City of Red Lodge v. Maryott
City of Red Lodge v. Maryott
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
In 1893 the town of Red Lodge enacted ordinance No. 28, entitled: “An Ordinance Concerning Domestic Animals Running at Large Within Town of Red Lodge,” section 1 of which is as follows: “It shall be the duty of every person owning or keeping domestic animals, to wit: horses, mules, asses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, within the limits of the town to provide for the keeping of the same within or upon his or her premises at all times, save when necessarily or temporarily passing through the streets, and then such animals must be attended by some one to take care of them and prevent their doing damage to person or property.”
In 1903 this action was commenced in the police magistrate’s court in the name of the city of Red Lodge, against the respondent, John L. Maryott, to recover the sum of $144 — $48 as fees for impounding twenty-four head of cattle, and $96, costs of keeping the same within the city pound, and for the further sum of fifty cents per day for each head of cattle so impounded from the time of the commencement of the action until the trial of the same, and for an order that the impounded animals be sold to satisfy the judgment asked for.
The complaint alleges the corporate existence of the city of Red Lodge; that about July 1, 1903, the defendant did keep and permit the animals in controversy to run' at large within the city of Red Lodge without his premises and without any person herding or in charge of the same, contrary to the form, force and effect of ordinance 28; that while defendant so permitted his cattle to run at large in violation of said ordinance, the poundkeeper gathered and caused to be gathered the said cattle and placed them in the city pound and still confines them, therein. The complaint further sets forth the amount of fees and costs incurred in impounding and caring for the animals The defendant answered, admitting the corporate existence of the city of Red Lodge, the impounding of the cattle, and that defendant has not paid the city the amount claimed, or any amount whatever, and denying all the other allegations of the complaint.
In this court the only question presented which requires any consideration is.that involved in the construction of the provisions of sections 1 and 2 of -ordinance 28, as set forth above. It is conceded by respondent that the city of Red Lodge might properly pass this ordinance, or an ordinance restraining animals running at large within the city; which would apply to .the animals in question; and no contention is made here as to the procedure adopted by the city to carry out the provisions of this ordinance. The only contention of respondent is that this ordinance has no application to the animals in controversy.
The evidence is sufficient to support the findings of the court: that the owner of the animals lives some three or four miles from the city limits; that he turned these animals out on the common range, and that they strayed within the city limits, but were not owned or kept therein. The question for determination then is: Are the provisions of ordinance 28 sufficiently broad to apply to all such domestic animals as are mentioned in the ordinance, which may be found running at large within the city limits, whether owned or kept therein, or owned or kept without the city but which stray within the city limits?
But it is contended that under the provisions of section 2 of this ordinance, the city may be justified in impounding these animals. That section provides that the poundkeeper shall provide a pound for impounding any domestic animals found running at large within the city limits. But if this section is to be construed literally and without reference to section 1 of the ordinance, then dogs and cats, being domestic animals, fall within the provisions of the ordinance, and the poundkeeper is required to restrain them. But this ordinance must be construed as a whole, every portion of it given meaning if possible, and neither the whole nor any portion rendered ridiculous, unless that result is unavoidable.
There is no conflict whatever between the provisions of sections 1 and 2, and neither is broader in its terms than the other. Section 1 enumerates the particular domestic animals which are prohibited from running at large. Section 2 creates the office of poundkeeper and defines his duties; and when the question is presented to him whether a particular domestic animal is permitted to run at large, he must determine the question by a reference to section 1, which defines the nuisance to be avoided. That the contention now made was not entertained by the city
However, this becomes immaterial under our view of the case. As the court found that these cattle were not owned or kept within the city limits, and these findings are justified by the evidence, and this ordinance by its terms does not apply to cattle owned or kept without the city and which may stray within the city limits, the court’s conclusion was correct and the judgment and order are affirmed.
The other questions presented do not require any consideration.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CITY OF RED LODGE v. MARYOTT
- Status
- Published