The golden rule for responsible dog ownership dictates that your decision to own a dog must not impact in any way upon the lives of those who live around you and who choose not to have a dog as a pet. The Pleasant Prairie Police Department spends a surprising amount of time dealing with animal complaints. In 2007, the department handled 427 animal control complaints. The majority of these were related to dogs. It is a violation of Village Ordinances:

• to allow your dog to run at large, meaning that your dog must be properly leashed and under your control when away from your property;

• to keep a dog that barks or makes other noises to the annoyance of persons in the neighborhood;

• to keep a dog that has not been properly vaccinated for rabies;

• to keep a dog that is not properly licensed by the Village;

• to fail to keep your property reasonably clean of dog waste; and

• to keep a dog that has been determined to be "vicious" by the Chief of Police without the required Vicious Dog License issued by the Village.

• Village Ordinances also require that you keep your dog on a leash while on any street, bike path, beach, public ground and park in the Village.

One other note, the Village maintains contracts with the Safe Harbor Humane Society and a certified humane officer. If your dog is at large and is taken to the Safe Harbor Humane Society, the Village charges a $100 Reclaim Fee in order to recover the costs associated with maintaining these contracts. The Pleasant Prairie Police Department would like to thank you for your consideration and responsibility as a dog owner.