A. In addition to any other remedies provided in this chapter, an animal safety officer or a police officer may seize, impound and humanely confine to an animal shelter or hospital any of the following animals:
1. Any animal at large, including cats;
2. Any animal constituting a public nuisance or considered a danger to the public;
3. Any animal that is in violation of any quarantine or confinement order of the Panhandle health district, a Post Falls animal safety officer or any standing quarantine or confinement order of any public officer;
4. Any unattended animal that is ill, injured or otherwise in need of care;
5. Any animal that is reasonably believed to have been abused or neglected;
6. Any animal that is reasonably suspected of having rabies;
7. Any animal that is charged with being potentially dangerous, or dangerous where the city council or animal safety officer determines that there is a threat to public health and safety; including illegal exotic and wild animals;
8. Any animal that a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered impounded or destroyed;
9. Any animal that is considered unattended or abandoned, as in situations where the owner is deceased, has been arrested or has been evicted from his regular place of residence;
10. Any animal that has been declared vicious and the owner or harborer fails to adhere the established guidelines set forth in section 4-3-2 of this title.
B. An animal safety officer or police officer may also, or in lieu of impoundment of a cat or dog running at large, issue to the owner a notice of violation which calls for payment of an animal control fee or, in the alternative, may issue a uniform citation charging the owner with a criminal violation of this chapter. The animal safety officer or police officer may issue a uniform citation or refer the matter to the city prosecutor in order to initiate misdemeanor criminal proceedings for the underlying violation of this chapter. Such citation or complaint shall be punishable as a criminal misdemeanor as otherwise provided by this code. (Ord. 430, 11-17-2020)