If you own a cow, chicken, sheep, goat, duck, goose, Llama, donkey, horse, hog, swine, or buffalo, you can’t keep it in your yard within the City of Alliance. You can, however, own a rabbit as long as you keep it in a pen located outside. Unless of course you have more than five rabbits. Then you have to keep them in a pen located not less than fifty feet from any building used as a residence. And those baby chicks and ducklings? Well, don’t plan on dyeing or coloring them. There is one exception to the "farm animal" ban. If, for some strange reason, you have the compelling need to have a buffalo (or one of the other above-mentioned animals) staked out in your yard, you can ask for an exemption from the Safety Service Director.

Chapter 505 of the Codified Ordinances of the city governs "Animals and Fowl." This chapter covers almost everything that crawls, slithers or walks on four paws. And this time of year, the police department generally gets calls on dogs that are running around loose or barking excessively.

The Ordinance states that if you "keep or harbor" any dog in the city which barks, howls, yelps and annoys the neighbors, it is your responsibility to keep your dog quiet or take a chance on being found guilty of a misdemeanor. You also have to keep your dog tied up or under your control in some manner, such as on a leash or in a fenced area. If your dog is more than three months old, you have to get a license and the dog has to wear the registration tag.

If your pet should happen to bite someone and cause serious physical harm, you must make a report to the City of Alliance Health Commissioner within twenty-four hours at 330-821-7373. The animal will have to be quarantined for ten days, under the guidelines and supervision of the Health Commissioner. In all cases, if the animal has to be held at a pound or kennel or examined by a veterinarian, it will be at the expense of owner. Owners of dogs considered to be dangerous and vicious must take further precautions, which are prescribed in Chapter 505.

Chapter 505 also states; "The owner or keeper of any member of a species of the animal kingdom that escapes from his custody or control and that is not indigenous (native) to this State or presents a risk of serious physical harm to persons or property, or both, shall, within one hour after he discovers or reasonably should have discovered the escape, report it to: (1) A law enforcement officer of the Municipality.....etc.." That means if your King Cobra slides out your front door and you don’t notice, you have an hour to call the police department. Seriously, dangerous animals have no place in the city and can be seized and impounded under the authority of the Safety Service Director.