SILVERHILL, Ala. — After months of discussion the Silverhill Town Council voted Monday night to approve an animal control ordinance for the town.

Ordinance No. 393 was passed Monday night, “amending and confirming as modified Ordinance No. 322, No. 269 and 176 regulating and pertaining to animals and fowls within the town of Silverhill and providing for the public health and safety.”

The ordinance defines animal as “all members of the canine family, horses, mules, stallions, jacks, bulls, cows, sheep, goats or hots, and other animals or livestock,” and dogs as “all domesticated members of the canine family, of either sex, of any age, whether or not vaccinated against rabies as required by law.”

It also provides definition of “vicious” or “dangerous” animal as:

— Any animal with a propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack, cause injury or otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or other animals.

— Any animal which attacks a human being or other domestic animal without provocation.

— Any dog owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting or any dog trained for dog fighting.

According to the ordiance animal control officers will be delegated from the town’s police department to enforce the ordinance.

All dogs kept, harbored or maintained in the Town of Silverhill by their owners will be tagged and registered if over three months old. Dog tags will be issued at a cost of $3 and the owner must provide at the time of application his name and address, the name, breed, color and sex of each dog owned or kept by him, and a certification showing that the dog has been innoculated against rabies. If no proof is provided for rabies inoculation, the owner will be given 14 days to pay $25 for failure to obtain inoculations and have rabies inoculations.

Tagging provisions do not apply to dogs whose owners are nonresidents temporarily within the town, dogs brought into town for the purpose of participating at any dog shows, or to seeing eye dogs properly trained to assist a blind person.

If any dog is found not wearing a dog tag or wearing a dog tag not issued for the dog, the owner will be subject to the penalty set by the governing body of the town of Silverhill.

The ordinance also spells out provisions for:

— Animal care, abandonment and inhumane treatment.

— Rabies.

— Public nuisances.

— Animals at large, owner liability for damages; notification of owner when animal is at large; owner responsible for capturing; right to enter property.

— Vicious or dangerous animals.

Any person violating this ordinance will be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, will be punished as a misdemeanor, according to the ordinance.

The council voted 4-1 to adopt the ordinance. Mayor Pro-Tem Jared N. Lyles, who presided over Monday’s meeting, Bert Jones, Steve Brooks and Rodney Criswell voted for the measure. Council member Shirley Stephens voted against and Mayor Tim Wilson was not present at Monday’s meeting.

In other business Monday, the council rejected a suggestion to let people in town vote on whether or not to move the annual Heritage Day celebration back to its original location on Highway 104.

The council voted at a previous meeting to move the festival to the town’s ball park, citing that the move would provide more room for vendors.

“There have been some concerns expressed over whether or not we should move the festival,” Lyles said. “I know some people (who live or have businesses) along Highway 104 that have been part of the festival in the past now feel that they won’t be a part of the festival, but I am unsure of what other concerns might be.”

Jones, who serves on the Heritage Day committee for the town, said notice was given to all residents of the change and everyone had the opportunity to attend committee meetings regarding the change.

“It is really too late to change it now,” he said. “That is something the committee decided on and it has been voted on by the council.”

Criswell agreed that it was too late to change the location back for the festival, which is set for Oct. 16.

“I have concerns myself that we will lose the traffice (from Highway 104), Criswell said. “I think we all have concerns, but the only thing we can do now is to go ahead with the festival this year as planned and if it doesn’t work, we can move it back next year.”

The council also voted Monday to adopt Resolution 431 authorizing Grant Management LLC to sumit a 2010 Community Forest Project grant application and a 2010 Gateway grant application to the Alabama Power Foundation on behalf of the town.

The town also agreed, as part of the resolution to provide for the proper planting and long-term maintenance of the trees and plants, if grant funds are received.

The council also voted Monday to:

— Renew the town’s RDS contract for the collection of license fees and taxes for the town.

— Agreed to host the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours for August 2011.

— Moved the town’s next meeting to Tuesday, Sept. 7 because of the Labor Day holiday.