(a) Seizure. Domestic animals may be seized and impounded when found at large, or as otherwise provided in this chapter. The unit, or some other designated person, upon receiving such animal shall make a complete registry, entering the breed, color and sex of such animal.
(b) Notice to owner. Upon seizing an animal a notice of seizure shall be left with the owner or affixed to the premises. If an animal is not from a particular premises but has an identification tag, the animal control officer shall cause a prompt and reasonable effort to be made to locate and notify the animal's owner.
(c) Failure to redeem. If the owner fails to redeem the animal within the time limit provided in this chapter, or fails to timely request an appeal, or fails to timely appeal the manager's decision, or if the animal is seized the animal shall be deemed abandoned and disposed of as provided in section 6-137.
(d) Animal unattended in motor vehicle. In the case of an animal discovered unattended and confined in a motor vehicle in violation of section 6-67(11), the following shall apply: after making a reasonable effort to find the driver of a vehicle in which an animal is confined, an animal control officer, in the presence of a police officer, may use the least intrusive means to break and enter the vehicle if necessary to remove the animal where reasonable cause exists to believe that the animal is in the vehicle in violation of this chapter. The animal control officer removing the animal shall then impound it and leave in a prominent place on the motor vehicle a written notice of the animal's impoundment, a brief description of the animal, and where and when the animal may be reclaimed. The animal control officer may also issue a citation for violation of section 6-67(a)(11), animal abuse.
(Code 1982, § 4-30; Ord. No. 01-022, § 1, 11-8-2001)