wtf?

Great. I'm a scofflaw. /snicker.

This is from the Madison municipal codes website. The scariest part is where they say an officer can go into a home and seize a non-licensed animal for disposal. Now, I know that NOBODY's gonna freakin do that, but still~!

9.31   CAT LICENSE.

(1)   Definitions  .

(a)   The word "owner" when used in this section in relation to a property right in or possession of a cat includes every person who owns, harbors, or keeps a cat.

(b)   The word "neutered" as used herein as describing a cat shall mean a cat having nonfunctional generative organs.

(2)   Every owner of a cat more than five (5) months of age on January 1 of any year, or five (5) months of age within the license year shall annually, or within thirty (30) days from the date such cat becomes five (5) months of age, at the time and in the manner provided by law, pay a cat license fee and obtain a license therefore. Effective April 1, 2004, such cat license fee shall be eight dollars ($8) for each neutered male cat or spayed female cat upon presentation of evidence that the cat is neutered or spayed, and thirteen dollars ($13) for each unneutered male cat or unspayed female cat, or one-half of these amounts if the cat becomes five (5) months of age after July 1 of the license year. The cat license year shall commence on January 1 and end on the following December 31. (Am. by Ord. 11,736, 12-13-96; Ord. 13,488, 1-23-04)

(3)   Upon payment of the required cat license fee on any cat, the City Treasurer or other authorized individual shall execute and issue to the applicant a license for such cat which shall state the date of its expiration, shall bear a serial number, owner's name and address, and the name, sex, spayed and unspayed, breed, description and color of the cat licensed, and a duplicate copy of the license shall be kept on file. The City Treasurer or other authorized individual shall at the same time deliver to the licensee a tag of durable material which shall bear the same serial number as the license and the name of the City of Madison. The cost of making and furnishing such tags and the cost of printing all forms shall be paid out of license revenues. The City Treasurer may authorize the initial issuance of cat licenses by local veterinarians. Effective January 1, 1996, the City Treasurer shall pay fifty cents (.50) from the proceeds of each license to the veterinarian or veterinary clinic which issues the license asreimbursement for providing licensing services. Veterinarians shall not issue renewals of previously issued licenses. (Am. by Ord. 11,736, 12-13-96)

(4)   The licensee shall securely attach the tag to a collar or harness and said collar or harness with the tag attached shall at all times be kept on the cat for which the license is issued. A new tag with a new number shall be furnished to the licensee by the City Treasurer or other authorized individual in place of the original tag upon presentation of the license and proof of the loss of the original tag. The Treasurer or other authorized individual shall then endorse the new license number on such license. The City Treasurer shall keep a record thereof. (Am. by Ord. 10,766, 11-1-93)

(5)   The fact that a cat is without a license attached to the cat by means of a collar or harness shall be presumptive evidence that the cat is unlicensed. Madison police officers shall seize, impound or restrain any cat for which a cat license is required which is found without such license attached and shall seize, impound or restrain any cat found running at large and any such officer may enter upon premises of the owner to seize such cat.

(6)   The owner of all cats over five (5) months of age shall place on said cats a collar or harness bearing the name and address of the owner of said cat plainly stamped on said collar or harness, or upon a metal identification tag attached thereto. It shall be unlawful for any person other than the owner or keeper thereto to remove a cat's collar or harness containing the name of the owner or the license number from any cat.

(7)   Any cat found or discovered off the premises of its owner and unaccompanied by its owner or some person in control of it shall be considered to be at large and a private nuisance and may be seized, restrained, impounded and disposed of as provided in Section 23.33 of the Madison General Ordinances.

(8)   Late Fees  . The Treasurer or other authorized individual shall assess and collect a late fee of five dollars ($5) from every owner of a cat five (5) months of age or over, if the owner failed to obtain a license prior to April 1 of each year, or within thirty (30) days of acquiring ownership of a licensable cat or if the owner failed to obtain a license on or before the cat reached licensable age. All late fees received or collected shall be paid into the local Treasury. The provisions of this Subsection shall becomeeffective April 1, 2004. (Cr. by Ord. 13,488, 2-23-04)

(9)   Penalties. Any person violating any provision of this section or who shall cause, suffer or permit the violation of any provision of this section shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200). (Renumbered to Subsec. (9) by Ord. 13,488, 2-23-04)