(a) Whenever the Executive Director shall determine: (1) that any animal is kept within a building or upon any premises without food, water, shelter, or proper care and attention for a period of time sufficient within his judgment to cause undue discomfort or suffering, and the owner cannot be located after reasonable search, or if the owner shall be known to be absent due to injury, illness, incarceration, eviction, or other involuntary circumstance; or (2) that any animal is kept at a residence under such conditions that endanger the public health, safety and welfare, or the safety and welfare of the animal, it shall be the duty of the Executive Director to obtain the necessary legal process to allow him or her to enter or to cause to have entered such building or premises to take possession and remove such animal to an animal control center or to a humane society or other appropriate agency equipped, able and willing to accept the animal.
(b) The animal control center, humane society or other authorized receiving agency shall exercise due caution for the welfare and temporary safekeeping of any animal so removed, in conformance with policies to be prescribed by the Department. After due notification to the owner, or, if the owner cannot be located or contacted after reasonable effort by the animal control center, humane society or other authorized receiving agency, any animal so removed and unredeemed shall become the property of the Department and disposed of under policies prescribed by the Department.
(Prior code § 98-4; Amend Coun. J. 3-14-07, p. 99838, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. I, § 12)