(A) It shall be unlawful for any person in the county 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 such person, unless he or she has, within 72 hours from the time the animal came into his or her possession or onto his or her property, notified the Animal Services Division.
(1) The Animal Services Division, after consultation with the person keeping the animal, and in the exercise of reasonable judgment consistent with the best interest of the animal, shall decide whether to impound the animal and transport it to the animal shelter or whether the person shall be allowed to keep the animal until the owner’s identity has been determined.
(2) The Animal Services Division shall notify the owner, if known, in writing or by telephone of the location and status of his or her animal. When the animal owner cannot be immediately identified, the Animal Services Division shall post on a bulletin board, prominently displayed at the animal shelter and on the county website, a notice including a description of the animal, the time, date, and place of its first appearance, and the date the notice was posted. The bulletin board shall be in public view at all times and the webpage notice shall remain posted until the animal is recovered by the owner, adopted, or euthanized pursuant to this chapter.
(3) If the owner, once notified by the Animal Services Division, does not claim his or her animal within five working days, the person keeping the animal may adopt it according to adoption procedures for un-redeemed animals or the Animal Services Division may dispose of the animal pursuant to this chapter.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to surrender any such stray animal to the Animal Services Division upon demand.
(C) A violation of this section is punishable as a misdemeanor.
(Ord. passed 9-18-2017; Ord. passed 11-15-2021) Penalty, see § 91.999