If the owner of any impounded animal shall be known to the Enforcement Officer and shall reside or have a known place of business in the city, the Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner of the animal personally, by door-hanger notice, or by letter through the post office within 24 hours after the animal has been impounded. The notice shall contain a description of the animal and shall state that, unless reclaimed, it will be adopted out or destroyed after it is left unclaimed for 3 consecutive business days. If the owner of any impounded animal is not known to the Enforcement Officer or does not reside or have a known place of business in the city, then no notice needs to be sent. If an animal is suspected of having been abandoned, the Enforcement Officer will leave a 24-hour notice at the location where the animal is last observed, advising any interested person should contact the Animal Control Division or the animal will be removed from the property after such time. In the case where an owner has been arrested and any animals on premises have been impounded due to an absence of a qualified caretaker at the owner’s premises, the Enforcement Officer shall make reasonable efforts to notify the owner of the impoundment. The notice shall allow the owner to claim the impounded animal through the efforts of another person as made known to the Enforcement Officer in writing. In such case, in order to obtain release of the animal, all fees referenced in § 6-2-5 shall be paid to the Enforcement Officer by the person with the authority to receive the animal. If the Enforcement Officer is not notified by the owner that an authorized person may pick up the animal within 10 calendar days from delivery of the required notice to the incarcerated owner, the animal is deemed “abandoned” and shall be handled pursuant to § 6-2-6
(Ord, 1465, passed 12-4-2018)