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Section 4-33. <br /> <br />Leashing and muzzling of vicious, <br />destructive, or dangerous dogs. <br /> <br /> (a) It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having <br />the custody of a vicious or destructive dog or a dog deemed by <br />the animal warden dangerous to persons or animals, to permit <br />such dog off the property of its owner or custodian, unless <br />such dog is securely leashed and muzzled. <br /> <br /> (b) Any person violating any of the provisions of this <br />section shall be deemed guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. <br /> <br /> (c) It shall be the duty of the animal warden to catch <br />and turn over to the Portsmouth Humane Society, Inc., for <br />impounding any vicious, destructive, or dangerous dog found <br />off the owner's premises. Such impounded animal may be <br />redeemed in accordance with the provisions of Section 4-17. <br /> <br /> 2. That Chapter 4 of the Code of the City of <br />Portsmouth, Virginia, 1988, be amended by adding thereto <br />Sections 4-16 and 4-17, to ~read as follows: <br /> <br />Section 4-16. <br /> <br />Definitions. <br /> <br /> For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise <br />expressly stated, the following terms shall have the meanings <br />ascribed to them: <br /> <br /> (a) Destructive animal: Any animal that damages, <br />destroys or attacks any building, fence, cage, enclosure, <br />livestock, fowl, animal or any other thing not the property of <br />the owner or keeper of the dog. <br /> <br /> (b) Vicious animal: Any animal that has bitten any <br />person or an animal that repeatedly attacks or attempts to <br />bite any person. <br /> <br />Section 4-17. <br /> <br />Vicious or destructive animals. <br /> <br /> (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep <br />unconfined within the city any animal which is known by such <br />person to be vicious or which has evidenced a disposition to <br />attack human beings without provocation or is known to be <br />destructive of property; provided that such animals may be <br />kept where there have been made adequate provisions to protect <br />persons and/or property from such animal. An animal shall be <br />deemed "unconfined", if such animal is not securely confined <br />indoors or confined in a securely enclosed and locked pen or <br />run area upon the premises of said person. Such pen or run <br />area must also have either sides six feet high or a secure <br />top. If the pen or structure has no bottom secured to the <br /> <br /> <br />