(a) Unlawful to abandon. It shall be unlawful for any person owning, possessing or harboring an animal to abandon that animal.
(b) Seizure. If the animal control unit 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 unit must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or manager of the property. If the property owner or manager is not the animal owner, then the unit shall secure permission to remove the animal from the person who occupies the property. If the person who occupies the property is the animal owner and cannot be located or refuses to give permission to remove the animal, the division shall secure an appropriate warrant to seize the animal.
(c) Impoundment. An animal seized pursuant to this section shall be impounded as provided in section 6-134. If the owner contacts the unit to reclaim the animal, an explanation for the animal's abandonment must be provided to the satisfaction of the chief before the animal is returned to the owner. If the animal is unclaimed by its owner after being held for the minimum period specified in section 6-135, the animal shall be disposed of as provided in section 6-137.
(Code 1982, § 4-9; Ord. No. 01-022, § 1, 11-8-2001)
State law reference—Abandoned animals, G.S. 14-361.1.