(A) Lost Companion Animal.
(1) Owners who lose a Companion Animal shall contact AACC and report the loss within 24 hours.
(2) The Owner shall provide to AACC the Owner’s name, address, telephone number, a description of the Companion Animal together with any identification information such as a Microchip, a photograph if possible, the date of the loss, and the last known location of the Companion Animal prior to the loss.
(B) Found Companion Animal.
(1) Any Person who finds a Stray Companion Animal may possess and temporarily care for such Companion Animal pursuant to the terms of this article.
(2) The provisions of this article apply equally to both the Finder and the Owner.
(3) The Finder may keep such Companion Animal at the Household of the Finder and need not deliver the Animal to AACC so long as the requirements of this section are met.
(4) These provisions do not apply if the Companion Animal is Owned or claimed by any Person known to the Finder and is or may be the subject of a dispute between the Finder and any other Person concerning ownership or Custody of the Companion Animal.
(5) Within 24 hours of the time the Companion Animal is found, the Finder must contact AACC and register as a Finder with AACC.
(6) No Person who does not qualify as a Qualified Adopter shall register or be allowed to register hereunder and such Person must immediately surrender the Found Animal to AACC upon demand of the Mayor’s designee.
(7) To register, the Finder shall provide a description of the Companion Animal including, when applicable, any License, Microchip or other identification on the Companion Animal, the time and date when the Animal was found, and the location where the Animal was found.
(8) The Finder shall determine if the Companion Animal is Microchipped by taking the Companion Animal to any Person who can scan and read a Microchip, by calling AACC and requesting an ASO to come to the Household to scan the Animal or by delivering the Animal to AACC so it can be scanned.
(9) If the Companion Animal is Microchipped, the Finder shall provide the Microchip number to AACC.
(10) A registered Finder may exceed Companion Animal number limits while in temporary possession of a Found Companion Animal.
(11) If the Companion Animal is not Microchipped or Altered, the Finder does not have to Microchip or Alter said Animal while in temporary possession but shall Microchip or Alter the Companion Animal when and if the Finder becomes the Owner under this section.
(12) If the Finder wishes to own the Found Companion Animal, the Finder shall so notify AACC and said Animal shall become the property of the Finder 10 days from the registration date if no Person Reclaims the Companion Animal.
(13) Within the 10 days, if any Person purports to be the actual Owner of the Companion Animal, such Person shall contact AACC and not the Finder. The Mayor’s designee may require Proof of Ownership. If the claimant is in fact the Owner, the Mayor’s designee shall order the registered Finder to return the Companion Animal to AACC for Reclaim by the Owner and the Finder shall comply.
(Ord. 18-2006; Am. Ord. 2019-032; Am. Ord. 2023-016)