(a) It shall be unlawful for any custodian of an animal to abandon that animal.
(b) Any custodian of an unwanted animal, other than livestock or swine, may relinquish the animal to an animal control officer or other authorized employee of the city and disposition will be in accordance with article IX of this chapter. A person who places an animal in the drop off pens at the animal shelter relinquishes all rights to that animal.
(c) If the ACD finds that an animal has been abandoned, the animal may be impounded. If the animal has been abandoned in a house or within a fenced area, the ACD must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or manager of the property. If the property owner or manager is not the animal's custodian, then the ACD shall secure permission to remove the animal. If the property owner is also the animal custodian and this individual cannot be located, the ACD shall secure an appropriate warrant to seize the animal.
(d) An animal seized pursuant to this section shall be impounded for a period of 120 hours. If the custodian contacts the ACD to reclaim the animal, an explanation for the animal's abandonment must be provided to the satisfaction of an ACD supervisor before the animal is released to the custodian and the release must also be in accordance with article IX of this chapter. If the animal is unclaimed-the disposition shall be as provided in article IX of this chapter.
(e) The ACD may refuse to accept a relinquished animal.
(Prior Code, § 3-14; Ord. of 3-27-2001; Ord. of 8-24-2010; Ord. No. 034-2022, § 5, 9-13-2022)
State law reference(s)—Abandoning animals, Texas Penal Code §§ 42.09, 42.092.