§ 90.123 DESTRUCTION OR ADOPTION OF UNREDEEMED ANIMAL.

   (A)   If an impounded animal is not redeemed by the owner, or his or her designee, within the period prescribed in § 90.122, it may be destroyed in a humane manner as approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the United States, or the American Humane Association, or it shall become the property of the animal shelter.

   (B)   No animal which has been impounded for being a stray, or unclaimed by its owner, may be adopted from the animal shelter during a period of emergency rabies quarantine invoked pursuant to this chapter, except by special authorization of the Health Director, or his or her designee.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)

§ 90.124 REDEMPTION OR ADOPTION OF UNVACCINATED ANIMAL.

   (A)   Unless proof of a current rabies vaccination can be furnished, every animal will be vaccinated for rabies if it is at least four months of age or older. Every person who either adopts or redeems a dog or cat at the animal shelter will be given a proof of rabies vaccination notice at the time of the redemption or adoption. For animals less than four months of age, a notice will be stamped with a date stating the maximum time limit allowed to take the dog or cat to a veterinarian for rabies vaccination.

   (B)   The proof of rabies vaccination notice will be completed by the veterinarian and returned to the shelter issuing the notice.

   (C)   Payment for rabies vaccination provided for in this section will be the responsibility of the person redeeming or adopting the animal.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)

§ 90.125 DESTRUCTION OF WOUNDED, DISEASED, OR UNWEANED ANIMAL.

   Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any animal seized and impounded which is badly wounded or diseased (and not a rabies suspect), and has no identification, may be destroyed immediately in a humane manner. Unweaned animals may be humanely destroyed after significant attempts to contact local animal shelters and/or individual rescuers have failed. If the animal has identification, the animal shelter and/or animal control shall attempt to notify the owner before disposing of the animal. If the owner cannot be reached readily, and the animal is suffering, the animal shelter, animal control, or any law enforcement officer may destroy the animal at its discretion in a humane manner.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)

§ 90.126 DESTRUCTION OF ANIMALS WHICH CANNOT BE SEIZED BY REASONABLE MEANS.

   Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an animal which cannot be seized by reasonable means may be humanely destroyed by order of the Health Director, or person duly authorized by the Health Director.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)

§ 90.127 KEEPING STRAY ANIMALS.

   (A)   It shall be unlawful for any person in the county knowingly and intentionally to harbor, feed, keep in possession by confinement, or otherwise allow to remain on his or her property, any animal which does not belong to him or her, unless he or she has, within 72 hours from the time the animal came into his or her possession, notified the animal control office or person designated by the Health Director. Upon receiving the notice, the animal control officers may take the animal and place it in an animal shelter and shall deal with it as provided by the animal shelter policy.

   (B)   It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to surrender any stray animal to animal control or any person duly authorized by the Health Director, or his or her designee, upon demand.

   (C)   Any person or organization who fails to notify the county animal control officer, or any person designated by the Health Director, within 72 hours of coming into possession of an animal that does not belong to him or her, shall be deemed the temporary custodian of the animal, and shall be subject to compliance with all provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999

PERMITS

§ 90.140 SECURITY DOGS.

   (A)   It shall be unlawful to keep, maintain, or use any dog in the county for the purpose of protecting any commercial or industrial property, or person on the property, unless a permit has first been obtained from the Health Director, in accordance with the provisions of this section, and unless the permit shall remain unsuspended and unrevoked. A warning sign shall be posted near entrances and exits to property declaring a security dog is present.

   (B)   It shall be unlawful to keep, maintain, or use any patrol or security dog in the county for the purpose of protecting any residential property, or person on the property, unless a permit has first been obtained from the Health Director, in accordance with the provisions of this section, and unless the permit shall remain unsuspended and unrevoked.

   (C)   The Board of Health shall promulgate regulations and a fee schedule for the issuance of permits, and shall include requirements for humane care of all security dogs, and for the compliance with this section and other applicable laws. The Board of Health may amend the regulations from time to time as deemed appropriate for public health and welfare and for the protection of security dogs.

   (D)   The Health Director may revoke any permit if the person holding the permit refuses or fails to comply with this chapter, the regulations promulgated by the Board of Health, or any other applicable law.

   (E)   Regulation standards include keeping the animal in an enclosure with a fence six feet high, or higher, if the animal control officer, considering the history, size, and strength of the dog, determines a higher fence is necessary, and a warning sign (i.e., “Security Dog On Premises”) which must be visible from 20 feet on all sides of the fence. The owner is required to notify the animal control officer immediately if the dog gets loose or attacks a person or another animal.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999

§ 90.141 COLLECTING FOR RESALE.

   (A)   It shall be unlawful for any person to collect any dog or cat for the purpose of resale unless a permit for the same shall have been obtained from the Health Director in accordance with the provisions of this section, and unless the permit remains unsuspended and unrevoked, in addition to a valid U.S.D.A. license pursuant to the Federal Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 2131 et seq.).

   (B)   The Board of Health shall promulgate regulations and a fee schedule for the issuance of permits, and shall include requirements for humane care and transportation of all cats and dogs for the compliance with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable laws. The Board of Health may recommend changes to the regulations from time to time as deemed appropriate for public health and welfare, and for the protection of collected dogs and cats, not inconsistent with state or federal laws.

   (C)   The Health Director may revoke any permit if the person holding the permit refuses or fails to comply with this chapter, the regulations promulgated by the Board of Health, or any state or federal law governing the protection and keeping of animals.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999

§ 90.142 SPAY OR NEUTER OF ADOPTED ANIMALS.

   Any group, organization, or entity offering animals for adoption in the county must provide proof of sterilization for every animal, six months of age or over, and prior to adoption. Any adult animal must be spayed or neutered prior to being placed into a home.

(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)