(A) The Board of Commissioners shall be responsible for an animal shelter or the designation of an organization to operate a shelter.
(B) Authority is hereby granted to the county Health Department to establish and maintain an animal control program, to employ animal control officers and other employees as shall be determined necessary by the Board of Commissioners, and to appoint and compensate animal control officers and other employees in accordance with policies of the Board of Health.
(C) The employees of the animal control program shall:
(1) Have the responsibility, along with law enforcement agencies, to enforce all laws of the state and all ordinances of the county pertaining to animals, and shall cooperate with all law enforcement officers within the county in fulfilling this duty;
(2) Enforce and carry out all laws of the state and all ordinances of the county pertaining to rabies control;
(3) Be responsible for the investigation of all reported animal bites, the quarantine of any domestic animal involved and suspected of having rabies, for a period of not less than ten days, and for reporting to the Health Director as soon as practical the occurrence of any animal bite and the condition of any quarantined animal;
(4) Be responsible for the seizure and impoundment, where deemed necessary, of any dog or other animal in the county involved in a violation of this chapter or any other county ordinance or state law;
(5) Investigate cruelty or abuse with regard to animals;
(6) Make such canvasses of the county, including homes within the county, as necessary for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with this chapter or state statute;
(7) Keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of the following:
(a) Seizure, impoundment, and disposition of all animals coming into the custody of the animal control program;
(b) Bite cases, violations, complaints, and investigations of same;
(c) All money belonging to the Health Department and/or county which were derived from fees, penalties, license tags, the sale of animals, or sources other than taxes; and
(d) Any other matters deemed necessary by the Health Director.
(8) Be empowered to issue notices of violation of this chapter in the form as the Health Director may prescribe.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)