiving proof of loss, made in writing under penalty of perjury, and a fee which shall be set by resolution of the City Council.

The identification tag shall be attached securely to a collar or harness, or the device shall be attached by other suitable means, on the dog for which issued at all times that the dog is in the City. The identification tag shall be shown by the owner at any time upon demand by the Poundmaster or his Deputies.

No person shall remove an identification tag or device from a dog without express or implied permission of the owner. No person shall counterfeit or imitate an identification tag or device or make any unauthorized substitution of such tags or devices.

No person owning or otherwise having a dog in his care, charge, control, custody or possession except a service or assistance dog, shall cause, permit or allow such dog to be in or upon any public park or playground unless such dog is under restraint by leash or chain. The leash or chain shall not exceed six feet in length. Dogs are prohibited in public park or playground areas so designated and posted by the City.

Female dogs in copulation season shall be kept confined to the owner's or custodian's premises.

Any unsterilized dog which is impounded a second time within a 12-month period for violation of restraint requirements shall be spayed or neutered within seven days of the redemption. Written verification from the veterinarian performing the surgery shall be provided by the owner to the poundmaster within seven days of the surgery.