(A) Seizure. It is lawful for the Animal Control Officer, his or her representative, and all law enforcement officers to seize and impound any unlicensed or unvaccinated dogs found at large, or any licensed dog found at large which they reasonably feel to be in violation of the provisions of §§ 91.20 through 91.31, or at the direction of the law enforcement, the owner may be served a summons to appear before the Town Court to answer charges made thereunder.
(B) Licensed dogs. Owners of impounded licensed dogs shall be notified by the Animal Control Officer, or his or her representative, that upon payment of impounding fees to be set by resolution, plus veterinary fees and animal shelter charges, the dog will be turned over to said owner. If the impounded licensed dog is not recovered by its owner within 72 hours of impoundment, the dog will be destroyed in a humane manner.
(C) Unlicensed dogs. Impounded, unlicensed dogs may be recovered by their owner, upon proper identification, by payment of the license fee, fees as set by resolution and boarding costs, and the cost of vaccination, if vaccination is required by § 91.22.
(D) Subsequent violation. Any subsequent occasion a dog is impounded in violation of this subchapter, the owner or keeper of such impounded dog shall pay a fine as set by resolution, plus boarding costs as provided in division (B) above for the release of such dog.
(E) Sale of unclaimed dogs. If any dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, is not claimed within 72 hours of impoundment, the Animal Control Officer, or the Chief of Police, shall offer the dog for sale. If no bid to the amount of $9, plus impounding fees, is received for said dog, the dog shall be destroyed in a humane manner.
(F) Adoption. The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Town Council, may provide for the establishment of adoption services for unclaimed dogs. In such case, the Animal Control Officer, or his or her representative, may turn any unclaimed dogs over to the Humane Officer of the county who shall agree to find a home for the dogs. Such person must follow the provisions set forth in §§ 91.21 and 91.22 of this subchapter, except that no license fee need be paid for a dog to be removed from the town.
(Prior Code, § 8-2-5) (Ord. passed 8-8-2005; Ord. passed 7-25-2011)