618.12 HUNTING AND TRAPPING REGULATED.

(a) The hunting of animals or birds within the territorial limits of the City is regulated. No person shall hunt, kill or attempt to kill any animals or birds by use of firearm, bow and arrow, cross bow, or any other means that may endanger the life or safety of persons or cause injury or destruction of property, except as follows: (1) A law enforcement officer or animal warden in discharge of his or her duties;

(2) Any person authorized by the Chief of Police while participating in a City authorized animal control program; (3) A State of Ohio licensed nuisance animal trapper or property owner operating under the authority of an Ohio Division of Wildlife Damage Control permit and utilizing trapping in accordance with rules and regulations established by the Police Chief; (4) Any person participating in a City approved Deer Management Program.

(b) No person shall set or maintain any trap within the Municipality, except under the authority of the owner or lawful occupant of the premises upon which such trap is set or maintained. (c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(Ord. 2002-257. Passed 10-18-04.)

618.125 SPECIAL PERMITS FOR CULLING EXCESSIVE DEER. (a) Notwithstanding Section 618.12, special permits may be issued by the Chief of Police with the approval of the Mayor for culling excessive deer on private or public property by means of clover traps, nets, captive bolt, and sharp shooting provided that the trapping and removal of the deer is to be done by a City approved Wildlife Management Specialist or by a licensed nuisance trapper and provided further that an appropriate permit has already been obtained from the State of Ohio, Division of Wildlife, and there is compliance with all State of Ohio and local regulations. (b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(Ord. 2002-257. Passed 10-18-04.)

618.126 INTERFERENCE WITH TAKING WILDLIFE. (a) No person may, for the purpose of hindering or preventing the lawful taking of wildlife pursuant to the City's Wildlife Management Program as set forth in Codified Ordinance Sections 618.12 and 618.125 herein, engage in any of the following conduct: (1) Block, obstruct, impede, or attempt to block, obstruct or impede a person lawfully taking wildlife; (2) Erect a barrier with the intent to deny ingress or egress from areas where wildlife may be lawfully taken; (3) Make or attempt to make unauthorized physical contact with or in any way interfere with a person lawfully taking wildlife; (4) property; Engage in or attempt to engage in theft, vandalism or destruction of personal or real

(5) Disturb or alter, or attempt to disturb or alter the condition or authorized placement of personal or real property intended for use in the lawful taking of wildlife; (6) Enter or remain upon public lands or waters, or upon private lands or waters without the permission of the owner thereof, or an agent of that landowner, where wildlife may be lawfully taken; (7) Make or attempt to make loud noises or gestures; set out or attempt to set out animal baits, scents, lures, or human scent; use any other natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory or physical stimuli, or engage in or attempt to engage in any other similar action or activity in order to disturb, alarm, drive, attract or affect the behavior of wildlife, or disturb, alarm, disrupt, annoy or interfere with a person lawfully taking wildlife. (b) There is hereby established a 200-foot buffer zone around any authorized and designated site being used for an animal or wildlife control program as established in Sections 618.12 and 618.125. No person shall enter the 200-foot buffer zone during the implementation of any program as authorized in Sections 618.12 and 618.125; provided, however, that the buffer zone authorized herein shall not extend over any land owned by a private landowner unless such private landowner has consented to the use of his or her land as an authorized and designated site. (c) This section shall not apply to a law enforcement officer, game officer, or conservation officer enforcing the laws of the State of Ohio or any local ordinance, nor shall it apply to any private landowner, or agent thereof, on land or waters owned by that private landowner, nor anyone officially authorized by the City to engage in the City's Wildlife Management Program.

(d) The City and/or the Division of Wildlife may initiate a civil action in the Court of Common Pleas for injunctive and other relief for any violation of this section. (e) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree for each violation. (f) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) "Taking" means to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess, collect, or attempt to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess or collect wildlife. (2) "Wildlife" means any wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, shellfish, mollusk, crustacean, or other wild animal, or any part, product, egg, offspring, or the dead body or parts thereof. (Ord. 2005-6. Passed 1-18-05; Ord. 2005-283. Passed 12-19-05.)

618.127 FEEDING OF DEER PROHIBITED. (a) No person shall purposely or knowingly feed, cause to be fed, or provide food for wild white-tail deer in any location where undomesticated animals can access such food, or through ground-feeding stations, salt licks or other established mechanisms to feed wild white-tail deer on lands publicly or privately owned; provided, however, this prohibition shall only apply in the 60-day time period before and during a City-sponsored deer culling program. (b) This section shall not apply to a law enforcement officer, game officer, or conservation officer enforcing the laws of the State of Ohio or any local ordinance, nor anyone officially authorized by the City to engage in an animal control program as provided in Sections 618.12 and 618.125. (c) The City and/or the Division of Wildlife may initiate a civil action in the Court of Common Pleas for injunctive and other relief for any violation of this section. (d) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree for the first offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree for each subsequent offense. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day on or during which a violation of this ordinance occurs. (Ord. 2005-280. Passed 12-19-05.)

618.20 LEG-HOLD TRAPS. (a) No person shall set, use or maintain a leg-hold trap on land or water, for the purpose of taking a wild animal. (b) The prohibitions contained in subsection (a) hereof shall not apply to the Animal Warden or persons working under the direction and control of the Animal Warden. (c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(1964 Code Sec. 503.19)

618.22 NONDOMESTIC ANIMALS. (a) No person shall keep or harbor any nondomestic animal, which, for the purposes of this section, shall include all felines (other than the domestic house cat), nonhuman primates, bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, venomous and/or constricting reptiles, and any cross-breed of such animals which have similar characteristics of the animals specified herein. (b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues. (1964 Code Sec. 503.07)