ENFORCEMENT

Las Vegas Municipal Code tit. 7, ch. 7.44

in effect

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.010 Deposit of collected funds—Source for expenses.

7.44.010 - Deposit of collected funds—Source for expenses. All moneys collected under this Title, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid to the General Fund of the City and all expenses incurred in carrying out or enforcing the provisions hereof shall be paid therefrom. (Ord. 3618 § 218, 1991)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.020 Duty of Officers.

7.44.020 - Duty of Officers. It shall be the duty of the Sheriff, the Animal Regulation Officer, and every Peace Officer while on duty to enforce the provisions of this Title. (Ord. 3618 § 219, 1991)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.030 Interfering or resisting.

7.44.030 - Interfering or resisting. No person shall interfere with or oppose or resist the Sheriff or any of his Officers, the Animal Regulation Officer, or any other City Law Enforcement Officer, or the Health Officer or any member or employee of the Health Department while engaged in the performance of the duties pertaining to the enforcement of this Title, all of which said Officers, members and employees are hereby empowered to enforce all the provisions of this Title. (Ord. 3618 § 220, 1991)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.040 Unlawful acts designated—Penalty.

7.44.040 - Unlawful acts designated—Penalty. (A) Any person owning, possessing or having the care, custody and control of any animal, who: (1) Wilfully refuses, fails or neglects to furnish to the Animal Regulation Officer or an Animal Protection Services Officer the information required under this Title; (2) Wilfully refuses, fails or neglects to cause said animals to be registered and pay said registration fee at the time and in the manner herein provided; (3) Wilfully refuses, fails or neglects to perform any act or pay any other fee or charge required by this Title to be performed or paid; (4) Resists, interferes with or prevents the Animal Regulation Officer or an Animal Protection Services Officer in the exercise of their duties; or (5) Violates any of the provisions of Chapters 7.04 to 7.44, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (B) Any person who violates any provision of Section 7.32.030, Section 7.32.120, Section 7.32.130, Section 7.32.160, or any provision of Subsections (1), (2), (3) or (5) of NRS 574.100 is guilty of a misdemeanor and: (1) For the first offense within the immediately preceding seven years, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two days nor more than six months; the performance of community service of not less than forty-eight hours nor more than one hundred twenty hours, and a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars. A term of imprisonment imposed pursuant to this paragraph may be served intermittently at the discretion of the judge, except that each period of confinement must be not less than four consecutive hours and must occur at a time when the person is not required to be at a place of employment or on a weekend; (2) For the second offense or subsequent offense within the immediately preceding seven years, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than ten days nor more than six months; the performance of community service of not less than one hundred hours nor more than two hundred hours, and a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars. (C) Any person who violates any provision of Section 7.32.010 is guilty of a misdemeanor and: (1) For the first offense within the immediately preceding seven years, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two days nor more than six months; the performance of community service of not less than forty-eight hours nor more than one hundred twenty hours, and a fine of one thousand dollars. A term of imprisonment imposed pursuant to this paragraph may be served intermittently at the discretion of the judge, except that each period of confinement must be not less than four consecutive hours and must occur at a time when the person is not required to be at a place of employment or on a weekend; (2) For the second offense or subsequent offense within the immediately preceding seven years, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than ten days nor more than six months; the performance of community service of not less than one hundred hours nor more than two hundred hours, and a fine of one thousand dollars. (D) In addition to any other fine or penalty provided in Subsection (B) or (C), a person who violates any provision described in Subsection (B) or (C) shall be ordered to pay restitution for all costs associated with the care and impoundment of any mistreated animal, including without limitation money expended for veterinary treatment, feed and housing. (E) In connection with the imposition of any sentence pursuant to this Section, the court: (1) May order the defendant to surrender ownership or possession of the mistreated animal; (2) Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph (3) below, may enter an order prohibiting the defendant from harboring, owning, possessing, keeping or exercising control over any animal; from residing in any household where an animal is present; and from working at or volunteering for a business, animal shelter or other place where the person may access an animal, for a period not to exceed four years; and (3) In a case where the mistreated animal died as a result of the mistreatment, must enter an order prohibiting the defendant from harboring, owning, possessing, keeping or exercising control over any animal; from residing in any household where an animal is present; and from working at or volunteering for a business, animal shelter or other place where the person may access an animal, for a period of at least two years and not to exceed five years, beginning either on the date of conviction or, in the case of a suspended sentence, at such other time as is determined by the court. (F) If a person who owns, possesses or has custody, care and control of an animal resists, interferes with or prevents the Animal Regulation Officer or an Animal Protection Services Officer in the exercise of their duties, or violates any of the provisions of Chapters 7.04 to 7.44, inclusive, the animal may be impounded in accordance with the provisions of this Title. (G) The City is authorized to treat a violation of the following provisions of this Title as a civil infraction, which shall then subject the violator to a civil penalty in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7.44.060 to 7.44.120, inclusive: (1) Section 7.08.010 (relating to animal licensing); (2) Section 7.08.090 (relating to license tags); (3) Section 7.08.140 (relating to dog limitations); (4) Section 7.08.160 (relating to cat limitations); (5) Section 7.08.185 (relating to ferret limitations); (6) Section 7.12.010 (relating to rabies vaccinations); (7) Section 7.14.010 (relating to unspayed/unneutered animals); (8) Section 7.20.020 (relating to unspayed female animals during copulating season); (9) Section 7.36.010 (relating to noise annoyance); (10) Section 7.36.020 (relating to animal interference, damage, etc.); (11) Section 7.36.030 (relating to animals at large), if the violation is witnessed by the Animal Regulation Officer or an Animal Protection Services Officer; (12) Section 7.36.040 (relating to animal waste); (13) Section 7.36.050 (relating to animal restraint and sanitation); (14) Section 7.38.040 (relating to hogs and pigs); (15) Section 7.38.041 (relating to potbellied pigs); (16) Section 7.38.042 (relating to potbellied pigs); (17) Section 7.38.043 (relating to potbellied pigs); (18) Section 7.38.050 (relating to poultry and birds); (19) Section 7.38.060 (relating to rabbits); (20) Section 7.38.070 (relating to owner responsibilities); (21) Section 7.38.100 (relating to wild animal permits); (22) Section 7.40.170 to Section 7.40.270, inclusive (relating to duties of operators); (23) Section 7.42.030 (relating to pet shop sales); (24) Section 7.42.050 (relating to breeder, pet shop and distributor obligations); (25) Section 7.42.060 (relating to pet shop sales); (26) Section 7.42.070 (relating to distributor obligations); (27) Section 7.42.075 (relating to pet shop and breeder limitations and obligations); and (28) Section 7.42.080 (relating to reporting and documentation). (Ord. No. 6928, § 12, 11-5-25; Ord. No. 6896, § 1, 1-15-25; Ord. No. 6895, § 3, 1-15-25; Ord. No. 6816, § 82, 8-17-22; Ord. No. 6777, § 4, 5-5-21; Ord. No. 6180, § 1, 3-7-12; Ord. 5497 § 10, 2002: Ord. 3618 § 221, 1991)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.050 Officers—Right of entry.

7.44.050 - Officers—Right of entry. Any Animal Protection Services Officer or peace officer shall have the right with probable cause to enter upon any private or public property in order to examine or capture any animal thereon or therein or to enforce any provision of this Title; provided, however, that no such Officer or employee, agent or servant thereof shall have the right to enter a house or structure which is in use as a residence without having first secured a search warrant therefor. (Ord. No. 6816, § 83, 8-17-22; Ord. 5220 § 71, 2000: Ord. 3618 § 222, 1991)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.060 Notice of Infraction—Issuance.

7.44.060 - Notice of Infraction—Issuance. (A) Whenever a violation of any of the provisions described in Section 7.44.040(G) occurs, a Notice of Infraction may be issued in accordance with this Chapter. Such a Notice of Infraction may be issued by any officer authorized to enforce of this Title and must contain the following information: (1) The name and address of the person responsible for the violation; (2) A brief description of the violation and a reference to the applicable ordinance citation(s); (3) The location, date and time of the violation; (4) The name of the person issuing the Notice of Infraction; (5) The amount of the civil penalty applicable to the violation; (6) Information advising of the manner and time for responding to the Notice of Infraction; and (7) Such other pertinent information as may be necessary or appropriate. (B) No error or omission concerning any of the information described in Subsection (A) is grounds for the dismissal of an action relating to a Notice of Infraction unless the person requesting such a disposition demonstrates substantial prejudice therefrom by a preponderance of the evidence. (C) Where data concerning a Notice of Infraction is entered into and stored in a computer or similar device, the following shall be deemed to be an "original" of such Notice of Infraction for purposes of this Chapter: (1) Any printout or other output readable by sight which accurately reflects such data; and (2) Any such entry which has been moved or copied into another computer or similar device and is intended to have the same effect by the issuing officer. (D) Any Notice of Infraction issued pursuant to this Chapter shall constitute a declaration which is subject to the penalty of perjury. (Ord. No. 6896, § 2, 1-15-25; Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.070 Notice of Infraction—Filing.

7.44.070 - Notice of Infraction—Filing. An original Notice of Infraction, or a facsimile thereof, must be filed with the Department of Public Safety and retained by that Department, and is deemed to be a public record of matters which are observed pursuant to a duty which is imposed by law and is prima facie evidence of the facts which are alleged therein. An original or duplicate of the Notice of Infraction must be served on the person responsible for the violation. (Ord. No. 6518, § 10, 4-6-16; Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.080 Notice of Infraction—Acknowledgement—Hearings.

7.44.080 - Notice of Infraction—Acknowledgement—Hearings. (A) A person must respond to a Notice of Infraction in one of the following ways: (1) "Admit" responsibility for the commission of the violation and liability for the civil penalty imposed, and pay the applicable civil penalty; (2) Contact the Director of Public Safety or an authorized designee, "admit" such responsibility and liability, and arrange a schedule for the payment of such penalty; or (3) Request a binding hearing, as provided for in Subsections (B) to (I), inclusive, of this Section in order to dispute the propriety of the issuance of the Notice of Infraction or liability for the violation. (B) A person may initiate a hearing pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection (A) of this Section by: (1) Contacting the Director of Public Safety or a designee; (2) Providing his/her name, current address and the Notice(s) of Infraction(s) and penalties thereon which such person wishes to subject to such hearing; and (3) Obtaining a date for the hearing. (C) Any person initiating such a hearing in this manner (the "defendant") shall be bound by the decision of the Hearing Officer concerning liability for the infraction(s) and responsibility for the penalties related thereto. If a defendant scheduling a hearing before the Hearing Officer fails to appear at the hearing without having first sought and obtained a continuance of the hearing, the Hearing Officer may enter a decision against the defendant for the full amount of penalties scheduled to be reviewed. In connection with the request for a hearing, the defendant must acknowledge the binding nature of the hearing and the Hearing Officer's authority in the event the defendant fails to appear at a hearing. The acknowledgment shall be in substantially the following form: I ___________, hereby request a binding hearing before the Hearing Officer. My address is _________________________. I request that this hearing involve Notice(s) of Infraction(s) Number ___________. I understand that the Hearing Officer is an attorney and not an elected or appointed judge. I understand that I am bound by the decision of the Hearing Officer. I understand that if I fail to appear for the scheduled hearing before the Hearing Officer without first obtaining a continuance of such hearing, the Hearing Officer may enter a decision against me for the full amount of the penalties scheduled to be reviewed. I understand and agree that if necessary due to my lack of timely payment, the City of Las Vegas can and will use this binding decision to have a formal civil judgment entered against me in the Las Vegas Municipal Court. I understand that if a civil judgment is obtained, the City may seek and obtain a writ of execution against me. I understand that if a writ of execution is obtained, my wages and/or bank accounts may be garnished, and liens may be put on my property. Knowing all of the above, I still wish to request a binding hearing before the Hearing Officer on the above-described Notice(s) of Infraction(s). I hereby acknowledge the above and further acknowledge that at my request a hearing has been set for _______________, 20_____ at the hour of _____ m. ___________ Defendant (D) Any hearing conducted pursuant to this Section shall be presided over by a Hearing Officer who shall be an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Nevada. With respect to any such hearing, a properly filed Notice of Infraction shall constitute a claim of liability and a claim for relief and no other such claim shall be required. Prima facie proof of the violation alleged shall be established by the City providing the Hearing Officer with either a certified copy of the Notice of Infraction or the data stored in a computer or other device, as described in Subsection (C) of Section 7.44.060. No formal appearance by the City Attorney's office is required. The hearings and dispositions of all such actions shall be informal, with the Hearing Officer receiving witness statements or testimony and other evidence for the sole purpose of dispensing fair and speedy justice between the parties. (E) The burden of proving any defense shall be upon the person raising such defense. (F) If the Hearing Officer finds that a violation did not occur or that the defendant should not be held liable, the Hearing Officer shall enter a decision for the defendant. (G) The defendant shall pay the total civil penalties forthwith or at such times and on such conditions as the Hearing Officer shall prescribe if it is found that the person has either failed to appear or otherwise defend against the issuance of the Notice of Infraction as agreed or that the violation was committed and no applicable defense exists. (H) Upon reaching a decision, the Hearing Officer shall as soon as practicable thereafter, file a written decision substantially conforming to the following form: City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, City of Las Vegas, Plaintiff v. _______________, Defendant. Before, _______________, Hearing Officer for the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, decision is entered in favor of _______________, (plaintiff or defendant) for $__________ (enter $0.00 if judgment is for the defendant), on the _____day of __________, 20_____. I certify that the foregoing is a correct reflection of the decision entered in the action properly brought for my consideration pursuant to LVMC Chapter 7.44. _________________________ Hearing Officer (I) The City Attorney may petition the Las Vegas Municipal Court for the entry of a civil judgment against the defendant in an amount equal to that stated in the written decision of the Hearing Officer if the City Attorney determines this action to be necessary to enforce the decision. Service of such petition on the defendant must be made by certified mail, return receipt requested, restricted delivery, addressed to the defendant at the defendant's last known address, or in any other manner which is authorized by law. An affidavit or declaration of mailing, a signed, returned receipt, or other evidence of service shall be filed upon such service of the petition. Once a petition for civil judgment pursuant to this Subsection (I) has been filed with the Municipal Court, the assigned judge has jurisdiction to grant or deny the relief prayed for therein. (Ord. No. 6518, § 11, 4-6-16; Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.090 Thirty-day response period.

7.44.090 - Thirty-day response period. (A) A response to a Notice of Infraction, as provided in Section 7.44.080, must be made within thirty calendar days after the date on which the Notice of Infraction is served. If no response is received during such thirty-day period, an additional civil penalty which is equal to the amount of the original civil penalty must be assessed. (B) After the expiration of the thirty-day response period, the Director of Public Safety or an authorized designee may send a Notice of Delinquency by mail to the person to whom the Notice of Infraction was issued, at that person's last known address. The Notice of Delinquency must contain the date of the infraction, the amount of the initial civil penalty and the amount of any additional penalty which is associated therewith. The person to whom the Notice of Delinquency was sent shall have fifteen calendar days after the date of the Notice of Delinquency in which to respond thereto in the manner which is provided in Section 7.44.080. If no response is made to the Notice of Delinquency within such additional fifteen-day period, an additional penalty must be assessed equal to two times the original civil penalty amount, in addition to the original amount. (C) If a person fails to respond to a Notice of Infraction or a Notice of Delinquency in accordance with this Chapter, the City is entitled to collect the amount of any fines and penalties by means of any remedy available under applicable law, including without limitation referring the matter to a collection agency. (Ord. No. 6518, § 12, 4-6-16; Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.100 Additional collection fees.

7.44.100 - Additional collection fees. (A) The schedule of civil penalties contained in Section 7.44.110 is hereby established for the violations described therein. (B) In addition to the penalties provided for in Section 7.44.110 and the late fees described in Section 7.44.120, the person responsible for any violation shall be liable for an additional collection fee where the collection of the penalties provided for herein is referred for collection to a private collection agency. The amount of such fee shall be twenty-five percent of the outstanding indebtedness or two hundred fifty dollars, whichever is less. The amount of any such collection fee shall accrue and become due and payable at the time the indebtedness is referred for collection to the collection agency, and that amount may be added by the collection agency to the amount sought to be collected. Any judgment or amended judgment entered under this Chapter may include the amount of the collection fee authorized by this Subsection (B). (Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.110 Schedule of civil penalties.

7.44.110 - Schedule of civil penalties. The following civil penalties are established for violations of the provisions indicated below: SECTION VIOLATED | PENALTY 7.08.010 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.08.090 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.08.140 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.08.160 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.08.185 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.12.010 | Five hundred dollars 7.14.010 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.20.020 | Two hundred fifty dollars 7.36.010 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four-month period) 7.36.020 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.36.030 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense) Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four-month period) 7.36.040 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.36.050 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.040 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.041 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.042 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.043 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.050 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.060 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.070 | One hundred fifty dollars 7.38.100 | Two hundred fifty dollars 7.40.170 to 7.40.270, inclusive | Not less than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars 7.42.030 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense) Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four-month period) 7.42.050 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense) Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four-month period) 7.42.060 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense) Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four-month period) 7.42.070 | Two hundred fifty dollars (1 st offense) Five hundred dollars (2 nd or subsequent offense within a twenty-four month period) 7.42.075 | Five hundred dollars 7.42.080 | Five hundred dollars (Ord. No. 6928, § 14, 11-5-25; Ord. No. 6895, § 4, 1-15-25; Ord. No. 6623, § 5, 6-20-18; Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Las Vegas Municipal Code § 7.44.120 Penalty adjustments.

7.44.120 - Penalty adjustments. The penalty amounts set forth in Section 7.44.110 are subject to adjustment as follows: (A) A Hearing Officer's decision in accordance with Section 7.44.080 regarding a qualifying violation may include a provision that, if payment is made within thirty days after the decision is issued and the violator can document that the violation has been corrected, the applicable penalty is reduced by sixty-five percent (or seventy-five percent, in the case of a violation of Section 7.14.010). For purposes of this Subsection, a "qualifying violation" is a violation of a requirement regarding an animal that can be corrected and, upon correction, the violation cannot reoccur. Examples of such violations are those regarding license or permit requirements, vaccination requirements, and spay/neuter requirements. (B) If the payment of penalty amounts when they become finally due pursuant to the provisions of Sections 7.44.060 to 7.44.120, inclusive, are not timely made, the following late fees shall be imposed and are immediately due and payable: (1) If payment is late more than thirty days, a late fee of one hundred percent of the applicable penalty amount. (2) If payment is late more than forty-five days, the late fee is increased to one hundred fifty percent of the applicable penalty amount. (Ord. No. 6180, § 2, 3-7-12)

Source: City of Las Vegas, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nv/las_vegas/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT7AN_CH7.44ENFetched: 10/28/2026